Back in the 1920s, long before modern gadgets took over our daily lives, a nifty little invention brought music to people’s pockets.
This wonder of the past was called the Mikiphone, a pocket-sized phonograph that let you carry your favorite tunes wherever you went.
This portable phonograph was the brainchild of Hungarian siblings Miklós and Étienne Vadász. It entered mass production under a licensing agreement with Maison Paillard, based in Saint Croix, Switzerland.
The recording head and a two-piece Bakelite resonator had to be connected to the foldout tone arm, before the shellac disc could be placed on the turntable’s central pin.
This precision engineering feat was awarded first prize at an international music exhibition in Geneva in 1927. When fully assembled, the Mikiphone takes up a considerable amount of room, and it was primarily designed to play 10-inch records.
This made it more of an entertainment device, suitable for gatherings, rather than a portable companion for your everyday errands.
You can quite often find these on eBay for between £600 and £1200 depending on condition.
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