the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world
Alfred Gillette Holcombe, of Southampton, Hampshire county, Massachusetts filed a patent for a different microphone on May 16, 1900 which was granted as US666677 A (29 Jan 1901) it was filed on behalf of Alfred Goodrich Holcombe (deceased by then)
I'd be inclined to chase the NY patent office records or any Mass. company records looking to see if he pops up with more designs. He could have been using his second name as a brand continuing his deceased relative's activity.
Here's a pic for curiosity value
Eoin
"Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin
I don't know how much you can infer from his signature but it uses a lot of shared traits with the branding on the mic in question;
Attachment 160044
Attachment 160045
Eoin
"Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin
I received an email from Joseph Paquette today (Robert's Paquette's son and President of Select Sound Service). He said he talked to his father about the Gillette microphone that I have. He said it was the first time he has seen him stumped on a microphone. Robert said he has never heard of a Gillette and was surprised to see one. He really liked how it looked and said he wished he had one. He said if I ever find any further information on it to pass it along to him.
If Robert and Joseph havent heard of the mike then it really makes me think it must have been a prototype.
Cool. How does it sound?
I found this in Google Patents since the mic has a reference to a patent.
Number US666677A: Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by using a single transducer with sound reflecting, diffracting, directing or guiding means in which sound waves act upon both sides of a diaphragm and incorporating acoustic phase-shifting means, e.g. pressure-gradient microphone. ALFRED GOODRIGH HOLCOMBE, Decd. ALFRED GILLETTE HULGOMBE. Administrator.
Orcas Island Tonewoods
Free downloads of my mandolin CDs:
"Mandolin Graffiti"
"Mangler Of Bluegrass"
"Overhead At Darrington"
"Electric Mandolin Graffiti"
I have heard of the documentation and of Robert Paquette. From what I understand, Roberts is the worlds foremost expert on vintage mics. So, I was pretty excited to see an email from his son Joseph. Thought for sure I would finally find info on the mic. Looks like Joseph carries the company president title. I would guess that Robert is retired but still a go to person for knowledge.
I've heard of Gillette microphones but had never seen one before. This is a nice find. I agree with them that it looks like a ribbon to me.
"All music is folk music, i ain't never heard no horse sing a song"- Louie Armstrong
Eastman md-314
Eastman md-615
Martin D-35
Takamine gd-20ns
pre-war German "Stradivarius" violin
Bookmarks