Designed as the first long-playing spring-motored Graphophone, the Type C was advertised as both an entertainment machine for exhibitors and a business machine. A unique feature was the 6-inch mandrel and the 6-inch cylinders offered with it. These cylinders were only available as blanks, not pre-recorded.

Edisonia in London advertised the Type C in 1898 at (20 for spring-motor and in the US Columbia offered both the spring-motor and batterey versions at $20.