(Note: To view the daily postings, click “See All Posts” above.)
We welcome your questions and comments, as well as any suggestions for new topics. Just a couple of things to keep in mind if you want to leave a comment or ask a question:
(1) The comment screen will prompt you for your name (you may use a screen name) and e-mail address, to prevent spamming. Your e-mail address will not appear in your posting.
(2) We welcome questions and comments that are useful and on-topic. Since this is a moderated site, comments are subject to review before posting. Approved comments generally will appear within 1–2 business days.
May I ask a question of the blog experts? In the Talking Machine News for August 1905 (TMN 3[28]:151), under the “Trade Topics” rubric, there is an item that says:
“An American Talking Machine Co. has sent two recording experts to China and Cuba respectively to take records ‘on the spot.’ There will be, it is supposed, about one thousand records of Chinese songs and music taken, and some five hundred Cuban selections. It is considered a better plan to obtain the records in this way, than to make them in New York.”
Can anyone identify the company referred to herre? Elsewhere in this same “Trade Topics” page there is an item that names the Columbia Phonograph Co. explicitly, so there would be no need to be indirect here if this one were Columbia. On the first page of this August 1905 issue of TMN there is an advertisement by the American Talking Machine Co. of London, stating that its business is “wholesale and export only.” Is this the same company as the one mentioned in “Trade Topics”? (But if so, why does the “Trade Topics” item use the indefinite article “an”?) Does anyone know whether the ATM Co. of London sent experts to China and Cuba in 1905?
The TMW item for August 1905 most likely refers to George Cheney’s Asian trip, which was reported in TMW’s sister publication, The Music Trade Review, on June 24, 1905. Cheney set sail on July 3, 1905). There was some confusion in the trade press over the company that was sponsoring the trip; MTR reported it as the Victor Talking Machine Co., but Cheney was an employee of the Universal Talking Machine Co. (makers of Zonophone records, and a Victor subsidiary). Cheney’s agenda included China, Japan, the Philippines, and Hawaii. What doesn’t fit is Cuba, which isn’t mentioned in the MTR article. However, Victor dispatched William Nafey and Samuel H. Rous (better known to record buyers as “S.H. Dudley”) on a Mexican recording trip in 1905, so perhaps the Cuban visit was a part of that trip.
Wondering, Away back in the late 1930′s my aunt had a record. It was ALL of people laughing. As we listened to it we just had to laugh.
It may have been called the “Kruschen Feeling “.
Do you know of it and can it be found anywhere .
I’d love to know. Allan (Australia)
This may have been answered elsewhere, but I was curious
about those single-faced Victor pressings with white labels
and the Title and Artist were typed in. I have a few from the
acoustic era and am wondering how these were abtained at the
time and how long were these made available. (Special order?)
Yes, these were special-order items. Victor began to offer this service in the late 1920s, after they deleted most of the acoustic recordings from the catalog. In theory, at least, any recording for which they could still locate a stamper could be ordered. What’s interesting is that on rare occasions they pulled takes that had been processed and held, but that had not been issued commercially — There’s a Billy Murray recording that falls into that category, so this is definitely an area for further study. I don’t know exactly when the service was suspended, although I’ve heard it was in the late 1930s (the bat-wing label tends to fool people, but RCA continued to use it into the very early 1940s for acoustic records). Perhaps someone out there can supply an exact date the service was suspended? And what it cost per side?
I just bought an Edison disc phonograph and just love it…I know little about it though and cannot seem to find one like it anywhere on the interent….maybe someone here can help me? The only one I have found that resembles it is this one here http://home.earthlink.net/~gnordenstam/PhonoCollection/EdisonModelBC-34.htm The one I bought has different legs and a different cover for the section that covers the horn…any info would be greatly appreciated….the numbers on the tag inside say: W & M C33 SM—-473
You have an Edison William & Mary Model C33. It was introduced in 1922 and discontinued in 1927. It is one of the less common Edison Diamond Disc machines (although not as rare as the long-play machines and other later models). It was a higher-end model, with excellent double-spring motor and horn, and is popular with collectors for its excellent sound quality.
Hi im not sure if i have the correct place but i have 34 E Berliner gramophone disks dated from 1897 till 1900 , i was wondering if anyone could tell me if there worth any value ? thanks again x
All Berliners are collectible, but the value varies greatly depending on content and condition (and few have survived in truly fine condition). Even so-so examples (hymns, Victorian ballads, etc., in fairly beat-up condition) have been bringing around $25-$30 lately on eBay and in private auctions. The more desirable items, like rags and cakewalks, comic and topical songs, stage personalities, etc., can easily go into the $30-$75 range and up, in good condition (meaning no cracks or deep scratches, and light-to-moderate groove wear at worst). And if you have Buffalo Bill’s record, the sky’s the limit…
I have some Victor record that where handed to me from my Grandfather, Maybe I need some help!! All black label,Prazsti Pepici #69491-b / Holka modrooka (folk song) #69491-a, Muj Kamarad-Pochod(my comrade-march) #72903-a/Vitezny Pochod Sokolu (victory March of the Sokols, Hrbitove #16643-a/Ceska Musika #16643-b// Black label, Emerson, That Naughty Waltz #10243, sung by Vivian Holt and Lillian Rosedale, composers Stanley-Levy/Moonlight in Mandalay, Can anyone give me some info.
The release-date range on these is 1910 into the early 1920s. The Czech-Bohemian numbers were marketed mainly to immigrants and did not sell in great numbers, so are fairly scarce today. #16643 is the oldest, having been recorded on August 2, 1907 and originally issued as two single-sided discs (your coupled version was issued in Septemeber 1910). No great monetary value on these, but the foreign numbers could be of some historical interest to specialists in ethnic recordings (which is a growing field) — and a nice family keepsake.
I’m appraising the two cylinders of the Unique Quartette that were used for the Document and Archeophone CDs. I know that “Mamma’s Black Baby Boy” is no longer “unique,” but that another copy of “Who Broke The Lock” has not yet been found.
I would appreciate any thoughts from this blog and readers on the potential value these cylinders have for establishing insurance coverage. Have there been any auctions of cylinders that could be roughly, even vaguely similar and be considered comparable?
I realize that such “unique” items are singularly hard to establish a value, but it is not impossible!
Thanks for any help you can give.
I have a Parlophone record D.P.W. 41 Der Postillon Von Lonjumeau how old is this record. I also have a booklett with a whole collection of “His masters voice” and “Columbia” records.
I have some 78 rpm records from 1903-1907 that my sister has asked me to try to sell for her. There is one Decca, one Silvertone, five Zon-O-Phones, five Monarch’s and 16 Victor’s. Only three of them are two sided. Do you have any idea how to find out if these have value? I need to let my sister know. Thank you.
The quickest way is to check for comparables on eBay — Look at what the record(s) actually sold for for, not at the asking prices (which are often wildly inflated on eBay, so the item goes unsold). The Zonophones and Monarch could have some value, depending on content and condition (which must be extremely good to appeal to advanced collectors). On the others you could check L. R. Docks’ “Premium Record Guide” (available at most large bookstores and libraries) to see if you have any valuable jazz, blues, or country items. But value is minimal for the vast majority of records on these labels. Around here, at least, they’re still in plentiful supply at estate sales, where the going rate is usually a dollar or two tops.