Volume I of Bill Bryant’s American Zonophone Discography has arrived! This 360-page hardcover features discographic details for the 10″ and 12″ single- and double-sided series of 1904–1912 and includes an illustrated historical introduction. Full details and secure online ordering are available on the Mainspring Press website.
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ZONOPHONE CONCERT BAND (probably Edward King, conductor):
The Smiler (Percy Wenrich)
New York: Released March 1908 (listed February 1908)
Zonophone 980 (mx. 8301)
(This is the same Eddie King who infamously ejected Bix Beiderbecke from his first Victor session in 1924. He replaced Fred Hager as Zonophone’s house conductor in April 1906, although Hager allowed Zono to continue to use his name on band records for a time after his departure. King was retained by Victor after Zonophone shut down in 1912 and was made house conductor — and later, manager — of Victor’s New York studio. He also oversaw many of Victor’s recording “expeditions” to other cities.)
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VESS L. OSSMAN (banjo): Yankee Land (Max Hoffmann)
With studio orchestra (probably Fred Hager, conductor)
New York: Released June 1905 (Listed May 1905)
Zonophone 162 (mx. 4735)
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ZONOPHONE ORCHESTRA (probably Edward King, conductor):
Southern Beauties (Charles L. Johnson)
New York: Released January 1909 (Listed December 1908)
Zonophone 5169–A (mx. 8689)
(The Talking Machine World, July 15, 1912)
On June 17, 1912, stockholders of the Universal Talking Machine Company (Zonophone) voted to dissolve the company. Among them was Victor president Eldridge R. Johnson, who had purchased most of Universal Talking Machine’s stock on his own in 1903.
Johnson kept the company at arm’s-length from Victor, maintaining it as an independent subsidiary. It would prove to be a wise move from a legal (if not a financial) standpoint — Universal Talking Machine was the target of recurring legal attacks by the American Graphophone Company (Columbia), and when the latter finally prevailed in the courts during 1911–1912, Johnson was able to pull the plug on Zonophone with no damage done to the Victor Talking Machine Company.
The last American Zonophone records were listed in the June 1912 trade publications, shortly before the decision to dissolve the company (there were no new releases in July, despite what the article suggests).
Mainspring Press will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of Zonophone’s closure with the first of two volumes in William R. Bryant’s American Zonophone Records Discography.
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.The initial volume, to be released this Spring, will cover the 10″ and 12″ single- and double-sided popular series of 1904–1912. The companion volume covering the remaining American Zonophone output (Berliner pirates, smaller-diameter discs, classical / operatic and ethnic series, etc.) is in development for publication in 2013. Progress reports will be posted here and in the Mainspring Press Newsletter.
