Show Us Your Columbia Oddities

[solophoneman]

Ok as promised I tracked down those photos of the wonderful Type FH Harvard Disc Talking machine that you could buy right out of the Sears/Roebuck Catalog in 1908. I would just love to find one these but have never ever seen one. Maybe someone has. Also note the great other buy on this page A genuine Oxford Jr. Talking machine complete with 24 Genuine Columbia Records for only $8.75 !!! Both of these Sears brand Talking machines were Columbia products.

Here is a similar Columbia Model, to the Oxford Jr. shown above being offered on ebay. The one in a Sears/Catalog has a nicer Horn but this one seems to be intact, except for the stand and the broken key. Repro keys for these little machines are easily obtainable. It will be interesting to see what the final price will be.

http://cgi.ebay.com/EARLY-VINTAGE-COLUM ... 1|294%3A50

[solophoneman]

Solophoneman,
According to my handy-dandy Inflation Calculator and secret decoder ring, $8.75 in 1908 would be $199.57 in 2007 dollars!
John M

That doesn't seem like a bad price at all than. Unfortunately the modern day bidders seem completely oblivious to accurate inflationary statistics.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Graphophone-Columbi ... 240%3A1318

[solophoneman]

Solophoneman-

I was a bit shocked to see that Harvard disc on your youtube clip. I have the exact same recording, and exact same catalog number (3034), except it is the Oxford reissue. Somebody "standard-ized" the spindle hole on mine. Check it out:

Yes, they carried over many of the early Harvard issues to the Oxford label and even the Earliest Silvertone label shown below from 1909, also from a Columbia pressing.

[Brad]

Solophoneman-

I was a bit shocked to see that Harvard disc on your youtube clip. I have the exact same recording, and exact same catalog number (3034), except it is the Oxford reissue. Somebody "standard-ized" the spindle hole on mine. Check it out:

Yes, they carried over many of the early Harvard issues to the Oxford label and even the Earliest Silvertone label shown below from 1909, also from a Columbia pressing.

Not sure if you are saying the label or recording is from 1909. The orange Silvertone label was issued briefly from 1915 until 1917. The Oxford label was issued earlier.

I find this label to be one of the most pleasing to the eye.

[solophoneman]

Oops I should have clarified that, the original recording of course, not the label.

[solophoneman]

Yes, looking forward to seeing some of those "Goodies" John. In the meantime, I just dug out kind of an oddity for Columbia. Here is a genuine Columbia Fiber Needle Cutter. I believe it was the B&H Fiber needle company which first came out with this idea to save on the wear of the record from the use steel needle, by using a fiber needle (really made of bamboo or some other kind of wood I believe), the needle cutter was to allow the user to continually repoint the needle, until it got too short to use any more and you dicarded it. Victor bought out the B&H Comapany and sold their own fiber needles and needle cutters, and Columbia followed suit. I also have an original B&H needle cutter. Not an exciting thing to see, but if anyone has an interest in seeing it I will gladly post it as well.

[gramophoneshane]

Balsa? I've never heard that before. I wonder what they soaked it in to make it hard enough to play a record? I always thought they were bamboo from the start.

[gramophoneshane]

I doubt this is an oddity, but I've only got one of this label so I thought I'd add it.

[Viva-Tonal]

A UK issue of an American recording and coupling (the flip is 'El guitarrico', mx 30449; both sides recorded circa April 1910) with the US catalogue number....unusual.