Show Us Your Columbia Oddities

[Neophone]

Folks,

The great thread discussing the early Berliners got me thinking of other rarities. We posted a few of those in that thread, I thought it might make sense to separate some of them out by company. So to start here's a later 10" Climax from my collection. It is to my eyes a very unusual label design for the era-it looks more like something from the late fifties or sixties.

I really haven't found out much about these "second generation" Climaxes. Anyone have any info?

Regards,
John

P.S. I will try to dig it out and make a proper scan of it soon.

[Shane]

I love oddball labels, and that's one I've never seen before. What years does it date from?

[JohnM]

John,
I have a number of 'Standard Disc' records with the large spindle hole that have non-glossy paper labels with rubber-stamped titles amd catalog numbers. Under the 'Standard Disc' labels are the 'Climax' labels you pictured.
John M

[Lenoirstreetguy]

Here's an odd pair ....First we have the Canadian Columbia Patriotic Label from WW 1 as I have always found it. These are fairly common, and rather attractive. (Or as common as any records from 1914 can be 95 years later.)



Then we have the anaemic version! I've never seen this until I found this record this very week.

[Shane]

It took me a few days to dig them out, but here's a couple of Columbia/Columbia related oddities in my collection.



First off is a disc along the lines of what John M was mentioning. Somebody removed a lot of the Standard label, leaving the circa 1910 Columbia label underneath.




Next is a seriously oddball label called Golden Crown. The copyright date on the disc is 1905, and I would imagine this label wasn't around long at all. It is clearly a Columbia pressing due to the heavy ring on the trailoff, and the patent date of "Nov 25 1902" etched in the area as well.



I think I posted this one on another board long ago, and I was told this was a really unusual one. It appears to be from South America, and has some opera by Celestina Boninsegna on it.

[solophoneman]

Here is a seldom seen Columbia Client label record. It was the first Sears Record label. The Harvard Label was later discontinued around 1906 in favor of Oxford label later was followed by Silvertone. Here is one of the first videos I did on Youtube. It gives you a good look at this little seven inch record and the Label at the beginning and then you get to hear the song. "Come take a Trip in my Airship by J.W. Myers". Sears also gave the Harvard name to some of its first Talking Machine offerings that you could buy from its famous mail order Catalog. I believe I have a copy of some of those Harvard Catalog pictures, and if I find them I will offer them here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybdQH5PHcYY

[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.

[Shane]

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:

[JohnM]

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

[Neophone]

Folks,

I've been very busy this past evening gathering some goodies for this thread. You've all posted some great stuff so far! Thanks.

Regards,
John