The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Is the the world's smallest playable 78rpm record? It is 3.5" diameter, much smaller than a Little Wonder...

Smallest shellac record, perhaps. Smallest playable record, no. Numerous postcard records were made that are smaller:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af6UTFhrj9A[/youtube]

I think there were other similar novelties that may have been even smaller, perhaps the early chocolate records?

Stollwerck chocolate records (they were also offered in a more durable type of wax) are 3-⅛".

Here's some information...
http://mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPage ... -Minis.htm

James.

Collecting never ends, now you will need to buy a Bing or a Kiddyphone.

Crystalate also pressed records for the UK Crown and Rex labels. They were taken over by Decca in 1937.

I think the smallest shellack record made is the one HMV made for the English queen's doolhouse, with the English Anthem. Every once in a while it shows up for sale. I have two of these Imperials with advertisements one of Jack Payne and another with Buy Imperial, they came in their own transport box and have tiny Imperial sleeves, very neat, but I think they are slighly larger than the HMV.

Thanks for all of the info on this record... I knew someone would have an answer. James, I already have several small phonographs like a Baby, Nifty Nirona and a Cameraphone, so I have already started down that road...

Many thanks for posting this! Always interesting to see one of these I wasn't previously aware of. Do you know what's on the other side, and the number? I started compiling a list of these a few years ago, to which I've just added the information from your photo - see attached file.

I have three other examples myself. One of them still has the original sleeve, mailing box and leaflets. They were sent by the Crystalate Company as promotional items.

EDIT - attachment deleted - updated version attached to later post below.

Thanks for the list - I have always wondered how many there were!
I can add EX12 Regimental March / EX15 Step Lightly by the London Fire Brigade band as per attached. Any ideas why this is an "EX" not a "C" (and the label is bigger) ?

To complicate matters more, I have C4 Carolina Moon on the other side of C7 Sailors Hornpipe ! So they must have mixed and matched the available songs...

I also have one I am struggling to read - it appears to be C17 Ta-Ra / C18 Hilarity

There is even a 3" Berliner record (for the K&R doll) that beats this Imperial size.