The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A very nice 1931 record from Germany by the fantastic Joseph Schmidt.

If you look closely at the label of both sides of this record it is embossed with the word “UNVERKÄUFLICH”. I translated it as “unsaleable” but was unsure of its actual meaning. I guessed it was likely a sample record or something along those lines. Norman Bruderhofer provided the following when I asked him about it.

“These records were usually given out to local dealers so that they could play them on-site. Some record companies used this inexpensive embossing while other brands used special labels. Given the numbers of records that I have seen, it's not even that uncommon and many of these records were probably never used or only played a very few times. Telefunken would often used a simple stamp, saying "Unverkäufliche Musterplatte", where Musterplatte means sample record.”

I thought this was interesting that some of you North American folks might also find it interesting.

[youtubehd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KBk_6YZAH4[/youtubehd]
https://youtu.be/0KBk_6YZAH4

Thanks for these posts. We would likely never get to hear a lot of these songs if it were not for you posting them on youtube for all to hear.



-Travis

After seeing his picture, I surmised that Joseph Schmidt must have been a Jew and that being in Berlin in the 1930s to record or perform was definitely a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time... Some research confirmed my suspicions.

He was a Cantor in Romania before coming to Berlin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciVxjj7PMCM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsmGmnIMrWY

His promising career and wonderful tenor voice came to an unfortunate end at age 38 in Zurich in 1942...

You can read the complete story here: http://greatoperasingers.blogspot.com/2 ... rible.html

Thanks for all the links. I have some of that info on my YouTube post if you take a look at the notes below the video. The tragedy of this is astounding considering he was making films and records through most of the 1930s as late as 1938 in Germany. Then in 1942 later dying in Switzerland in an immigration camp waiting for his freedom papers. I absolutely love his voice. It is so sad he was silenced so early as were so many more individuals.

For anyone interested in his music there are some pretty good CD recordings out there. There are some currently listed on eBay.