The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Recently acquired three early brown wax cylinders in with a bunch of others. A former owner of long ago has cut and pasted parts of the original record slips to the box lids for quick recognition of what title is contained within. Please can anyone tell me which record brand or company's products these are from the catalogue numbers ? Issler's Orchestra 5332, Clarinet solo 6003 , Minstrel record Hello My Baby 9805. The records inside are wrapped in cotton-wool type material and are sadly heavily covered in mould . Many thanks in advance Dulcetto

May be a silly comment, but does it say in the announcement?

Definitely not Edison or Columbia.

Rich Gordon

I've had this box for about 18 years. I don't know anything about the company.
I've made the assumption that the paper decoration on the outside of the case was not done at the factory but by a bored or creative owner.
When I saw your picture I grabbed it off the shelf as the font looks awfully similar if not the same as the record slip on mine pasted to the outside of the box.
A "Consolidated Record".
Does anybody know anything of this company?

Stephen

I found this YouTube link and image :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX_MXL1F6EY

There seems to be very little known of this company. In the May 1899 issue of The Phonoscope, there were two brief mentions:

The Consolidated Phonograph Company, Ltd., of Newark, have issued a new record list of their new process product. The catalogue contains a large list by many well known artists.

In the same issue, this appears:

The Consolidated Phonograph Company, Ltd., of Newark, N. J., are working day and night filling large orders for export. They also report that orders are pouring in from all parts of the United States. Their catalogue of new process records contains the latest talent obtainable and is very complete.


These "puff pieces" were usually written by the companies themselves, used for filler as a courtesy to advertisers. Yet, I have not found any advertisement for Consolidated in The Phonoscope. Perhaps the operators of the company were friends of the Editor?

Here's another Consolidated title slip:
George P.

Hello and many thanks to everyone who has replied -- " Consolidated Record " certainly seems to be the likely contender judging by the font style and general layout of the record slips. Incidentally I have now remembered I do have an example of a Consolidated Record that has survived with its record slip ( vocal by James Mc Cool ) -- I have just checked that one and the font style and layout is indeed the same. Again many thanks to everyone who helped clear up the mystery. Dulcetto