Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Discussions on Records, Recording, & Artists
edisonplayer
Victor IV
Posts: 1558
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:33 pm

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by edisonplayer »

The highest number Flag label that I have is 376-D,"Flag That Train",played by Lanin's Red Heads.edisonplayer

Rastus10
Victor I
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:24 pm

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by Rastus10 »

I posted this question on one of the 78 rpm groups on Facebook, and no one replied. Of course, they're more interested in simply showing pictures or complaining about broken records received in the mail.

That nonsense aside, the highest-numbered flag label that I have is 377-D, both sides by Chester Gaylord and recorded in mid-April 1925.

I've never seen 378-D, but since it contained acoustic masters from no later than early April, one could speculate that it is a flag label, as well. 379-D and 380-D have masters from mid-May 1925, so I have the feeling that they were too late for the flag label.

edisonplayer
Victor IV
Posts: 1558
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:33 pm

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by edisonplayer »

379-D was "Sweet Georgia Brown",sung by Ethel Waters.I've never seen that as a Flag.I read that the English branch of Columbia felt that the Flag Label was either too expensive to print or too flamboyant.edisonplayer

bfinan11
Victor I
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:49 pm

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by bfinan11 »

Did the very highest numbered A-series records ever make it onto a flag label? I would imagine some of them stayed in the catalog through at least the fall of 1923, so I would have expected to see a similar overlap as between Victor's Grand Prize and Batwing, or Batwing and Orthophonic labels, yet I've never actually noticed one in all the 78s I've seen...

User avatar
gramophone-georg
Victor VI
Posts: 3984
Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:55 pm
Personal Text: Northwest Of Normal
Location: Eugene/ Springfield Oregon USA

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by gramophone-georg »

bfinan11 wrote:Did the very highest numbered A-series records ever make it onto a flag label? I would imagine some of them stayed in the catalog through at least the fall of 1923, so I would have expected to see a similar overlap as between Victor's Grand Prize and Batwing, or Batwing and Orthophonic labels, yet I've never actually noticed one in all the 78s I've seen...
Yes, the Flag label started during the tail end of the A series era.
"He who dies with the most shellac wins"- some nutty record geek

I got PTSD from Peter F's avatar

Rastus10
Victor I
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:24 pm

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by Rastus10 »

Ohh, the irony! Recently ended (May 2nd) on eBay...Columbia 378-D, and a Flag Label!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HAPPINESS-BOYS ... 7675.l2557

I hope that it's alright to post the link, since it's germane to this discussion.

bfinan11
Victor I
Posts: 191
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2016 10:49 pm

Re: Columbia's switch from Flag to Viva-Tonal type label

Post by bfinan11 »

gramophone-georg wrote: Yes, the Flag label started during the tail end of the A series era.
I ended up answering my own question in the latest box of shellac. I'd never seen an A-series flag before, but sure enough, found A3969 on the flag label today...

Post Reply