Victor Monarch Chinese Record 7218 H

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melvind
Victor IV
Posts: 1313
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:23 am

Victor Monarch Chinese Record 7218 H

Post by melvind »

A number of years ago I bought this record at the Union Phonograph show. I really did not pay much attention to it other than as a display piece and it has hung on my wall for a number years. I had noticed over the years that the value of these records went astronomical on eBay. I thought I had paid a lot but they went magnitudes higher in the eBay auctions. I don't know about right now.

I thought since I have been digitizing some of my early rare records I might as well do this one too. So, a very interesting record, hard on western ears, but with a great history. I will leave notes to what I put in the YouTube video notes for those interested. There are some really great links in the notes to the Canadian Antique Phonograph Society webpages that are well written articles about the Chinese records. I can't say you will enjoy the music, or like me, even understand what you are listening to. But, how great that this was recorded ca. 1903.

By the way, I used Google Translate to get a rough title name which is an odd phrase "Into the Daisy Yergin". I am sure someone out there can provide a better one. I would appreciate a note if so.

[youtubehd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEjNf3OJ5FY[/youtubehd]
https://youtu.be/dEjNf3OJ5FY

Here are some images of the record.
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Note in the following image the hand scratched matrix number with a new number written in (1881 to 7218). This was the second version of the Monarch Chinese record and they had reassigned the numbers.
20180208_161730.png
20180208_161811.jpg

Viva-voce
Victor III
Posts: 758
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:49 am
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: Victor Monarch Chinese Record 7218 H

Post by Viva-voce »

Hi Dan,

Yes, early ethnic records are very desirable--I've been seeing Asian and middle-eastern recordings going for good money.
Should you decide to sell this record, I'm sure you will get a pretty penny for it.
I have often found these quite fascinating. A huge departure from the early opera, 1920's hot jazz, and prewar blues I usually collect.

Nice!!

Steven

melvind
Victor IV
Posts: 1313
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:23 am

Re: Victor Monarch Chinese Record 7218 H

Post by melvind »

I just got an update on my YouTube video from a knowledgable collector that has more information about the name of the record and what it actually is. Thanks to YouTuber transformingArt for this info.
As for the selection here - it is called "Jinyeju 金葉菊" - or "A Golden-Leaved Chrysanthemum" , which is a very famous Cantonese Opera piece. This particular record contains Part 8 of the continuous performance of this piece, hence the letter "H" in the catalog number. As with most early Chinese G&T/Victor recordings, this has no performers names credited to it.

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