Colored cylinder record questions

[briankeith]

What's the deal with fancy colored cylinder records? For instance,,, is an Edison Royal Purple the same as an Edison Blue Amberol? Or maybe a Pink Lambert? Are there any other colors out there made by other companies? Just a gimmick to sell records? I have always been curious about the colored cylinder records.... Brian Keith

[hillndalefan]

The Royal Purple was used for a few years for Edison's 4-Minute Operatic series [29000], and then dropped, these later being made in the usual blue. Lambert's pink [also Brown and Black] cylinders were made that way mainly to differentiate them from the usual Brown and later Black wax cylinders on the market. Indestructible cylinders made for Sears, Roebuck & Co. under the Oxford name were grey instead of black. There was no particular advantage to any of them, but the Edisons had the least surface noise.

[estott]

There was no particular advantage to any of them, but the Edisons had the least surface noise.

I've thought that a well preserved U.S. Indestructible 4 minute is even quieter than a Blue Amberol.

[martinola]

Kind of related, but worth repeating:

Edison found that a by-product of using the blue dye for their records was that it hardened the celluliod. They discovered it when they changed to a cheaper water-based dye. They looked lighter and tended to streak, but worst of all the resulting cylinders brought complaints of premature wear. So, back they went to the costlier dye. Every so often you'll run into one.

- Martin

[VintageTechnologies]

There was no particular advantage to any of them, but the Edisons had the least surface noise.

I've thought that a well preserved U.S. Indestructible 4 minute is even quieter than a Blue Amberol.

The same goes for a clean Everlasting 4M cylinder. They were well-recorded, too. I have a few that meet or exceed the acoustic quality of the best live-recorded Blue Amberols. Some days everything in the studio was optimal and the results obtained were astounding.

[estott]

There was no particular advantage to any of them, but the Edisons had the least surface noise.

I've thought that a well preserved U.S. Indestructible 4 minute is even quieter than a Blue Amberol.

The same goes for a clean Everlasting 4M cylinder. They were well-recorded, too. I have a few that meet or exceed the acoustic quality of the best live-recorded Blue Amberols. Some days everything in the studio was optimal and the results obtained were astounding.

Actually, I did mean Everlasting. I think their technology might have been in advance of Edison at times- Edison could be rather hidebound.

[briankeith]

Great information. I once read somewhere that some company actually made all white cylinder records - or maybe it was the White Record Co. over in the UK I had read about, not actually white records?

[phonogfp]

The first U.S. Lamberts were white - - the natural color of celluloid. They're very rare.

George P.

[hillndalefan]

In the comments, you brought up the U.S. Everlasting records, and after I had posted the comment, I thought of them as well. They were indeed very smooth. I have found them many times with the celluloid surface gone, and just the rubber liner being sold as a cylinder record. Thanks for picking up the ball. Other than the Everlastings, I've considered the Edisons the best made. It took many years of collecting before I finally found one. I was under time constraints when I posted that last comment.

[hillndalefan]

In the comments, you brought up the U.S. Everlasting records, and after I had posted the comment, I thought of them as well. They were indeed very smooth. I have found them many times with the celluloid surface gone, and just the rubber liner being sold as a cylinder record. Thanks for picking up the ball. Other than the Everlastings, I've considered the Edisons the best made. It took many years of collecting before I finally found one. I was under time constraints when I posted that last comment.