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Part two of the auction sale of the Daniel Marty collection is on November 30th at 3pm local time ,offered by Millon Associes Paris . The auction catalogue should be available online shortly

Millon Associes are advertising a Part 3 auction sale in February !

Wow. The photos and descriptions for some of the lots are really not good.

Garret

The on-line catalogue https://www.millon.com/catalogue/108542 ... 300&max=50

Certainly not as interesting as the first one.

I did not see any really attractive machine: mostly run-of-the-mill phonographs, some Edisons, some Pathés. I did not see a single horn gramophone, not even the one advertised at the splash page.

More than 30 lots with random sets of mostly classical music records, listed as ¨vinyles 33 tours¨. In one of them I noticed a cement Pathé record - early 1900 - side by side with a 33 rpm 1990's pop picture disc - spanning almost the full timeline of physical recording. Maybe this will be a disputed lot, half of the bidders fighting to get the Pathé, half the pop picture disc.

Loads of cylinder lots, with not a single picture of the actual cylinders, only of box tops. Who would be foolish to buy cylinders without looking at their surface condition? maybe there is a viewing day that will give the opportunity to prospective buyers to inspect them - my guess is that most are white as snow.

The documentation lots seem interesting, with catalogues and similar items also randomly spread, but to me not worth a trip to Paris especially in these pandemic times (they do not ship).

I am sure there is someone who has seen the inside of the cylinder boxes... I may take the chance on a couple lots and will certainly bid on some of the record lots (but not the cardboard Pathé disc lot...I don't buy what I can't play ).

Garret

Garret wrote:I am sure there is someone who has seen the inside of the cylinder boxes... I may take the chance on a couple lots and will certainly bid on some of the record lots (but not the cardboard Pathé disc lot...I don't buy what I can't play ).

Garret

If you will bid on cylinder lots, you may consider favouring the Edison lots, they are less prone to mould than the Pathés and the other French brands. You could also try to call them and ask the so-called in-house expert (his name is on the catalogue) to open some boxes and report what he sees. Indeed the carboard Pathé is unplayable, as all of them are since 1902, but makes a nice display. The record lots may bring some good surprises, who knows? Good luck in your bids!

On request, most reputable UK auction firms will provide condition reports for prospective bidders unable to attend in person.
I would expect no less from a French auction firm, especially with the current restrictions on access and and travel.

epigramophone wrote:On request, most reputable UK auction firms will provide condition reports for prospective bidders unable to attend in person.
I would expect no less from a French auction firm, especially with the current restrictions on access and and travel.

The problem lies in getting a condition report from an ¨expert¨ that cannot distinguish a shellac record from a 33 rpm!

CarlosV wrote:

epigramophone wrote:On request, most reputable UK auction firms will provide condition reports for prospective bidders unable to attend in person.
I would expect no less from a French auction firm, especially with the current restrictions on access and and travel.

The problem lies in getting a condition report from an ¨expert¨ that cannot distinguish a shellac record from a 33 rpm!

True, but you don't need to be an expert to distinguish a mouldy cylinder from a clean one.

epigramophone wrote:

CarlosV wrote:

epigramophone wrote:On request, most reputable UK auction firms will provide condition reports for prospective bidders unable to attend in person.
I would expect no less from a French auction firm, especially with the current restrictions on access and and travel.

The problem lies in getting a condition report from an ¨expert¨ that cannot distinguish a shellac record from a 33 rpm!

True, but you don't need to be an expert to distinguish a mouldy cylinder from a clean one.

You mean those little "splotches" or minor discolorations that will probably clean off with a little soap and water...???