Victor "Melba" Record

[Zenger]

I recently picked up a batch of 78's and found this in there. Was this a mass-market pressing, or was it a special order? I have several other Victor white labels that I know were special orders, but they're on the batwing label. Any and all information appreciated!

[Wolfe]

It's mauve. Nellie Melba got her own special label on Victor, though later Melba records are regular red seal.

[vintagetenor]

The 94000 series was dedicated to Nellie Melba. There are seven of them (94001-94007) and they all have special Melba labels.

[epigramophone]

This is one of a group of six 10 inch records, and are the only 10 inch records Melba ever made.
They were recorded in London on 4th September 1905 by the Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd.
The G&T titles were :

3615 Auld Lang Syne.
3616 Come back to Erin.
3617 Old folks at home.
3618 Goodnight.
3619 Away on a hill there runs a stream.
3625 God Save the King.

Although not credited on the Victor label, the "Chorus" comprised Peter Dawson, Ernest Pike and Gwladys Roberts.

[Viva-voce]

This is one of a group of six 10 inch records, and are the only 10 inch records Melba ever made.
They were recorded in London on 4th September 1905 by the Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd.
The G&T titles were :

3615 Auld Lang Syne.
3616 Come back to Erin.
3617 Old folks at home.
3618 Goodnight.
3619 Away on a hill there runs a stream.
3625 God Save the King.”

Actually, there are four other ten-inch Melba records:
“Les Anges Pleurent” (G&T 3576, Victor 94001) and “Chant Venetien” (G&T 3575, Victor 94002) recorded October 1904.
The other two are “Chanson Triste” recorded 1913 (HMV 7-33004) and “By the Waters of Minnetonka” from 1921 (HMV 2-3568.)

—Steven

[Zenger]

Thanks, everyone, very helpful. I wouldn't say this label is "mauve," though; it's pretty close to white, same as the Victor special order labels. Maybe it's faded over the past 117 years?

[Viva-voce]

Thanks, everyone, very helpful. I wouldn't say this label is "mauve," though; it's pretty close to white, same as the Victor special order labels. Maybe it's faded over the past 117 years?

Yes it has faded over the years. Super clean examples still look white but are actually a very very light shade of mauve. Many of her European pressings look a bit darker—on those the mauve colour is more distinguishable.

Steven

[msherman]

Sorry to be late to this thread. Hope the attached is helpful.

[Viva-voce]

Sorry to be late to this thread. Hope the attached is helpful.

Thank you for this image it’s very helpful.
My apologies for the long delay in commenting on it.
Another interesting thing about tt is that the Melba imports in 1906 included a second version of “Good Bye”, from the 1905 session, matrix 524c, and is complete, replacing the 1904 version issued on Victor 95012 which is abridged. The 1905 version was also released as 95012 as part of this 1906 batch but not announced to the public.

Steven