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Members,
I have something I know nothing about. I tried Google and nothing is out there that I can find.
I have an Imperial Record salesman sample record. Approx 3.5 “ wide.
All I know is what the record sleeve says.
Is it something that belongs with my Imperial phonograph.
I thought this would be an interesting topic for record collectors.
Thank You!
* clicking on a photo will straighten it out to view

A great find! I love these and have a collection of about a dozen different ones, but I've never seen one with a cover like that, from a dealership - mostly I believe they were posted out by the factory.

Here's a web page about them: http://www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/Label ... -Minis.htm (scroll down for detailed information)

I went to that website and indeed what I have is very interesting. I contacted the person and hopefully they will be interested in adding my pictures and information, perhaps I can make some sound files. I’ve never played it yet. I bought a box of small, odd records from London England. If there’s an interest I can post pictures of a few others .
Thank You!

Regarding your Imperial gramophone, I don't know whether there is any link, but I doubt it - Crystalate (the parent company) didn't make any machines, and I'm not aware of them putting their name to any.

I was involved in producing a documentary on the firm some years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vFBiZ7ir2w It touches briefly on the 3 ½" records.

Also here's another small Imperial record, one side of which was recorded specifically for a shop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY5op3ZpkmQ

I love these tiny records!

Imperial records were pressed by the Crystalate Gramophone Company from 1922 to early 1934. These records were not made of shellac, but rather a material known as crystalate, an early plastic compound. (I've also heard that the Crystalate Gramophone Company also produced billiard balls out of the same material)

I own a few Jack Payne Imperial 10" 78s as well as one on the Rex Label. I also own a copy of a 3.5" Imperial advertisement record for his recording contract and film, "Say It With Music" (1932). I thought my knowledge may be of some interest (although I am sure that the aforementioned M. G. Thomas's website is far more thorough than the information I have given here). Thank you for the intriguing post!

The Imperial machine is an American product with, as Orchorsol says, no connection with Crystalate.

https://www.intertique.com/DAndRImperialIDDemo.html

FredSugarHall_fan wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2023 3:03 am Imperial records were pressed by the Crystalate Gramophone Company from 1922 to early 1934. These records were not made of shellac, but rather a material known as crystalate, an early plastic compound. (I've also heard that the Crystalate Gramophone Company also produced billiard balls out of the same material)

Ah, I've seen that written elsewhere too, but I must correct it. Various sources including Wikipedia are misleading on several counts!

The billiard ball production came first, records later. All Crystalate's records were shellac based, with possible exceptions of a few of the very earliest types such as Nicole records whose composition might have had more in common with that of the billiard balls. And conversely, the billiard balls may well have contained shellac, which has perhaps added to the confusion - but the formulation must have been markedly different to shellac-based records, otherwise balls would have shattered like our 78s do! I did some research at the British Library at the time and the history is covered to a limited extent in the documentary.

Even the term "plastic" can be misleading - shellac is a natural thermoplastic, and indeed you can hear Don Chalklin, the factory manager, mentioning the "plastic" being put into the presses. (Mind you, he also erroneously refers to it as "vinyl"!)