Improved Gram-o-phone record vs. Improved Record

[Rastus10]

I was following two 7" discs on eBay that ended yesterday.

The Improved Gram-o-phone record, A-170, by Arthur Collins went for almost $450, while the Improved Record, A-87 by the Haydn Quartet, went for a bit less than $50.

Granted, the artist no doubt made some difference, but is the former Improved Gram-o-phone label from 1900-01 really the one that's more scarce, or is the Improved label, which was only used in 1901 the more rare of the two? Both labels seem to show up very infrequently, so I can't understand the $400 preference given to the one title.

I have seen approximates as to when the switch-over to the Improved label was made in 1901, and it just doesn't seem as though that label was used all that long compared to the earlier label when the transition over to the first "Victor" label occurred several months later in 1901.

Any thoughts or corrections to this notion are welcome.

[Curt A]

The only "rational" reasons that I can think of is that someone probably placed a high proxy bid (maybe $500 to assure they would get the item if it went for this price or less) before the "auction" ended and someone else "tapped it up" to (1) see if they could discover a price threshold, (2) someone was really, really fond of the title and has more money than sense, or (3) there was a shill bidder driving the price for the seller... For whatever reason, eBay is full of crazy bidders that think the way to get an item is to always stay ahead of the last bidder, by topping whatever the bid is currently at. In reality, nothing counts until the end of the time limit... the last, high bid.

[VintageTechnologies]

I think the difference in price between those two sales was extreme. One cost way too much, and the other may have been somewhat under priced. I bought both labels on eBay during the past year and did not pay over $100 for the Consolidated Improved Gramophone label. According to "The Collector's Guide To Victor Records" by Mike Sherman and Kurt Nauck, the earlier label was introduced in July or August 1900, and the later label was introduced in December 1900. You can often see the recording date etched into the record, often visible under the label. Although both labels were used only for a few months, sales might have been greater for the later label as the company rapidly grew. However, both labels seem about equally rare from what I have observed. So rare, I feel fortunate to have found both in playable condition. I should also add that I have seen two variants of the Consolidated label. One of them had more "flowery" decorations than the type usually seen and probably would fetch considerably more.

[FellowCollector]

I have found that the Improved Gram-O-Phone Record label is much more difficult to find than the Improved Record label. And within the Improved Gram-O-Phone Record label there are two variants. The olive-grey variety, I believe, is the earliest and rarest type and that is the type that sold here on eBay recently. The later black with gold lettering variety of this label is still rare but lesser so than the olive-grey type, again, in my opinion. I have both varieties in my collection. The Improved Record label I would consider very scarce but not rare. Interestingly, one of my olive-grey Improved Gram-O-Phone records features Edward M. Favor singing "How Was I To Know" and Favor's own announcement on the recording indicates "Berliner Gram-O-Phone Record"! Here is the video from my YouTube channel featuring this recording with its unusual announcement:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ogedfOxSUQ[/youtube]

Doug

[Curt A]

Interesting record... but $450??? No way...