North American "Channel Rim" Cylinder

[phonogfp]

That's a great recording...errr...recordings. I'm a fan of home recordings myself; not the "two old ladies singing 'Nearer My God To Thee'" variety, but I love this type of rapid-fire entertainment from a number of contributors. (The loud passage sounds like a drum to me - - a marching band type snare.) The enthusiasm of the contributors is wonderful, and it's so nice that it's voice-dated too.

George P.

[WDC]

A really nice variety record, I also agree with the date of Jan 11th 1903. I am also pretty confident, that the part between 2:10 and 2:35 is not a kind of drum but actually a recording of fireworks.

The first song part of the whistled tune is called "Lauterbach". George P. Watson (you have to like him to stand his yodeling) made a recording of this. You can compare it here.

[JohnM]

Pretty certain that's a banjo.

[Andersun]

Wow, that is great! Thanks for taking the time to post the recording. Wish they would have introduced themselves so you could look them up on ancestry.com!

I agree, don't ever erase audio snapshots from back into our past!

Steve

[VintageTechnologies]

Pretty certain that's a banjo.

I would argue that it's a mandolin. The music was a popular Irish tune that I've heard from a medley on one of my records, but I don't know the name.

[52089]

The first song part of the whistled tune is called "Lauterbach". George P. Watson (you have to like him to stand his yodeling) made a recording of this. You can compare it here.

Fascinating. I had no idea that "doggie in the window" came from an old German song, especially one about losing your sock and having to go back to find its mate!

[Starkton]

Most North American cylinders I've seen lack the paper ring. That paper ring was supplied only on duplicates made ca. 1892.

Here is a N.A.P.Co. cylinder with paper ring. It was shaved and re-recorded with a piano piece, performed by a very able pianist. Currently I try to decipher the announcement.

George, how do you know that these were all duplicates and how can you fix a date of manufacture? Is it because "mass production" with the pantograph is known from early 1892? Why was the paper ring discontinued in 1893? Is there any contemporary source?

[phonogfp]

Most North American cylinders I've seen lack the paper ring. That paper ring was supplied only on duplicates made ca. 1892.

George, how do you know that these were all duplicates and how can you fix a date of manufacture? Is it because "mass production" with the pantograph is known from early 1892? Why was the paper ring discontinued in 1893? Is there any contemporary source?

Patrick Feaster, in his outstanding paper, American "Exhibition" Recordings and the Dawn of the Recording Industry, cites Walter Miller's testimony at the bottom of page 90: "...all records which had the peculiar curve on the end in which a printed label could be inserted were only manufactured in duplicates." (American Graphophone Company vs. National Phonograph Company, printed record, 185-86.) Again at the bottom of page 94 Feaster notes, "According to Walter Miller's court testimony, all standard "channel rim" cylinders were produced as part of this mass-duplicating arrangement between 1890 and 1893."

George P.

[Starkton]

Thank you very much for clarification. I didn't know how to properly assess these cylinders.

Is it possible to narrow down the date of recording of this unnumbered U.S. Marine Band title? It should appear in early (Columbia Phonograph Co.) catalogues.

[Victrolacollector]

please never erase this cylinder, it is really a piece of history, and shows what people would do when they were making a home recording. the surface is very nice. You can hear the machine start and stop. I wish people would save more home recordings. I hear often times than not, I shave off that home recordings, so I can experiment recording myself. These home recordings should be treasured as they are one of a kind, and a direct link to what people did at the turn of the century in there homes. The instrument sounds like a mandolin, as such a pair of home recordings I had.

I totally agree, please do not record over this. This is truly historical, it is a connection to the past. I heard one on you tube, I think it sold for over 200.00, anyways it sounded like a home recording with Indians, The noises and music was mind blowing. I would have loved to have had it.