Early Victors...what's your experience or opinion?

[1923VictorFan]

Every source I have ever found says that 78 records are far too plentiful to ever have much value. This is of course a blanket statement that theoretically covers everything from a 1950's copy of Burl Ives to a late 1890's copy of Harry McDonough.

My record collecting has always been limited to Victor records. More precisely to Grand Prize Victors and earlier...then limited once again to spoken comedy, humorous music and assorted oddities such as "Coon" songs, etc.
I believe that the supply of these earliest and most interesting Victors are actually more scarce than thought and slowly gaining in value.

I'm unable to travel anymore like I used to and living in Springfield, Missouri (which is about 50 miles North of The Beverley Hillbillies pre-Beverley Hills home) often feels like life on a desert island. I'd really like to hear your opinions. So, what are your thoughts?

[VintageTechnologies]

Whether certain records or phonographs are more or less common than we previously supposed, one thing is clear: the Internet has brought them more into the open, giving us more frequent access to them. In the "old days", I stomped through too many dusty junk "antique" stores searching for diamonds and finding mostly coal. Now I am buying far more goodies on eBay than I ever hoped to find before. Life is good.

[Wolfe]

I still find lots of batwings and scrolls around the places where I look. Much less of earlier discs. I want to find more of the earlier records (1900-1910) as that period holds much fascination for me. I have many records, and intend to keep doing the legwork to find more. I have yet to buy one 78 from E-Bay, it's not even on my radar. Which is not to say, at some point, I may not go that route, if the it gets too dry at the jumble stores and fleas and charity shops, ect.

The Library Of Congress National Jukebox is a cool resource. I hope that site stays up for a long time, as there is much to plow through there.

[Guest]

Yeah the early Victors and Monarchs still float around but are harder to find. Mostly now they are inside old Victrolas. Now the quality of them are far better than the other labels if they aren't completely worn out. Accoustical Victors were made of some tough stuff. You get into the Scroll's and they wear much faster.

Comedy songs and coon songs are very desirable. It just depends on the person. Novelty songs of the period. But the crooners and classical tend to just sit there and gather dust unless it is a big name.

I too spent many years digging through boxes on dirt floors or ruining blue jeans sitting on old lindseed oil floors. Wearing gloves so I don't get bit by spiders. I have dug through a box before to be met by a black widow! I certainly found lots of goodies in those days but now the goodies are pretty much gone. Young kids melt them into candy dishes or just throw them away when Grandma passes. I hate to hear, "We got a whole bunch of records up in the attic. I'll bring em to ya!" They usually are a nice melted mess. LOL.

Ebay used to be a wonderful tool but now almost anything comes with a price and the price of shipping is severely taken advantage of. You might buy a record for a dollar but you'll pay $29.95 in shipping! LOL! And some people don't know how to ship. I received a 78 in the mail once inside a stapled file folder. Needless to say it came in a million pieces. I pretty much still just stick to browsing in junk stores and stuff. I still find goodies every once in awhile.

At least today you don't see them in albums anymore. You don't bring roaches and silverfish home.

[Wolfe]

Whether certain records or phonographs are more or less common than we previously supposed, one thing is clear: the Internet has brought them more into the open, giving us more frequent access to them. In the "old days", I stomped through too many dusty junk "antique" stores searching for diamonds and finding mostly coal. Now I am buying far more goodies on eBay than I ever hoped to find before. Life is good.

If you don't mind my asking. What's your 'going rate' for relatively common early records on E-Bay?

Say, an Billy Murray record on Victor from 1907. 3 or 4 bucks or thereabouts?

[VintageTechnologies]

Whether certain records or phonographs are more or less common than we previously supposed, one thing is clear: the Internet has brought them more into the open, giving us more frequent access to them. In the "old days", I stomped through too many dusty junk "antique" stores searching for diamonds and finding mostly coal. Now I am buying far more goodies on eBay than I ever hoped to find before. Life is good.

If you don't mind my asking. What's your 'going rate' for relatively common early records on E-Bay?

Say, an Billy Murray record on Victor from 1907. 3 or 4 bucks or thereabouts?

I don't buy too many of the "common" 78's on eBay, but I have seen a few large sellers starting them off for as little as $2.00. It isn't too unusual to buy a 78 for 5 or 6 dollars. What galls me is the dealers that start at $10 or more. While it may be argued that buying on eBay is expensive, I still remember how much I've spent on gasoline and hotel rooms while going to the Union show (and still not find the titles I was hoping for).

[Wolfe]

Young kids melt them into candy dishes or just throw them away when Grandma passes. I hate to hear, "We got a whole bunch of records up in the attic. I'll bring em to ya!" They usually are a nice melted mess. LOL.

I think that now, when Grandma passes, the kids go up to the attic and tend to find a bunch of old Kay Kyser and Dick Haymes records, rather than Ada Jones and Collins and Harlan. Those first decade of the century records entered junk store no man's land 30-40 years ago, and most of what's been done with them has been done. I don't expect to see many untapped hordes of them still showing up.

I wearily sift through endless WWII era pop and big band 78's (some of which do appeal to me, selectively) when I come across 78's in stores and looking for better nuggets hiding within. I suppose that in 2051 there will be newer collectors anxiously seeking out what few of those WWII 78's that are left, from what someone like myself currently views as junk now, and so it goes.

[1923VictorFan]

Hi Wolfe,

"If you don't mind my asking. What's your 'going rate' for relatively common early records on E-Bay? Say, a Billy Murray record on Victor from 1907. 3 or 4 bucks or thereabouts?"

I don't think the question was directed to me but I'll be happy to reply. I have a few Batwing label records (maybe 20)and a few more of the 1908 to 1914 Patent records (around 25). The bulk of my collection are the 1905-1908 Grand Prize records. I think I must now have about 300. I also have a small collection (around 30)of Pre-Dog's, 8" Victors, Monarchs and 7" Zonophones. The most expensive early record I have was one of the little 7" Zonophones that set me back $9 + $4 S/H.
To specifically answer your question ..yes. You hit the nail on the head. Unless there is something exceptional or unique about it I don't pay more than $4-$5 for anything made after 1905. I do have a soft spot for Billy Murray as well as Collins & Harlan but I still stick to that price range. I'd say when it comes to my Grand Prize records I pay on average about $3 each.
It's important to keep in mind, especially when buying on eBay, that the S/H can turn that bargain into a boat anchor so I will not buy or bid on less than 4 or 5 records from the same seller. Most will send 1 to 4 records for the base shipping price.
Unfortunately the majority of sellers on eBay are either clueless, under the influence of a controlled substance or just waiting for one of the fools that are born every day. Most all accoustic Victor records are listed for $5 to $10 each. The older stuff is mostly listed with starting prices from $10 to $35 each. The other issue is that so many of the records listed are waltzes, instrumentals or other uninspiring stuff. Even higher prices are not uncommon. The days of the 99 cent record are almost gone.

[Wolfe]

Just recently I found one the Victor records of a speech by President William Howard Taft, it was indeed 99 cents from a second hand store. Things like that keep me out looking 'in the wild' because I don't think I'd have wanted to pay the price an E-Bay seller might have wanted. You get people wanting 40-50 bucks or even more for things like that. VERY RARE...HISTORICAL ITEM! YOU'LL NEVER SEE ONE LIKE THIS AGAIN $ 1000.00 STARTING BID!

Searching out the reasonable, reputable dealers on the 'bay and buying in groups or lots would seem the most sensible thing to do, as some have noted. Maybe I'll try it out one of these days. Can't be any worse than antique stores that want 20 dollars for cracked and broken Bing Crosby records. There's always good and bad in these arenas.

[Uncle Vanya]

Recently I found an early disc record storage box at a local antique mall which box contained forty-three Deluxe 12 inch
Records (Victor) all of which dated to '04. Mostly band and orchestra numbers, of the " Hiawatha" sort ,couple of Corrine Morgan and Richard Jose things, and some Sousa. the early stuff is still out there, though perhaps a trifle thin on the ground