What book is this?

[tomwil]

Seller on eBay has a hard cover book from Sams 1959 about phonographs, but does not list the title or show the cover. Any ideas?

eBay auction

[Andersun]

Yes, it's "From Tinfoil to Stereo Evolution of the Phonograph" by Oliver Read & Walter Welch

Look on Amazon, you can get a 1976 hardcover for $26.00

[Jerry B.]

I've got an extra first edition I'll sell for $35 postage paid. Jerry Blais

[TinfoilPhono]

^^^^
That's a great deal. I don't think there's any difference between the first and second editions but there's something satisfying about having a copy of the original 1959 one. I'd buy Jerry's copy myself if I didn't already have two: one I got in 1962, and which is very well-worn, and one mint copy I bought on eBay a few years ago as a keeper -- I think for more than Jerry's price if memory serves.

It's a very historic and important book, but keep in mind that it's dry as dust to read, and heavily biased and error-laden. It's still a wonderful book to have on the shelf but the information in the Fabrizio-Paul books is vastly more accurate and useful.

Back when I started collecting in 1961 FTTS was pretty much the bible for the hobby. We've come a long way since. But I wouldn't sell the copy my parents gave me in 1962 for a thousand dollars. I'll be buried with it.......

[Wolfe]

^^^^

It's a very historic and important book, but keep in mind that it's dry as dust to read, and heavily biased and error-laden. It's still a wonderful book to have on the shelf but the information in the Fabrizio-Paul books is vastly more accurate and useful

Back when I started collecting in 1961 FTTS was pretty much the bible for the hobby. We've come a long way since. But I wouldn't sell the copy my parents gave me in 1962 for a thousand dollars. I'll be buried with it.......

A period piece for sure, lest one sell one's (collectors) birthright for a mess of pottage.

In other words, Eisenhower isn't President anymore, and that book is outdated.

[JohnM]

I still feel a great deal of nostalgia for this book in spite of it's faults. Back in the 1960's it, and Roland Gellatt's The Fabulous Phonograph were just about all that was written on the subject (I was not aware of Talking Wax back then). The copies of FTFTS had been stolen from both the Louisville Public Library and the Ft. Knox Library, but there was an antiques shop on Market Street in Louisville that had been there since the 1940's run by a Mr. Henry Sexton. He had gold leaf-on-glass signage on his windows that stated 'Antiques/Clocks/Music Boxes/Phonographs'. Henry had a massive Victorian bookcase with glass doors halfway back in the store against the wall, and in there was his copy of FTFTS. He was old and gruff and grouchy, but he would let me (at age 12 or so) stand there and read that book. I read it cover to cover standing in his shop over numerous visits. His wife was always very kind to me, but Henry always looked at me with an arched brow. Years later, I was given a first edition copy that originally belonged to Elmer Moore, a pioneer California collector, then to Elmer Jones, then to Del Hahn, and now to me. All of these collectors' names are inscribed on the fly of the book and it means a great deal to me.

The copy of The Fabulous Phonograph in the Ft. Knox library was also a first edition. Other than one other date stamped in the back, I was the only one who had ever checked it out which I did repeatedly. One week, the library was having a book sale. The librarian brought the copy of TFP out from under the counter, stamped 'Discarded' on it and sold it to me for a quarter. She had pulled it for me. Made my young day!

[Wolfe]

They have The Fabulous Phonograph on the general circulation shelving at my library. Dunno if it ever gets checked out.

If you want their copy of From Tinfoil... you have to ask a librarian to retrieve it from storage.

[tomwil]

Thanks all, for the identification!

There appears to be three versions out there:

1) From Tin Foil to Stereo: Evolution of the Phonograph, The 1959 1st edition, with 524 pages.

2) From Tin Foil to Stereo: Evolution of the Phonograph, The 1976 2nd edition, with 550-608 pages.

3) From Tinfoil to Stereo: The Acoustic Years of the Recording Industry, 1877-1929, The 1994 edition, with 225 pages.

What would be the best edition to get?

It would seem the 1976 version has more pages and possible corrections to the 1959 version. The 1994 version has less pages and seems to be more narrowed in the years covered, but mentions that it contains many new phonographs that have never appeared in any publication.

[phonogfp]

The comments regarding the book's faults should be taken seriously. Of the three version of Tinfoil to Stereo you've listed, I'd go with the 1976 version, although the 1959 version is identical except for the exclusion of the 1960s and 1970s. For a list of inaccuracies in the 1959 and 1976 versions, go to:

http://victrolagramophones.proboards.co ... hread=1029

I wouldn't recommend the 1994 version unless you're looking for specific information in a few selected areas.

There are better books for antique phonograph information out there. Are you sure you want From Tinfoil to Stereo?

George P.

[Andersun]

There are better books for antique phonograph information out there. Are you sure you want From Tinfoil to Stereo?

George P.

George, I know your cheap game trying to steer this poor sole to buy one of your books!!! The Tinfoil to Stereo book's illustrations are far superior in quality to yours!!!!

This is just a joke, GP&TF books are the best!!!

Andersun