Looking for info on a Tetrazzini Record

[deghi]

Picked up a one sided Tetrazzini record at a shop today and cannot find much information on it out there. Was wondering if anyone knew anything about the brand.

[Wolfe]

Probably some low brand dubbing of the Victor record. Have you listened to it?

[epigramophone]

Landay Bros sold talking machines (and evidently records as well) from 392-394 Fifth Avenue, New York.

A photograph of their premises taken in 1911 can be viewed at digitalgallery.nypl.org.

Given the alacrity with which Victor's legal department jumped on any infringement of copyright, I am surprised that Landay Bros got away with this, assuming of course that it really is Tetrazzini singing......

[transformingArt]

This is one of the 1904 Zonophone (Disco Zonofono) recordings that Tetrazzini made in San Francisco - which happen to be her very first recordings. I'm pretty sure it is one of those, since the Matrix number for the selection, "10001" is clearly visible on the photo. I think this is a 10 ½" record, rather than 12 inch. It is accompanied with piano by Cleofonte Campanini.

I've read somewhere that the Landay brothers made a deal with Tetrazzini (share the profit 50:50 or something) and sold some private pressings of these Zonophone discs around 1909-1910 via mail order, but had to stop when Victor started to sell their own Tetrazzini records. Of course, The Zonophone was the subsidiary of Victor at this point.

The original stampers and metal parts for all these 1904 recording still survives in the RCA Victor Vault, and there were some vinyl pressings of these Tetrazzini recordings made in 1970s made out of these stampers - I have 4 of those vinyl pressings in my collection. But, as far as I know, it is somewhat hard to find a Disco Zonofono original shellac copy, and not to mention - this Landay brothers pressing!

[Retrograde]

Here's an old thread on another board referencing The Landay Bros. although the address is in Newark, NJ.

[deghi]

Great information as usual, thanks!

[Spinhead]

I have the same disc and another similar to it. the other one is "Lucia de Lammermoor" performing a Rondo by Donizetti. I bought these both at a private sale in Northern New Jersey. Since they were a bit "grundgey" I carefully washed and dried them thoroughly prior to playing. To my amazement as the label got wet with water and mild detergent, it became translucent. It seems the Landay Bros. had very skillfully placed their own label over a Zon-o-Phone label. I don't know if this was with that company's permission or not. Zon-o-Phone was a label founded in Camden, NJ in 1899 and was acquired by Victor Talking Machine Company around 1910, who continued to use the Zon-o-Phone label for their lesser quality releases. If you go the Wikipedia, there is a fairly extensive history of the company. I believe these records to be quite old, say, 1903. Research I've done on the "Landay Bros., 400 Fifth Ave New York", verifies the approximate dates from court case records of the period.

[Wolfe]

The original stampers and metal parts for all these 1904 recording still survives in the RCA Victor Vault

Where is this RCA Victor vault? Do you know?