"Universal cut" records (aka Emerson Records)

[gramophoneshane]

I could be wrong, but Im pretty sure most of the the American companies like Emerson & Aeolian Vocalion, who started out manufacturing vertical cut discs, were designed to be played with steel needles.
One exception I can think of might be early Brunswick vertical cut discs, because they had some sort of agreement with the Pathé company going, and I assume some of the very early short lived US labels probably also manufactured discs to be played with a sapphire, but again I could be wrong.
Unfortunately, all American vertical cut records are seldom seen here in Australia due to French Pathé's domination of our market, so I have absolutely no hands-on experience with any of the US VC discs, and I'm unaware of any book or online site that actually lists all the vertical cut labels and distinguishes which used steel or sapphire.

No doubt a few of collectors here could collectively compile such a list, but if that doesn't happen, probably the easiest way would be to examine the record groove of each brand under strong magnification, as you acquire them.
Those meant to be played with a sapphire will have shallow U shaped grooves just like your Pathés, and the others will have a V shaped groove similar to your Emersons or lateral cut discs.
You may even find over time that you can tell them apart with the naked eye, because the over-all appearance of the grooved record surface will have will have a particular look about them.

[estott]

Keen-O-Phone discs played with a sapphire ball, as did Rex discs- the company was formed to salvage the investment in the Keen-O-Phone record plant

[pughphonos]

Thanks, Gramophoneshane and Estott. This really helps. The baby has just been put to bed, but tomorrow when I can play my acoustical phonographs again I'll put my Pathé Actuelle cone to the vertical orientation while playing my Emersons with steel needles. I'm sure you're right: they'll play correctly.

Ralph

[estott]

Not ALL Emerson records have the universal cut. They used it on their earliest single sided issues & I think it lasted into their early 10 inch records- the ones with the pale blue label and orange-red lettering. The commonly found double sided Emerson records from the 20's are laterals.

[pughphonos]

Thanks, Estott and Wolfe. Estott, very interesting comment about Emerson being something of a sharper.

It's good to know that pretty much all the "small vertical" companies of the 1918-1920 period used steel needles (Keen-o-phone and Rex being the main exceptions). Tonight I'll put a steel needle in my Pathé Actuelle paper cone machine and play the Emerson records, first with the reproducer/cone in vertical position and then in lateral position. If Emerson's claim of a "universal cut" is valid, the records should reproduce either way.

[VintageTechnologies]

The early Okeh records with blue label and indian head also play with a sapphire stylus, unless marked "Lateral", in which case they are regular 78's.

[Wolfe]

The early Okeh records with blue label and indian head also play with a sapphire stylus, unless marked "Lateral", in which case they are regular 78's.

No, those vertical Okeh all play with a needle.

[pughphonos]

Well, guys, I took the earliest Emersons I own (very low numbers; one is the classic 1919 hit "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles) and played them this morning on my Pathé Actuelle (with paper cone). First I set the paper cone to lateral orientation and they sounded loud and clear. Then I changed to vertical orientation (continuing to use a steel needle) and the sound was faint. So much, then, for Emerson's declaration that he had a "universal cut" at 45 degrees that would reproduce clearly either way.

[VintageTechnologies]

The early Okeh records with blue label and indian head also play with a sapphire stylus, unless marked "Lateral", in which case they are regular 78's.

No, those vertical Okeh all play with a needle.

Interesting, but I wouldn't say all. At least, all of the blue label vertical-cut Okeh's that I do own have grooves identical to the Pathés and play perfectly with a standard sapphire ball needle. Some of the other vertical-cut brands such as Aeolian Vocalion and Sonora that were meant to be played with steel needles had finer grooves that cannot be tracked well with a sapphire needle. The earliest Okeh's that I know of cut for steel needles were lateral and had identical blue labels except they were marked "Lateral" in big letters.

[Lucius1958]

Well, guys, I took the earliest Emersons I own (very low numbers; one is the classic 1919 hit "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles) and played them this morning on my Pathé Actuelle (with paper cone). First I set the paper cone to lateral orientation and they sounded loud and clear. Then I changed to vertical orientation (continuing to use a steel needle) and the sound was faint. So much, then, for Emerson's declaration that he had a "universal cut" at 45 degrees that would reproduce clearly either way.

Well: it may be that Emerson had switched over to lateral recording by then: the Victor / Columbia patent restrictions had recently expired; and most of the independent record companies switched right over.... If you want to be sure, find some of the really early 6 inch recordings....

Bill