The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

52089 wrote:There are a few titles in the various classical series that bring good money. The most valuable one I'm aware of is The Skylark by Ellen Beach Yaw which is usually $200+. Supposedly the master was destroyed in the Edison shop fire, but I know this is not true because I own a copy with the presser marks that weren't used until 1915.

That one puzzles me immensely. I've heard several people say how rare that record is, but I have at least three copies of it (one of which is also a later pressing). I guess once I have all my DDs in one place I'll see if I have more than three!

Sean

https://youtu.be/X0dkMWJ6nus

This is the Skylark record, did not know it was particularly rare, mine unfortunately has some problems at the start. Perhaps I can play it on my turn table and edit the mistakes making a 96khz sound file so it plays good again that it could be used to cut a new Diamond disc wax master. I honestly don't find it a very exciting selection, except that it is an early recording And my pressing is early as it has the edge crack problem however the surface when it is over that is very very quiet, and clear, the record does have excellent enunciation.

That singer sounds very interesting! Hey Sean, I'll trade you my Wedding March/ Prelude to Act III Lohengrin Wagner 80242 for your Ellen Beech Yaw, or something else. Marc.

Marc, it's going to be awhile before I even get my DDs in one place. Last fall I had to have my entire sewer line replaced in my basement and had to move 25,000 78s. I'm in the process of completely reorganizing my entire collection since I'm basically starting over. At the same time, I just absorbed some 15,000 more discs and several machines I'm trying to both clean up, clear out, liquidate and incorporate the stuff I want to keep. It's a huge job, but I will keep that in mind. I have the disc you mentioned already though, but who knows!

Sean

Sean, With that many discs, you probably have just about every record ever produced before 1950! I don't see how you can possibly store 25,000 records. Well I know a guy with over 10,000 DD's! When I asked him if he had any Joe Candullo and his Everglades Orch. he said he didn't know as his DDs are not cataloged or in order.

marcapra wrote:Sean, With that many discs, you probably have just about every record ever produced before 1950! I don't see how you can possibly store 25,000 records. Well I know a guy with over 10,000 DD's! When I asked him if he had any Joe Candullo and his Everglades Orch. he said he didn't know as his DDs are not cataloged or in order.

My laterals are all in alphabetical order by artists. My DDs aren't in any order at all. That's going to change, plan is to put them in numerical order and use the True Sound Excel spreadsheet for highlighting what I have. It's going to take awhile! Plus having four machines with DDs in them...yeah, fun! The best part is finding things I didn't know I even had! There is an advantage to having a large basement, that's where 99% of my records are, it's dry and climate controlled. The garage and workshop building hold excess from stuff that's just come in. It's a crazy system to anyone that sees it, but it works for me. I can find almost anything in minutes, except DDs

Sean