The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Thanks. I searched the site but couldn't seem to find the reference to either the green label being 1919 or the "art" label, but no matter. I must just be looking in the wrong places.
I did however find elsewhere, that while both formats were being made, Pathé (France) used the prefix letter "X" before the catalogue number to indicate a lateral recording.
Vertical recordings either had no letter prefix preceeding the cat no, or had "saphir" before the number, as shown below.
The "X" on the third labels cat no (Montmartre series?) indicates it's a lateral, and the red label does indeed date from the mid to late 30s, so all 3 are lateral cut.

sorry i guess i should have mentioned that when you are at the site click on france and under the heading 1910-1919 you will find the label with the square design there but it is blue not green. i have both colors i didn't think the color made a difference. also i have two types of the art label's the one that's posted here and i have the one that's in the 1920-1929 heading when your at that site. now i want to get this straight your first label would be an edge start (due to the run out groove) saphire vertical cut disc. (i thought all saphire discs were center start)the second would be an edge start lateral cut disc due to the run out groove and the prefix letter x before the cat. number. now the label with the art design does not have a run out groove but does have the letter x is it still a lateral cut disc. sorry for all the questions but i'm just tring to learn enough to carry on half decent intelligent conversation and know what i have. thanks to all for their input for without disscusion the truth will never be known.

Here is the BIG & early Pathé record. I got one from Belgium to see if my hot-air could play it. It did!!!

De Soto Frank wrote:Gramophoneshane's pics do a good job of displaying the unique "texture" of the playing surface of vertical-cut (Hill & Dale) discs. They have a unique "sheen" to them when viewed at a slight angle to the light.

That's what initially caught my eye about the three vertical Pathé discs that I have... the playing surface "looked different".

Did any of the "Center-out" Pathé discs have a raised rim or bead at the outer edge to prevent the reproducer / stylus from skating off the edge of the disc and damaging the turntable felt / stylus ?

Also, what is the life expectancy of a Pathé sapphire ( when not abused) ?

The center starts will never skid off the record when finished. They just slide along the edge where they exit the grooves until the spring winds down...