The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Get out the banners: it's 100 years since the Blue Amberol was introduced. They went on sale on October 25, 1912, or as they said later in the October number of the Edison Phonograph Monthly " as close to the scheduled selling date of the November Records( October 25) as manufacturing conditions will permit." In typical Edison style the company wasn't ready for the avalanche of orders that resulted from the introduction....at long last....of a four minute Edison cylinder that could stand up to domestic use. They then spent the next few issues of the Edison Phonograph Monthly apologizing to the dealers for the short supply.
The records from the November and December lists sold like hotcakes given the number that one finds. I think 1609Don't Turn My Picture to the Wall by Spencer and Van Brunt and 1602 When I Get You Alone Tonight by Billy Murray and Ada Jones are my two faves from the first two months of the Blues. But they're all good!
JRT

Thanks for posting this! Now, to the Amberola to play a few shiny Blue Amberols!
Bob

Late 1912 is also the end of new titles for all wax cylinder records, both 2 minute and 4 minute, although I understand some were available until 1914.

Still, it means that all wax records were recorded at least 100 years ago. Kind of miraculous that they have survived this long!

The foreign series was still listing new issues on wax with some two minute ones at that... into 1913. The wax vats had a last bubbling fling during the year end clean out sale of the domestic wax listings I'm sure the factory was churning out the final issues of the best sellers.

J

Thanks for posting the advertisement!

Only 21 cents apiece for 2-minute cylinders! I wonder if there are any left.



Rocky