The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Other colunbia albums I have don't have a signature in the margin. How common is this Thanks dave

Pretty common on those tri-color Columbia classical / opera discs.

Heard it said the the artists who's names that were inscribed on the cutting wax didn't even always do so themselves , but I don't know.

I have Weingartner, Casals, Garden, Stracciari and much more.

Amongst others on the Columbia Grand Opera label I have the signatures of Barrientos, Cavalieri, Gay, Slezak and Zenatello.

One theory I have heard is that the signing of wax masters by the artist was intended as a precaution against piracy, a problem which was not uncommon in the early days.

As to whether the signatures were genuine, we all know about the Beatles....

I have no reason to doubt that the signatures are genuine, but they do not add at all to the record value, since they are on the master itself.

I also have many Banner Columbias with Ysaÿe's (the great Belgian violinist).

They are common, and since they were inscribed on the wax master they appear on each record.

I've seen them on some of the popular issues, particularly Weber & Fields discs.

I wonder of there's any of Rosa Ponselle? Or maybe that was later than the practice was done? She started recording for Columbia in 1918.

Another one I have in addition to some of the ones named above is Olive Fremstad.