New Book - Edison Amberol Cylinders 1908 - 1913

[Valecnik]

This is not out yet but definitely is on my want list.

[52089]

Hurray! I have a list of the US "regular" issues by number, but not indexed, and nothing about foreign or other series (e.g., Grand Opera). I'll be orderng this one as soon as it's ready!

Thanks for letting us know about this!

[Valecnik]

Some more detail copied from mainspring press

Like its predecessor, Edison Blue Amberol Cylinders, this new guide is compiled from the original Edison documentation, including the studio cash books, cost sheets and other internal documents; catalogs and monthly supplements; and The New Phonogram, Edison Phonograph Monthly, Music Trade Review, and Talking Machine World.

The cylinderography covers all U.S. and foreign-series issues, including the special promotional sets and the Blue Amberol reissues. Details include listing and release dates; recording dates (when verifiable from the Edison files); conductors and accompanists; vocal backing-group personnel (as listed in the original documentation); artist pseudonyms; medley contents; and composer and show credits.

Other features include a detailed, illustrated history of Amberol cylinders, user's guide, and artist and title indexes. (7" x 9" quality paperback, 256 pages)

[Lenoirstreetguy]

Oh, this I have to have. The wax Amberol period was perhaps the most interesting in terms of artists and repertoire. Think of the roster : Sousa, Nat Wills, Stella Mayhew,Harry Lauder Leo Slezak, Blanche Arral with Victor Herbert both recording and acting as an advisor to the company!! The list goes on and on. They never subsequently quite matched the glory of these four years. And all issued on records made of the most unsatisfactory material they ever used. These days I mutter about their " Automatic Self-Destruct Feature" as I pull yet another one out of the box only to find it split.
Jim.

[pughphonos]

Yep, Jim, many of us here have love/hate relations with the wax Amberols. Yes, their content is often quite wonderful and they play smoothly--even if with a fair amount of surface noise. But I have quite a few "on my conscience"--shattering all at once or first cracking and THEN shattering.

When it first happened to me it sounded just like the CRACK/POP you get when dropping an ice cube into a room-temperature drink.

Ralph

[Valecnik]

I've purchased a few Slezak's that were not so cheap and this fear keeps me awake at night!

I wonder how the recent purchaser of the Shakelton wax Amberol survived this stress, having paid, if I recall correctly, $3400 for the record. Hope it arrived safely...

[Lenoirstreetguy]

I had the same thought about that Shackleton cylinder: wax Amberols are such time bombs. I recently bought five common ones on e bay that were not in fine shape but exceedingly cheap and I figured I didn't care if they got here in one piece: the boxes would be worth it. They came from Denver by parcel post, not particularly well packed and of course everything was fine. Had they been rare and in E+ shape they'd have arrived split. I'll never understand....
JRT

[Victrolacollector]

It sems the wax amberols had some of the best singers and songs. these are so fragile but thinking these would be some great titles to release on the new plastic records.

[Valecnik]

It sems the wax amberols had some of the best singers and songs. these are so fragile but thinking these would be some great titles to release on the new plastic records.

I thought the same and it's certainly possible to do it. There would have to be some interest though because the setup costs for one recording are pretty high and must assume a certain number of sales just to break even.

[edisonplayer]

My friend Arthur Pare told me that when he played the wax Amberols in the 1970's that there wasn't the cracking problem.Of course,that was 40 years ago.If only Edison went to the celluloid in 1908.