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I understand that someone published a book that reproduces all the paper labels that appeared on Edison Diamond Disc records. If anyone has a copy of this, could you tell me if this includes the first label style with the white print on black background, or just the later style with the checkerboard rim? I'm very interested in the first label records and would like to create a checklist for them. So far I've personally seen record numbers from 50818 to 50875, but I suspect there are more.

Thanks in advance!

I take it that you are referring to the four volume "Edison Diamond Disc Record Labels & Discography" by Charles Gregory. I do not own it. However, I trust you are also familiar with Tim Brooks' review of it, found here:

http://www.timbrooks.net/review-gregory ... mond-disc/

Brooks reports that these volumes contain "reproductions of thousands of 50000-series Diamond Disc paper labels, arranged in numerical order;" more specifically, according to author Gregory, 5,050 labels. Brooks mentions the white printing on black background labels in the same paragraph, and I would assume if these labels were excluded from Gregory's volumes, Brooks would mention their exclusion. However, it does not seem that every label in the 50,000 series is reproduced, so it may not contain every white printing on black background Edison label. It would probably make for a good start towards compiling a complete listing, however.

For what it's worth, in 28 years of crate-digging I've only ever turned up one of these white printing on black background-labeled Edison Diamond Discs.

Best wishes, Mark

Yes, that's the book I was referring to. I had read the review long ago but had forgotten about it.

I think I have 4 of the white-on-black labels now, one of which came to me as "new old stock" in an Edison sleeve I had never seen before. So far I have confirmed only 11 numbers on this label, but I haven't been looking all that long. In the small range of numbers where these appear, Edison was also issuing some titles with engraved titles, so I can't just assume the whole range had paper labels.

52089 wrote: Edison was also issuing some titles with engraved titles, so I can't just assume the whole range had paper labels.

The first paper labels were only used on 'flashes' - recent hits which the Company wanted to issue as quickly as possible…


Bill

I have 2 white on black label DDs--50813 & 50842.

Clay

Bill, can you cite a source for your information? I don't recall having heard that before. At any rate, I do know that the white on black labels were only used for a very limited time. It seems to me like only a couple of months.

Jim

phonojim wrote:Bill, can you cite a source for your information? I don't recall having heard that before. At any rate, I do know that the white on black labels were only used for a very limited time. It seems to me like only a couple of months.

Jim

Bill is correct, these were only used on flashes from mid- to late-1921, see the Collector's Guide to Edison Records, p. 21. During that time, some releases were on embossed labels and some were on the white-on-black labels. I recall reading somewhere (Frow?) that these new paper labels were very unpopular and customers were allowed to exchange them for records with the later labels when they became available.

My list is now up to 14: 50813, 50818, 50823, 50842, 50854, 50855, 50865, 50866, 50867, 50869, 50873, 50874, 50875, also 80702, the only non-50000 series disc known with this label. I'm sure there are many more - please PM me if you have any not on this list.

I have confirmed 50873 and 50874 on the very scarce variant with "MADE IN U.S.A." over the spindle hole. This label shows up on ebay about once every six months!

When I first read that the customers didn't like the first paper labels I was very surprised. I have only two of them ( 50818 and 50842) but I think they look better than the white labels, actually. Shows what good I'd be to a market researcher. The surfaces on these records, as the Collector's Guide points out, are superb.
Jim

According to Ray Wile and Ron Dethlefson In "Edison Disc Artists and Records", the first black label was used on a "special" but after that were used on standard issues. They also state that the label was used only from early June to late October of 1921. I don't have a copy of the source Bill cited.

Jim

As 52809 has mentioned, I'm citing a well researched source.

Bill