The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I'm not sure if this has been announced prior to this but the author of one of the most compelling books on our subject, The Illustrated History Of The Talking Machine, died in June. This book is still the one I return to most often out of all the books I now have and it is certainly the one I've had on the shelf the longest.

Phonogalerie have added a homage to him on Youtube for all those of you who speak fluent French.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Cq0tExr04

Steve, thanks for letting us know over here. Most of us have his book. RIP Marty.

His book is at the top of my reference list. My copy came from a friend of Daniel, Edouard Pecourt, who Daniel often used for reference material.
He will be missed.
Larry Hawes

The 1989 printing of the book is in my library of phono/gramo related books and it's full of interesting machines and information that we in the USA don't always get to see. Sorry to hear that he has passed, but I'm very glad I have the book.

His book is the first place I saw the Phrynis with it's unusual horn.

Retrograde wrote:The 1989 printing of the book is in my library of phono/gramo related books and it's full of interesting machines and information that we in the USA don't always get to see. Sorry to hear that he has passed, but I'm very glad I have the book.

His book is the first place I saw the Phrynis with it's unusual horn.

Indeed, me too! If it wasn't for Marty's wonderful book, arguably the fore-runner to Fabrizo / Paul's later works, I wouldn't want half the interesting and rare continental machines that I currently do! Now, if only someone in Europe today could write the definitive book on Pathé, I'd be really happy.

Marty's book was really the trigger for me wanting to collect more than just "one HMV horn model, one portable, one table model etc". It took me over a decade but I eventually discarded the collecting rule-book altogether and went for broke to obtain some of the weirdest and unique machines from the continent.

RIP Daniel.

Indeed sad news. Marty was a well-known singer, see http://www.malibran.com/acatalog/AD557.htm. His account of a 6-hour (!) Tito Schippa presentation he attended (in the link posted by Steve) is quite interesting. Too bad he only wrote one book on gramophones, but as a consolation the one he did is very good and may have set the standard later perfected by Fabrizio/Paul.

Steve wrote: If it wasn't for Marty's wonderful book, arguably the fore-runner to Fabrizo / Paul's later works, I wouldn't want half the interesting and rare continental machines that I currently do!

RIP Daniel.

CarlosV wrote: Too bad he only wrote one book on gramophones, but as a consolation the one he did is very good and may have set the standard later perfected by Fabrizio/Paul.

I can attest that Daniel Marty's book was indeed a source of inspiration for us. Like any good artistic endeavor, it left us wanting more.

It's very kind of Carlos to declare that our books "perfected" the standard established by Marty. His book was like a breath of fresh air after decades of studying the black & white, sometimes tiny illustrations of the books that preceded it. I hope that our books will, like the Marty book, inspire others to expand and improve upon what is available to our collecting fraternity, while providing edification and enjoyment for many, many years.

RIP, Mr. Marty.

George Paul

I missed this earlier. It is indeed sad news.

I bought my copy in Brussels in 1981 when I was traveling on business. I saw it in a (closed) shop window and just about stopped breathing. Why hadn't I heard about this huge coffee table book? I had a devil of a time breaking away from work while the store was open but I finally managed and raced back to the hotel. I was mesmerized.