The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a dozen or so records at an estate sale dealer's monthly closeout sale, where they mark down everything that hasn't sold by that time. I'm not just sure what the background is on these records, but I'll bet that some of you will know. I'm sorry I don't have a good way to take a close-up photo of the labels, but here's what they all say (in general, and this one in particular:

UNITED RECORD
United Talking Machine Co.
"Santa Claus Workshop"
(Description)
ORCHESTRA
A919
(4903)

Then, on one of the records is a small green pasted-on label that reads "COPYRIGHTED RECORD, ADDITIONAL PRICE 2 CENTS", and one other record has a similar label that is red, and has an additional price of 4 cents.

The hole in the center of these records is about 1-⅜ inches in diameter.

I'll appreciate any light anyone can shed on these records that are a bit mysterious to me.

Thanks in advance,

Jerry K

They fit a machine with a large spindle- it was a scheme- they sold you a machine cheaply but you could only buy United records because only they would fit the machine.

These United records drew their repertoire from Columbia, as did other "scheme" labels such as Harmony, Standard, Diamond, Republic.

Here is an earlier thread on these "scheme" labels:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... d&start=10

Specifically, my January 10, 2014 post within the thread.

Regarding those price stickers, here's an explanation from Dr. Michael Biel that I saved, probably originally posted on 78-L:

"I've seen these 'Copyrighted Record Additional PRICE 4 cents' stickers
on regular Columbias, and this is a result of the new copyright law
which provided a royalty of a penny per song for the composer and for
the publisher, 2 cents per side. Columbia wasn't ready to absorb the
royalty themselves. Page 11 of the Sept 1909 issue of 'The Columbia
Record' (be sure to order a set from Ryan Barna!!) explains that only
selections copyrighted after July 1, 1909 are covered, and says that if
both sides of the record are copyrighted they will have these red 4 cent
stickers, but if only one side is copyrighted the sticker will be green
and state 2 cents. I can't recall seeing green stickers."

Best wishes, Mark

Thanks, guys, for the very helpful answers. So, this was something like today's home inkjet printers - the printers are cheap, but the ink is really expensive! I guess there really isn't that much truly new under the sun.

Are the machines these records play on out there in any numbers? Or would somebody be better off making an adapter to play these on a regular phono?

Seems I learn something every time I come to this board.

Thanks again, Jerry K

An adaptor is the best way to go: in fact, some companies offered them at the time.

Bill

Forum member Player-Tone made such adapters a while ago and offered them as a set for different size spindle holes like Standard, Harmony, United and Aretino. I bought a set and they work very well. You may want to ask him if he has any left.
Andreas