The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Sorry, I couldn't resist the title. As most members may recall, a forum member and friend "Bruce" recently found locally a wonderful wooden RCA Victor shipping box. It's actual use is still under investigation.

The other day and as luck would have it, another early wooden shipping box came up locally.

To some of us Canadian collectors, the name Compo is recognized right away. This is because it is a very important part of Canadian record making history.

The Compo Company of Lachine Quebec is the first Canadian independent record pressing plant.

As the basic record patents (held by Berliner) were expiring, many manufacturers began to issue "lateral-cut" recordings. Again, a patented format previously held by Berliner & Columbia.
Herbert Berliner (the eldest Son), made a decision in 1918 to set up an independent operation....quite separate and apart from his Father's Berliner Gramophone Company.

Herbert's move was to prevent a mutiplicity of assorted invasions from the US.

Although a separate operation, Herbert had his Father supply him with surplus record presses.

The operation was organized and consisted of plating,pressing,testing,label printing,packing and shipping department. So, the H. Berliner Compo Company Ltd. was underway.

I should mention that this lead to the beginning of a family riff between Father & Son that was never resolved. This also lead to Edgar (Berliner's younger Son), to take over the reins of the Berliner Gramophone Co. when the time came for Emile to retire.
I guess the old man just did not like competition... .

Just when I was thinking that there is very little to be found here on the West Coast. Nice addition to your collection.

My offer to your wife is still open to store a couple of your Victors at my place if you need room for this new prize.

Bruce

Bruce wrote:Just when I was thinking that there is very little to be found here on the West Coast. Nice addition to your collection.

My offer to your wife is still open to store a couple of your Victors at my place if you need room for this new prize.

Bruce

You need to put your collecting hat on and think "in the box" and not "out of the box". I am going to see how many Victor's I can squeeze into this crate in order to create more room.....makes sense to me... .

If anyone has ever wondered how records were shipped out to the retail stores...this crate gives us that insight. These record crates are made from tongue & groove boards and a lot of 2" nails. So, they were clearly designed to handle a great deal of weight. Based on the crates overall size.....it must have held at least a few hundred records.

Edgar and Herbert were on the outs for essentially the rest of their lives. Oliver Berliner maintains that at one point Emile and Herbert came to blows, but from what I've managed to dig up over the years I think it was EDGAR and Herbert that came to fisticuffs. When Herbert left the Berliner Company he managed to take a few John McCormack stampers which were issued on Apex and credited to " Tenor" . This of course did in no way endear him to either his father or the Victor Talking Machine Company. When the stampers wore out...or Victor threatened to sue...the sides were remade by Billy Jones. This makes it sound as if Herbert was the complete baddie. But when he left Berliner several of his department heads went with him to Compo. I don't suppose we'll ever know all the details....and I've heard plenty over the years...

Jim