The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hi folks,

I'm looking for some good suggestions from you all on Edison Diamond Disc records and their history, etc.

Thank you,
Fran

Here is something you might be interested in on Ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1917-Edison-pho ... Sw4SlV8hmX

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Here are 3 books that have been of great help to me.

1) The Edison Disc Phonographs and the Diamond Discs by George L.Frow -great overview of all the machines and lots of valuable information on accessories, mechanisms, tone tests etc. sprinkled in. Go to book for machines.
2) Collector's guide to Edison Records by George A. Copeland and Michael W. Sherman- amazing book on the history of the Diamond Disc record. Very in depth information on the different labels and pressing techniques used by Edison's crew and why certain year pressings are better than others. Rare pressings and charts on how many were pressed each year. Go to book for records.
3) The Edison Discography (1926-29)- by Raymond R. Wile-Short overview of the records with data on matrix, coupling #'s. Go to book for late pressing information and matrix #'s

The 1st 2 do a great job on machines and discs. I find myself referencing these 2 books regularly. I would start there. There is also a database on the internet of all records with matrix #'s. Maybe someone else has that link. I will find it and post when I can. I would be interested on hearing about any other books that I may have missed.

audiophile102 wrote:Here is something you might be interested in on Ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1917-Edison-pho ... Sw4SlV8hmX

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I have a copy of that exact catalog, but my hope with this post is to get as many examples as possible for posterity, too, so thank you!

Fran

DGPros wrote:Here are 3 books that have been of great help to me.
1) The Edison Disc Phonographs and the Diamond Discs by George L.Frow -great overview of all the machines and lots of valuable information on accessories, mechanisms, tone tests etc. sprinkled in. Go to book for machines.

Yes! The go-to publication; I have the 2001 paperback version.

DGPros wrote: 2) Collector's guide to Edison Records by George A. Copeland and Michael W. Sherman- amazing book on the history of the Diamond Disc record. Very in depth information on the different labels and pressing techniques used by Edison's crew and why certain year pressings are better than others. Rare pressings and charts on how many were pressed each year. Go to book for records.

3) The Edison Discography (1926-29)- by Raymond R. Wile-Short overview of the records with data on matrix, coupling #'s. Go to book for late pressing information and matrix #'s

These are exactly what I was hoping to see posted, thanks!

DGPros wrote:There is also a database on the internet of all records with matrix #'s. Maybe someone else has that link. I will find it and post when I can.

I have the online database downloaded onto my PC, and it's fantastic, but I need to learn more about the labels, artists, etc. So the two books you've listed make perfect sense to me as a place for me to start. I'll see if I can locate the site and link it in this post.

DGPros wrote:I would be interested on hearing about any other books that I may have missed.

I'm hoping that others will chime in, perhaps with books that are out of print, too.

Thank you,
Fran

Here's one I highly recommend irf you can find a copy:
http://www.amazon.com/Edison-Disc-Artis ... dethlefson
Dave Jolley

Thank you, Dave.

I'll definitely put it on my watch list.

Fran

Hello, Fran,

In addition to the excellent volumes mentioned above, there are also:


Edison Diamond Disc Record Labels & Discography. By Charles Gregory. Melvindale, MI: self published, 2003. 4 volumes, 1,402 pp. Illustrations. ISBN 0-9745432-0-9.

Review by Tim Brooks:

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

Memorial for the late author, right here on TMF just three days ago:

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... =2&t=23869

Note: this is the famous book that contains life-size reproductions of every Diamond Disc paper label.

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Wile, Raymond R. Edison Disc Recordings. Eastern National Park and Monument Association, Philadelphia, 1978. 2 volumes, 427 pp.

no ISBN shown.

This book is the only printed source I am aware of that contains discographical information on ALL Diamond Discs. Mr. Wile's book for Mainspring Press only covers the 1926-1929 Diamond Discs, albeit in more detail.

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Note that the book that Dave Jolley mentions has a complicated printing history:

Wile, Raymond R. (compiler) and Ronald Dethlefson (ed.). Edison Disc Artists and Records 1910-1929. APM [Antique Phonograph Monthly] Press, Brooklyn, New York, 1985. 177 pp.

ISBN-10: 0937612022
ISBN-13: 978-0937612026

http://www.amazon.com/Edison-Diamond-Di ... 0937612030

........................................................

Wile, Raymond R. (compiler) and Ronald Dethlefson (ed.). Edison Disc Artists and Records 1910-1929: Second Edition With Additional Pages Supplement. APM [Antique Phonograph Monthly] Press, Brooklyn, New York, 1990. 187 pp.

ISBN 10: 0937612081
ISBN 13: 9780937612088

http://www.amazon.com/Edison-Disc-Artis ... +1910-1929

Note: the first and second edition of these books, although they have the same title, are NOT the same contents! Both contain a hodgepodge of useful information about Edison Diamond Discs, although not much discographical information as I recall. I have both editions, but have yet to compare them. I got the softcover issue of the 1990 "supplement" which confused me no end because it makes references to page numbers that are not included and passing reference to subjects that are not discussed! I asked the editor, Ron Dethlefson to explain what I had purchased, and here is his reply:

"The softcover issue of Edison Disc Artists and Records by Wile and Dethlefson contains additional pages to the first edition which was published in 1985. Your edition was published in 1990 to update the first edition so that collectors who had the first edition wouldn't have to buy the 2nd edition of Edison Disc Artists and Records which was published in hard bound form in 1990. Thus your book lacks the pages from the first edition.

"Just to complicate things, there was a hand bound, hard cover edition published in 1986 to satisfy those collectors who wanted a more permanent binding than was used with the first edition in 1985. It sold out at $80.00 each very quickly and was limited to 60 copies. The 2nd edition from 1990 was also [available in a] hard bound [edition], but without gold stamped buckram covers and special end papers."

As I say, I need to go through both volumes and figure out what is what.

All of the above are out-of-print, sadly.

Best wishes, Mark

Thank you, Mark, that is invaluable information!

Fran

fran604g wrote:

DGPros wrote:There is also a database on the internet of all records with matrix #'s. Maybe someone else has that link. I will find it and post when I can.

I'll see if I can locate the site and link it in this post.

Thank you,
Fran

The link to The Truesound Online Discography Project that I was referring to: http://www.truesoundtransfers.de/disco.htm


Best,
Fran