The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Yesterday a friend of mine gave me a music book called "Grand Opera With the Victrola",published by D.Appleton & Company.The book has copyright dates of 1915 and 1916.Has anyone ever seen one? It's a nice tie-in.edisonplayer

I've seen the "Victor Book of the Opera", which came in dozens of editions and was in print for many years, but I'm not familiar with the one you named. Why not post a few pictures?

I have that book as well and seen it several times since on eBay. Most I've seen sold for $10-15.

Andreas

I bought Grand Opera with the Victrola some years ago. I think it has a lot of music in it and is for playing or singing along to famous opera tunes. I don't think it was published by The Victor Talking Machine Co. It is much less common than the Victrola Book of the Opera, sometimes titled the Victor Book of the Opera, especially after 1929. The Victor Book of the Opera was first published in 1912 and was continually published in revised editions every few years. The last time it was published by the Victor Talking Machine Co. was the 8th edition in 1929, which is a fairly common edition. Then RCA published a revised version in 1936. In 1949, 1953, and 1968 it was published by Simon and Schuster with new authors, Louis Biancolli and Robert Bagar. I believe that the c.1968 13th edition, which was newly revised by George T. Simon, was the very last. It was a larger, coffee table size book. These books are still easily available on Ebay.

There was an edition of Victor Book of the Opera in the late 70s/early 80s too. I bought it in high school. Still have it around here somewhere. Lots of color pictures in that one.

D Appleton & Co. published a lot of technical and science type books in the early part of the 20th century.
I have some electrical and auto mechanic books from them.

Here is a picture from a completed eBay listing.
Andreas