The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

When I bought the 61 records at the barn sale the other day, the man conducting the sale told me he knew of a retired man in the nearest little town who had "thousands" of records. I gave him my phone number and asked him to pass it along. The man in question called me a couple of days later and told me he had about 6000 78's he had collected over 35 years around his corner of rural Indiana, and we set an appointment for this morning. It took Lauri and I several hours to go through everything and I brought home an even 100 records at a buck a pop. Got lots of cool stuff! 22 red-shellac Perfects and Dominos, early black & silver Columbias, Grand Prizes, lots of dance band, early jazz, early string band, etc, etc, etc. I hate to say, left a lot behind, but I'll return. I thought I'd post some of the more odd and obscure labels I picked up. A couple of these, I've never even heard of in 42 years collecting! I apologize for the mediocre image quality but it is the best I could do with motel lighting and iPhone camera. I'll scan these when we get home in early November and post them to the gallery. If anyone has any questions or comments on these labels, I'd love to hear them -- thanks!

What was the Nutmeg Record Corporation? Austrian/American black & silver Columbia with Lady Columbia on label: Arab-American Maloof label, NY: For Rocky! Similar to 'Supertone', 'Champion', 'Herwin' to my eye: "Mr. X" and typestyle tells me it is a Grey Gull product: Seems I've seen a 'Harmograph' phonograph: A very plain late 'Perfect' that seems inspired by Pathé 'Actuelle' design. Anyone know the precise date of this label? Got several 'Rex', but only one with this label. The camera faded the bright red to pink: Chicago department store? Music store?

A couple more:

I already have some of these, but don't encounter them very often: Medium-early 'Silvertone': This is the latest-produced record I picked up . . . 30's? Just liked the odd label! Amen!

Nice haul, John! Congrats! I've got a Clover disc, I love the label on them. According to ARLIE, Clover used masters from Emerson, Dandy and Grey Gull. I love odd labels. That Cliff Edwards Harmonograph is one I'd love to hear, I wonder of it's the same as the Perfect recording he did of that tune. It's a nice number.

Sean

I've got the 'Perfect' version of 'Insufficient Sweetie' at home. I'll have to compare them when I get back, but the typestyle of the one I got today looks the same on the title/artist, etc. as the 'Perfect'. Could you tell if they were the same from the catalog or matrix #'s?

Wow! I bet the dance band rendition of "Then you know that you're in love" on Clover is great. I know I really like the Victor rendition with Billy Jones' vocal refrain.

And I see that you have a copy of "Brown eyes why are you blue?" on the Nadsco label. I have at least four renditions of this very prolific number. I recently lost out on (I was outbid on Ebay) the Gennett rendition, which in my opinion is the best. I have a feeling the Nadsco recording is good.

I wish you many happy hours of listening, John.



Rocky

Wouldn't it be great if we could all get together and listen to records sometime?

Well, the mx. # on Perfect for "Insufficient Sweetie" is 105519, the flip of "June Night" (another great Edwards tune). I checked Rust's Complete Entertainment Discography and I don't see any reference to the Hamonograph sides. I'm betting they're the same, since I checked ARLIE (again) and they note that Pathé Actuelle bought Harmonograph in 1924. I think we have our answer.

I can see (or hear) it now, a global record party!

Sean

John,

WOW! Looks like you got some great stuff there! Three of them are new to me and I've yet to score a bunch of the others! Congratulations!

Thanks for the offer of scans that certainly enrich our label gallery greatly along with some other generous contributions we've got to get posted soon.

Hurry up and get back there!!!!!


Regards,
John

The White Church disc is a lot later, late 1940s/early 1950s. I saw one once that was by the Blackwood Brothers.

The typeface and general look of the Clover disc looks very much like a ca.1922 Brunswick.

The 'Nutmeg' Record Corporation? Strange.