The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Greetings all. I am attempting to put together the set of Edison Greek language recordings. The only ones I've ever come across are in Blue Amberol format (and I've been lucky enough to obtain three of the six. The catalogue numbers are 11800-05. PLEASE search your collections to see if you have one or more of them you'd be willing to part with, or at the very least let me have recordings of them.

Edison also offered Greek cylinders in 2 and 4 minute wax but I've never come across any. The 2 minute records are numbers 21500-04 and the wax Amberols are 11558-563. If you have any of these please let me know.

Finally, I'm also trying to obtain early acoustic disc records, the earlier the better. I know Berliner offered a few, and I missed a black and silver Columbia on eBay once.

Thanks for hearing me out, and please let me know.
Best
George Glastris
Chicago
773-654-1030
[email protected]

GeorgeG wrote: Finally, I'm also trying to obtain early acoustic disc records, the earlier the better. I know Berliner offered a few, and I missed a black and silver Columbia on eBay once.

Early Greek titles are much in demand nowadays. I had a Greek Berliner of Michael Arachtingi: Το Γατάκι και το Σκυλάκι, recorded on May 4th, 1896, but I traded it against early Arabian discs. Look out for the great baritone Alexander Sterio (named "Sergiades" on some labels), who sung on a handful of Greek 10" discs and on one 12" disc for the Gramophone Company, recorded 1907, 1908 and 1909 in London. I had the only 12" title of him, Ο ΓΕΡΟ ΔΗΜΟΣ, on a G&T from 1907, but it also went in a trade.

Starkton, I'd give my eye-teeth for a Greek Berliner, but right now I' be content to find the cylinders I'm missing.

I own three, a friend has the fourth, and I have a recording of the fifth. Only one is unaccounted for.

I've accumulated 100s of Greek discs, but am only concentrating on the earliest as they're the most important for now. Eventually what I own will go to the American Hellenic Museum here in Chicago. I usually donate late Greek 78s to them when I get them. Often one finds a box of discs with only a couple "good" ones. So I hand the rest over to them for their music library.