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At the auction I went to today I got a box of records, one of which is a 7" record. When I got home and took a closer look I see that the record has not only the number scratched in the surface but what appears to be the take which is 6 on the left label area. Now I just realized that evidently besides the title and artist written in to the central area where the label is, there appears also to be a date the record was recorded up toward the area just above the center spindle hole. I am not too familiar with these and wonder if this is the way they were all done or is this something odd?

Larry

Shame you haven't got a pic of it here. Yes, what you describe is normal. After Victor adopted the sunken label design of their pressings, the writing disappeared from the records, but it didn't disappear from the actual master discs. (On some recordings, the engineer wrote the data just outside the diameter the finished record would be. I have a Bluebird from 1938 where the engineer got a little too close and part of the matrix number may be seen just inside the record's edge, with the letters 'BB' just after, signifying it was intended for issue on Bluebird and not Victor.)

Good idea, except its awful hard to see the writing in the matrix except at certain angles and in just the right light.. I did my best to catch it and hopefully in the blow ups here it will show. The title is written in under the spindle hole and the date is at an angle just under the area where the dog sits. Under that is yet another letter -H- with two slashes either side of it. The date is hard to read, the day and year appear to be 11-02 but the month might be 10 or 11, but can't quite get it. The record number is 1091. I'am tired from "the strollers". By S. H. Dudley, its announced at the start but that is the worst wear part. The vocal is fairly distinct yet, but does sound really old. Most likely headed for ebay in case its got some value, not my type of record. But none the less interesting.

larry

I can't clearly see the number written in the dead wax at the 9 o'clock position (the take digit). If it's 6 you have the final 1902 remake as shown below.

Looking here I found the following:


Matrix [Pre-matrix A-]1091. I'm tired / S. H. Dudley

Primary Title
I'm tired

Title Source
I'm tired (Primary title)
The strollers (Work title)

Authors and Composers Notes
Jean Schwartz (composer)
William Jerome (lyricist)

Primary Performer
S. H. Dudley (vocalist: baritone vocal)

Description: Male vocal solo
Category: Vocal
Master Size: 7-inch


11/9/1901 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 1 Master Victor 1091
7" disc

Returned: 18 Nov.'01: 250 cps.
11/29/1901 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 2 Master Victor 1091
7" disc

Returned: 30 Jul.'02: 754 cps.
5/29/1902 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 3 Unk.

5/29/1902 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 4 Unk.

5/29/1902 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 5 Unk.

11/24/1902 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 6 Unk.

Thanks,

I did put it up on ebay as I don't really want it, just thought it might be interesting since its fairly early. I got a note from someone saying it was recorded in 1901 as you say the first takes were. I mentioned to him that mine pretty certainly has the 02 date. My guess was as it turned out the 6 take was made in the following year. Amazing that all this information is out there still!