The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I just posted two 1900 Zonophone 7" Records by George Graham:
[youtubehq]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXyHz1Rpkuw[/youtubehq]
[youtubehq]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dw6zut2z0Y[/youtubehq]Cheers, Bob S.

Nice discs Bob. I thought the shield type was from 1901..?.

I thought the shield type was from 1901..?.

According to the DAHR website, these were released in October 1900.

https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... hone_V9300
https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... hone_V9299

Bob S.

Interesting Bob. Yet, on their website https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... detail/403
is the following (see attached).

The 1899 date I believe has been shown to be incorrect as Universal did not actually start sales until May 1900.

This is also from the DAHR website:

Thanks for pointing that out. So, shield was introduced in the Fall of 1900 (not 1901). That would explain why the blank face and block letter discs rarely turn up. They would have been available for only a matter of months.

I believe the shield Zonos were available even earlier than October 1900, based upon the scarcity of blank and "Universal" label pressings.

George P.

phonogfp wrote:I believe the shield Zonos were available even earlier than October 1900, based upon the scarcity of blank and "Universal" label pressings.

George P.

Good point George. I should have wrote "at least" as early as the Fall of 1900 or earlier.
I was lucky years ago in finding a small cache of five blank Zonos and two "Universal" block letter examples. One of the blank discs is made from a brownish colored material. Most have shrink cracks that have developed.

Where do the "Hand Written" 9000 series Labels fit into the Scheme of things?

Bob S.

These are generally the earliest of the Zono "shield" labels. They came after the blank pirates and the Universal labels. I've seen these only on early number blocks and the earliest of the 9000 series.

George P.