The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

A lady has got in touch wanting to play several small aluminium records recorded in Paris in the mid 1930s. She is already going to great lengths to achieve this, even thinking about buying a gramophone for no other purpose (I have given her some advice of course). This has a poignant story attached, and I quote with her permission:

Hi, Andy

You are absolutely right, those discs are special to me. They were recorded by my late grandfather about 10 years before his death. I never met him. He was killed in an explosion in the King David Hotel, in Jerusalem, exactly 73 years ago to the day (on the Hebrew calendar), July 22, 1946 in Gregorian dating system.

My mother kept these records all these years, and though I knew about them, I was otherwise occupied by everyday life events and never thought about them.
Only a few weeks ago, after my mother passed away I finally started to inquire about the possibilities of playing the records.
A technician of he National Library in Israel (where I live) extracted two short passages using a diamond needle. He advised me that their equipment does not provide the best quality of sound.
Despite a lot of background noises I can identify a verse from a song. It was quite chilling to hear the voice of my grandfather under these circumstances.
Naturally, I want to play the rest of the records from beginning to end...

I have inquired about the prices of vintage wind up gramophones in Israel, and it isn't too bad. I expect it will need several attempts to play discs and record it on modern media. I will probably not take this as a hobby or as a collector. However, I was thinking that when I'm done with the discs I might donate the gramophone to the National Library with whatever needles that remain.
Could you advise me how much you charge for a pack of a 100 needles?
And of course, if you happen to know an Israeli gramophone enthusiast I would love to be in touch with them.

... She got in touch with the Expert Stylus Company in the UK who said she should play them with thorn needles, and directed her to me [very nice of them] - I'm always happy to help and will send her some free thorn needles and an abrasive strip to sharpen them - I couldn't in all conscience sell her 100 when she'll only use a fraction of one needle with sharpening!

So, does anyone know any friendly collectors in Israel who might be willing to help this lady out, just to play her records?

I would NOT play these aluminum records on a vintage gramophone! I really think that is asking for trouble. The sound really should be transferred from a turntable to a digital format.

garret

Have you contacted the Antique Phonograph Society? The organization can help with contacts who could likely preserve the recordings digitally.

Best,
Fran

Please advise the lady not to attempt playing these aluminium discs with steel needles. I've done it, and they tore the record to shreds!

As I've already written, she is not going to play them with steel needles but with thorns.

The Expert Stylus Company, of all people, recommended this approach to her.

fran604g wrote:Have you contacted the Antique Phonograph Society? The organization can help with contacts who could likely preserve the recordings digitally.

Best,
Fran

Many thanks Fran, great idea, similarly I've offered to do it myself - but geography is the problem, unless she is prepared to trust the records to shipping and persons she doesn't know.


Actually these aluminium discs - they are small ones similar to the "Voice Records" we had here in England, recorded in public booths - sound terrible played on modern equipment with diamond or sapphire styli. Thorn or fibre is definitely the way to go, indeed they were supplied with a few wooden needles back in the day. I would expect a period electrical pickup in good condition to get the best sound possible from them.

As Fran suggested, The Antique Phonograph Society maintains a global presence.

Noted Sound Historian, Preservationist and Author David Giovannoni has the following recommendation.

Orchorsol – would you please pass this information along to your client?

>>>>>>>>>>

Aluminum discs are routinely digitized and preserved via styli by major sound archives.

She might do well to contact Shai Drori: https://www.audiovideofilm.com/about-us.html

Shai is based in Israel.

- DGio

<<<<<<<<<<

rodpickett wrote:As Fran suggested, The Antique Phonograph Society maintains a global presence.

Noted Sound Historian, Preservationist and Author David Giovannoni has the following recommendation.

Orchorsol – would you please pass this information along to your client?

>>>>>>>>>>

Aluminum discs are routinely digitized and preserved via styli by major sound archives.

She might do well to contact Shai Drori: https://www.audiovideofilm.com/about-us.html

Shai is based in Israel.

- DGio

<<<<<<<<<<

Many thanks indeed, I will certainly pass that on.
Not that it matters at all, but she isn't a client, I'm just trying to help out pro bono!

Just to be clear, these are aluminium discs with grooves cut into the metal surface, not into a softer coating (or acetates as they are called in the UK - I'm not sure if the term is universal).

I would also recommend this organization:

http://www.arsc-audio.org/index.php

Glenn

For context with regards to the "explosion" at the King David Hotel, including who set it off, can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing. This was a major event and I can understand to some degree the woman's emotional connection and the need to bring life to these recordings.