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This week I bought what is probably the oldest record in my small collection: a 7 inch Berliner record. Perhaps anyone here can tell me how old it is, exactly? The catalogue number is 30038. The label is in French, mostly, but on the reverse side it says "reproduced in Hanover (sic). Considering how grey it looks, it sounds surprisingly good. I paid EUR 37,50 for it, which is about $ 45,- Was that a good deal?

Tourniquet - Polka, played by La Garde Republicaine de Paris

PLAY

I happened to have the very same record - bought it several years ago with a Leon Melchisedec record from a French collector for about 45 dollars each. It is in a terrible condition, so it is quite astonishing to listen this in much better condition. As for the recording date, I believe this record was recorded around March/April 1899 - One of the earliest recording session of La Garde Republicaine de Paris.

Thanks for the info. Considering the age it sounds surprisingly good, with very little background noise, I have several early Columbia's that sound worse. I recorded the record at 76 rpm, but I have no idea if this is correct or not. It also sounded good at 80.5 rpm, but a little too fast.

Nice one, Bart. I think many of these tend to play at 68-70 or so, but of course not all. Sounds fine at 76.

Your disc, catalogue number 30038X, was recorded in 1902. It is a re-recording of the same track (cat. no. 30038) which was made in 1901.

@transformingArt, did you buy the only Berliner record of Melchissedec? Can you show us a scan?

Starkton wrote:Your disc, catalogue number 30038X, was recorded in 1902. It is a re-recording of the same track (cat. no. 30038) which was made in 1901.

@transformingArt, did you buy the only Berliner record of Melchissedec? Can you show us a scan?

Oh, I should have note the "X" mark on that record. Thanks for the correction - although, I read somewhere that the first 30038 session was in 1899.

As for that Melchissedec record, I threw it away. I know that thing is quite rare and historically valuable, but it's such in a terrible condition - actually, it had a severe crack thus unplayable. The French guy who sold it to me said that it was actually used as a crosspiece for a Flower pot at his grandmother's garden (!) So I figured it's not even worth for 4 dollars.

transformingArt wrote: Thanks for the correction - although, I read somewhere that the first 30038 session was in 1899.

The catalogue numbers of the discs resulting from the first central European recording tour did not carry a prefix. The lowest catalogue number of a French band from the July 1899 recording session is "41". Lower numbers were already used for German and Hungarian bands. In later pressings "300" (for "French band") was added. The catalogue number then reads "30041". The gap from 30000-30040 was filled up only in 1901!

transformingArt wrote:
As for that Melchissedec record, I threw it away.

Phew! I would have gladly taken it from you - in any condition. It is probably the most important recording of the whole 1899 tour.

Starkton wrote:Your disc, catalogue number 30038X, was recorded in 1902. It is a re-recording of the same track (cat. no. 30038) which was made in 1901.

@transformingArt, did you buy the only Berliner record of Melchissedec? Can you show us a scan?

Thanks for the correction. I've updated my database.

Great Sounding Record!