The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a lot of 10 7” Angelophone.records, all hymns on one side and religious discussion on the other. These are in good shape and have the paper discs with songs or ads for their phonographs on them. I’ve never had any of these before but from what few I see that were up for sale they were pretty pricey. I’m going to start asking $250 for the lot. If I’m out of line, please let me know. Please make an offer if you’re interested. I will send photos to anyone who wants them. Thanks.

Here is the description of these records from the original Jehovah's Witness Watchtower Magazine of April 1, 1917:

A few JW Bible Students set up the Angelico Company in 1916. Ostensibly it was to manufacture and sell phonographs, but with each purchase came a set of 50 Angelophone recordings. For some reason they were numbered 49-98, although it is certain that no 1-48 were ever issued.

"Some time before his death Brother Russell arranged to have a set of fifty phonograph records made of the choicest old fireside tunes, many from the MILLENNIAL DAWN HYMNAL. On the reverse side a short talk by himself explaining the doctrinal points of the hymn. It was his thought that a large number of these should be prepared and sold to the five and ten cent stores, expecting that they would have a wide sale and awaken in the minds of the righteously disposed a desire for spiritual things. Brother Russell was always alive to use every channel possible to send out the light and truth and each of these talks is a gem itself.

The accompanying hymnal is attached in PDF format...

As far as collectibility, I may be wrong but even though the label is uncommon, the records (at least in my opinion) have narrow to little collector interest. Other members on the forum may have a totally different perspective... JWs might like them...

They would be vertical cut recordings turned at 85 RPM.

The Jehovah's Witnesses had made a movie called The Photo-Drama of Creation back in 1914. It was a long show...the first screenplay that mixed color slides, synchronized sound (from a phonograph record) and the moving pictures. The thing ran (or should I say, dragged) for about eight hours long. Mercifully it was divided into four parts.

Thanks, I didn’t know the origin of these. All I found on them in the forums was someone sold 2 for $80 a couple of years ago and then someone was asking (not getting) $125 for one.

Old post but are these still available?