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I didn't know anyone ever made 9-inch records, but going through a batch of a couple hundred 78's I picked up recently I found three on the Zonophone label. How long did they make them? How uncommon are they? Did anyone else ever put out 9-inch records? I have some 7-inch and even 8-inch disc, but these are a first for me.

Emerson made 9" records

I found a fourth one in the box. I really hope someone can tell me more about these!

The brown Zonophone Records were pressed by the Auburn Button Works beginning in the fall of 1903. These were available in 7-inch and 9-inch sizes, and were the first Zonophones to carry a paper label on the front of the disc. In December 1904. Zonophone introduced a line of 10-inch records (there was a short-lived series of only 27 10-inch titles released in 1902). In June 1905, 7-inch, 9-inch, and 10-inch Zonophone Records were available, but by 1906 only the 10-inch remained. Today, 9-inch Zonophones surface with some regularity, but certainly not as often as Victors and Columbias of the same period.

An article titled, "A Band of Sound: The Basic Types of American Zonophone Records" appeared in The Antique Phonograph Monthly, Vol.VII, No.6, and can be viewed by members of the Antique Phonograph Society on the website under the "Library" tab:

https://www.antiquephono.org/

Talkophone also marketed 9-inch discs, but evidently only briefly judging by their rarity.

George P.

The only 9-inchers I have are those Emerson ones. And I know Pathé had some funky sizes on their labels too.