The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello all

I bought a box of 70 OKEH records at a local garage sale recently and have a question. None of the records have any title/artist info. What's up with that?

Maybe they were used on "Name That Tune" in the 1950s...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12idnUZgyKQ

Super intriguing. Play several of them and tell us what you hear.

The top one looks like it has 401861 in the runout so I looked it up and got this :
https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/ ... yt0=Search

Doesn't quite stack up though because Okeh sported ELECTRIC on the label by 1929. Label looks like the Okeh style of the earlier 1920's. I'm probably not seeing the number stamp correctly.

I can only guess the labels are blank due to some error at the pressing plant.

Maybe the title wouldn't fit on the label:
OKeh matrix W401861. Lakodalom van a mi uccánkban (Csárdás) / Fila Jenò Cigányzenekara

OR, maybe they were custom recordings, not meant for resale...

Well did a little more research. All of the records are stamped with a number example: ####A and flip side ####B. Went to 78discography.com and found all of the series numbers and the titles and artists associated with the numbers. Now I just need to go through an catalog them on paper. Maybe these record labels were a product of a printing malfunction at the factory. Probably sent out and sold at discount as factory seconds.

Tim

Hi Tim,

Nice find, and intriguing to get that many all at once. These sound like they possibly could be test pressings --- please don't write anything on those labels. I have one on OkeH and several more on Columbia w/o titles or artist information. A well known record auctioneer told me mine were test pressings. Hope yours are all rare, unissued takes!

Let us know what you find when you compile your list,
Bob

Just getting started. 17 of the records are 8000 series race records. artists include Sippi Wallace, Virginia Liston, sylvester Weaver, Laura Smith, Sara Martin, Clarence Williams, Butterbeans and Susie, Three Deacons, Irene Scruggs, Harlem Trio. Lots of Blues titles.

SSBN 657 wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:35 pm Just getting started. 17 of the records are 8000 series race records. artists include Sippi Wallace, Virginia Liston, sylvester Weaver, Laura Smith, Sara Martin, Clarence Williams, Butterbeans and Susie, Three Deacons, Irene Scruggs, Harlem Trio. Lots of Blues titles.

Well, look at you ! That's a valuable little score. IIRC, Sylvester Weaver is considered the first guitar playing blues performer to make a record.

What a fabulous find--especially those from the 8000 series.
Enjoy them all!

Steven