The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I recently picked up another very large lot of 78's, and sorting through them I came across sixteen Victor 7-inch records -- the first I have ever stumbled upon in decades of accumulating old records. Over the past decade or so I have accumulated a dozen or so Victor 8-inch records, a few at a time. I always thought 8-inch records were less common -- I've certain read and seen less about them -- but the fact that I found so many 8-inch records before I found a single 7-inch disc makes me wonder if I had that backwards. I have looked for information in The Collector's Guide to Victor Records, but haven't found any more information there beyond the fact that these discs exist. Can anyone furnish anymore background and information on these? Did Victor make more of one size than the other? Did they make one size longer (or earlier, or later) than the other? (I mean with paper labels -- not talking about the etched-label Victor 7-inch records, which I have never come across in the wild.) Did they charge the same for the two sizes? Did they use the same masters as the 10-inch records (at shorter length, presumably), or were they specially-recorded? Why did they feel the need to produce 7-inch and 8-inch records?

One more thing: While all of my 8-inch records have labels on the back, only some of my 7-inch records do. Shall I assume they were made this way, or did some of the labels fall off somehow? If it's the former, are the ones without labels older than the ones with?

Victor manufactured and sold 7-inch discs from its inception in 1901 (and from the late summer of 1900 if you count Eldridge Johnson's earlier activities) until September 1907. The 8-inch discs, introduced in May 1906, were apparently meant to supplant the smaller size, but were phased out in mid-1909. 8-inch discs were most certainly made/sold in smaller numbers than the 7-inch variety.

Each size Victor disc record had recording sessions specific to its size.

I am not aware of any etched-label Victor records being offered for sale. Johnson's first discs, available over a year before Victor was incorporated, featured paper labels ("Improved Gram-O-Phone Record").

If you check the labels on the backs of your 8-inch Victor records, you'll see that they were slightly more expensive than Victor 7-inch records (which started out at 50 cents, and reduced to 35 cents in late 1905). The paper labels on the backs of Victor records began appearing well into the 7-inch era, so some will have them while earlier pressings will not. I believe all 8-inch Victor records have the labels on the reverse. Judging by their tenacity while being washed, I doubt if they often fall off.

George P.

Thanks, George! Very informative.

You're very welcome!

George P.

Still more 7 inch victors than I have. Which at the end of 2021 is…uhh let’s just say I own more Digital Compact Cassettes and 3M Revere tape cartridges than I have 7 inch victors or Berliners…

But I do have about 4 of the 8-inch ones.

I’m gonna change that in 2022.

Zenger,

I am not sure which edition of the Collector’s Guide to Victor Records you were using to look for information on the 8” record, but my 2010 edition discussed them in some detail, well beyond the fact that they simply existed. I am attaching several screen shots from that edition (with relevant sections highlighted in yellow) in the event you missed them.

Mike

I probably have around 20 or 30 7 inch Victor records, but no 8 inch Victor records.

I have plenty of Berliners but have yet to see a 7" or 8" Victor in the wild. I have an Emerson 7" I think, somewhere, but remember it being cracked...