The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

At the top of my wanted list is this Fonotipia, but the prospects of finding it in the UK are slim.

Emma Albani - Angels ever bright and fair
I had it in my hand once - but that day, I couldn't afford it
And if Christmas should fall on my birthday, I'll take one of Santley's two twelve inch discs.

Well, one that's in the front of my mind at the moment would be Edison cylinder 29002, Alessandro Bonci singing "Una Furtiva Lagrima" from Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. It's the last of his "royal purple" series that I don't have. (I'm not picky, though--some of what I have are blue, and I don't really care.) I actually bought a copy at a good price on eBay, only to have the celluloid split from one end to the other during shipment.

If we can include LPs, I guess the top item would be a record that may not even exist: Friedrich Wuhrer playing Schubert's C Major piano sonata called "Reliquie" as a single record. I've never seen or even seen reference to a copy other than in one volume of the VoxBox complete sets, but I have all the others as singles, and I think the single pressings are better. (Note to those who may be interested in these sets: you definitely want the original mono issues. The fake stereo versions are the worst such that I've ever had the displeasure to hear.)

"A tale of Paris" by Billy Williams on a 78rpm record of any label.

I have it on 4min Amberol, but its scratched, and every time I've played it I wonder if it'll be the last time due to these cylinders being so brittle.
It gets played maybe once every 4-5 years, even though it's my favourite BW recording, and to be be able to play a 78 recording of the song without fearing it will self destruct would be heaven.

I have 3 at the moment.
The first one SHOULD be simple, but alas, no.

1. A clean E+ or better version of U.S. Victor 26500, Tommy Dorsey Orch. "Too Romantic", with Sinatra. After years of searching, I found a Canadian batwing NM copy, but my OCD wants a USA gold print one. Good luck!

2. Blue Steele Orch. on Victor "Shooin' Flies"
3. Paul Tremaine Aristocrats on Victor "Four Four Rhythm"

The last two I HAD but sold to a fellow forum member some years ago mistakenly believing they were duplicate copies as they were filed wrong. They weren't duplicate copies.

Lew Reynolds and the Flexo Recording Orchestra playing "Smile When the Raindrops fall". It's a great tune and I'm also a big Laurel & Hardy fan. But it's extremely rare and I've never encountered a copy.

Never did find a copy of hmv 5771, Jack Hylton Happy Days Are Here Again. They pop up overseas sometimes, but I can’t stomach the shipping $ for just a single disc!

My copy is the Spanish Gramófono AE3174, backed with Lucky Me, Lovable You.

Any pressing will work!

Inigo wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 5:04 pm My copy is the Spanish Gramófono AE3174, backed with Lucky Me, Lovable You.

I think every recording on every record label, whether it was recorded as a Ballard or by a dance band, had those two songs coupled together.
I think I've got at least 6 different recordings on different labels of those two songs.
Those early talkies sure did fantastic things for record sales.