The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have a question for y’all, what is the most valuable pre-1940 record that you own?
Edit: by valuable, I mean the most expensive record you own is valued on 45worlds.com. My most valuable record is some test pressing from 1921 that goes for $1,500. I might find a more valuable record in my collection though and will edit accordingly.

I neither know nor care, and even if I did I would keep that knowledge to myself.

I think we could use the word valuable to mean personal value or historic or cultural value as cash value not so easy to estimate.
A record that my great grandfather used to own and enjoy is in my collection and is a Columbia 10 inch disc of W H Berry singing "Woman Pah!" from a show called Back to the Heather from the late 1920s.

I probably have some 'valuable' records in my collection, but have no idea of what they are worth. Depends how keen someone is to buy one, I guess. Interesting to see a Jack Hylton record went for around £155 on Ebay recently - seemed crazy to me, even though it supposedly came from Hylton's own collection - but how could you prove that?

I have one from the Comedian Harmonists that I saw on:
https://www.schellack-plattenshop.net/Start
Going for around 700 Euros

recordmaker wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 1:26 pm I think we could use the word valuable to mean personal value or historic or cultural value as cash value not so easy to estimate.
A record that my great grandfather used to own and enjoy is in my collection and is a Columbia 10 inch disc of W H Berry singing "Woman Pah!" from a show called Back to the Heather from the late 1920s.

That’s weird, I did a lot of research on that record called “Woman Pah!” and found no information nor evidence that this recording ever existed.

slammer wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:32 pm I have one from the Comedian Harmonists that I saw on:
https://www.schellack-plattenshop.net/Start
Going for around 700 Euros

You love the smell of shellac in the morning? So do I!

Misetrgramophone wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 6:59 pm

recordmaker wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 1:26 pm I think we could use the word valuable to mean personal value or historic or cultural value as cash value not so easy to estimate.
A record that my great grandfather used to own and enjoy is in my collection and is a Columbia 10 inch disc of W H Berry singing "Woman Pah!" from a show called Back to the Heather from the late 1920s.

That’s weird, I did a lot of research on that record called “Woman Pah!” and found no information nor evidence that this recording ever existed.

Now why would I make it up? "Women Pah ! " From "Blue eyes" Sung by W H Berry Col 4918. ( London recording )
the other side is Back to the Heather and the show is Blue Eyes so I got that wrong..

I wonder where you looking as it even turned up on youtube

(Double-click the video above or click this link to go to the video on YouTube.)

The historians say "absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of absence"

I paid about a 100.00 bucks on eBay for "It's Been A Long Long time" Vocal Kitty Kallen.
Thanks to "The Avengers" franchise.

JeffR1 wrote: Sat Jan 13, 2024 11:22 pm I paid about a 100.00 bucks on eBay for "It's Been A Long Long time" Vocal Kitty Kallen.
Thanks to "The Avengers" franchise.

Nice find! I've been looking in thrift and record stores for that one, and fortunately, the red Columbia records show up a lot in the 78 baskets. I've seen a lot of Harry James records, but haven't found this one yet... Maybe someday.