The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

To Edison Record experts:

What does "RED HAND kind" refer too?

Thanks!
Steve

Red hand kind? As opposed to the green foot kind

Ain't that the weirdest thing. I've never seen or heard of the reference before in 30 yrs of collecting.
I sure hope someone can enlighten us.

Look in Fabrizio & Paul's Compendium: there's a tiny photo of an Edison Records advertising button, featuring a red hand holding a cylinder, with the legend "Edison Records Make Music"........

-Bill

I should have pieced this together. Here is another ad that I have saved a while back.....

I still wonder what the reasoning was behind the red hand. Maybe just to attract attention.

Steve

So, would it be that "ask for the red hand kind" was just a way of saying "make sure it's an Edison record", the same way that "Look for the Dog" was used for Victor?

By the way, has anyone ever actually seen the phrase "Look for the Dog" in a Victor ad?

In the early days of the Edison moulded records, that motif of the red hand holding a cylinder was widely used, but I've never before seen the emphasis on "red hand kind." Must have been a short-lived campaign! Edison advertising experimented with several motifs during the 1901-03 period including the "red hand," seasonal allegories in circular frames, and of course "Looking For the Band."

As for "Look for the Dog," yes - Victor used at least one ad showing a large trademark within an oval and an arrow pointing beneath the lid where the customer should look for it. I can scan it if you like.

George P.

My local supermarket has taken a leaf out of the Edison advertising department: