Post by phonogfp on Dec 8, 2009 7:36:33 GMT -6
I just received the latest issue of The Sound Box, and wanted to offer a brief overview for the readers of this forum.
First, the cover is really striking. Editor Rene Rondeau did a fabulous job of superimposing a modern photograph of a 1911 Victrola XVI in Circassian Walnut onto a circa 1900 photograph showing a Christmas tree in a parlor of a home in Dayton, Ohio - - which happened to be the home of Wilbur and Orville Wright. (One must wonder who was the recipient of the doll carriage?) I think it's one of the best covers.
The first article is written by David Seubert, Curator, Performing Arts Collection, University of California, Santa Barbara. This article describes how rare cylinder recordings are aurally available online through the UCSB's website. Mr. Seubert discusses the importance of preserving these sounds for scholars, historians, and collectors through the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, and encourages all of us to become involved. A most interesting and worthwhile project that currently boasts 7500 different titles. Mr. Seubert points out that this represents only approximately 10% of the titles recorded on cylinders between the 1880s and the last 1920s.
Collector John Levin contributes his perspective on the UCSB Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, including the reasons he started collecting cylinder records. John puts it best: "It's a public institution that takes advantage of what the Internet does best, making the formerly inaccessible open and available to everyone. It virtually guarantees the survival of these recordings by archiving high-resolution digital transfers of them on the University of california server system. It catalogs them in a searchable database to help researchers put together the fragments of early commercial recording history."
Collector Bill Boruff contributes an interesting article on the Educational Records offered by Thomas A Edison Inc. for the "School" Phonograph, and includes the drill questions found on two of these rare recordings. If these questions were indeed intended for grade school/middle school students of nearly a century ago, it's an eye-opener. I was able to answer only half of them. Bill thoughtfully provides the answers which verified my ignorance.
Robert Baumbach provides an article on Circassian Walnut and includes photos of a 1912 model Victrola XVI, a Columbia Grand (piano-style), and a Diamond Disc A-450: all crafted from this rare and beautiful wood which saw its brief heyday from 1909-1917. Incidentally, Bob disrupted my plans, as I was contemplating writing an article on this subject. I forgive you, Bob...!
Shawn O'Rourke contributed an informative article on the functioning of the coin-operated Edison "Excelsior" Phonograph, including 11 detailed, labeled photos of the mechanism. If you admire mechanical ingenuity, you'll enjoy this article.
Allen Koenigsberg features several phonographic curiosities and mysteries in his latest article, including a photo of a 7" Berliner record No.966, "My Polly's A Peach", sung by "Mr. Thomas." Who Mr. Thomas may have been, and why he wasn't fully identified remains unknown. A Caruso caricature I've never seen before is also shown, along with other oddities.
In late 1909 - exactly a century ago - a raging public controversy existed as to who had been the first to reach the North Pole. Victor issued a record by Dr. Frederick Cook, the first claimant, only to withdraw it within 3 months and issue another record by Robert Peary, whose claim was certified by the National Geographic Society. All this, plus Ernest Shackleton's dash for the South Pole is included in an article on "Polar Exploration and the Talking Machine."
The Edison "Parlor" Tinfoil Phonographs are examined in detail in Rene Rondeau's article on these rare early treasures. Both the Bergmann and Brehmer Brothers versions are illustrated in 9 photos, including an original shipping crate at the Edison National Historic Site.
Finally, Tim Fabrizio offers a look back at the early reference book, From Tinfoil to Stereo, and whether it is quite as bad as he remembered it. Those of us who were weaned on Read & Welch's book will enjoy this retrospective.
This latest issue of The Sound Box features 43 photos (not counting ads) and consists of 32 pages (not counting ads). Another very nice effort by Editor Rene Rondeau!
George P.
First, the cover is really striking. Editor Rene Rondeau did a fabulous job of superimposing a modern photograph of a 1911 Victrola XVI in Circassian Walnut onto a circa 1900 photograph showing a Christmas tree in a parlor of a home in Dayton, Ohio - - which happened to be the home of Wilbur and Orville Wright. (One must wonder who was the recipient of the doll carriage?) I think it's one of the best covers.
The first article is written by David Seubert, Curator, Performing Arts Collection, University of California, Santa Barbara. This article describes how rare cylinder recordings are aurally available online through the UCSB's website. Mr. Seubert discusses the importance of preserving these sounds for scholars, historians, and collectors through the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, and encourages all of us to become involved. A most interesting and worthwhile project that currently boasts 7500 different titles. Mr. Seubert points out that this represents only approximately 10% of the titles recorded on cylinders between the 1880s and the last 1920s.
Collector John Levin contributes his perspective on the UCSB Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, including the reasons he started collecting cylinder records. John puts it best: "It's a public institution that takes advantage of what the Internet does best, making the formerly inaccessible open and available to everyone. It virtually guarantees the survival of these recordings by archiving high-resolution digital transfers of them on the University of california server system. It catalogs them in a searchable database to help researchers put together the fragments of early commercial recording history."
Collector Bill Boruff contributes an interesting article on the Educational Records offered by Thomas A Edison Inc. for the "School" Phonograph, and includes the drill questions found on two of these rare recordings. If these questions were indeed intended for grade school/middle school students of nearly a century ago, it's an eye-opener. I was able to answer only half of them. Bill thoughtfully provides the answers which verified my ignorance.
Robert Baumbach provides an article on Circassian Walnut and includes photos of a 1912 model Victrola XVI, a Columbia Grand (piano-style), and a Diamond Disc A-450: all crafted from this rare and beautiful wood which saw its brief heyday from 1909-1917. Incidentally, Bob disrupted my plans, as I was contemplating writing an article on this subject. I forgive you, Bob...!
Shawn O'Rourke contributed an informative article on the functioning of the coin-operated Edison "Excelsior" Phonograph, including 11 detailed, labeled photos of the mechanism. If you admire mechanical ingenuity, you'll enjoy this article.
Allen Koenigsberg features several phonographic curiosities and mysteries in his latest article, including a photo of a 7" Berliner record No.966, "My Polly's A Peach", sung by "Mr. Thomas." Who Mr. Thomas may have been, and why he wasn't fully identified remains unknown. A Caruso caricature I've never seen before is also shown, along with other oddities.
In late 1909 - exactly a century ago - a raging public controversy existed as to who had been the first to reach the North Pole. Victor issued a record by Dr. Frederick Cook, the first claimant, only to withdraw it within 3 months and issue another record by Robert Peary, whose claim was certified by the National Geographic Society. All this, plus Ernest Shackleton's dash for the South Pole is included in an article on "Polar Exploration and the Talking Machine."
The Edison "Parlor" Tinfoil Phonographs are examined in detail in Rene Rondeau's article on these rare early treasures. Both the Bergmann and Brehmer Brothers versions are illustrated in 9 photos, including an original shipping crate at the Edison National Historic Site.
Finally, Tim Fabrizio offers a look back at the early reference book, From Tinfoil to Stereo, and whether it is quite as bad as he remembered it. Those of us who were weaned on Read & Welch's book will enjoy this retrospective.
This latest issue of The Sound Box features 43 photos (not counting ads) and consists of 32 pages (not counting ads). Another very nice effort by Editor Rene Rondeau!
George P.