Bongo's - the coolest in primitive vinyl: the shellac shoppe - edison discs, cylinders & transcription records

78 RPM RECORDS / EDISON DISCS
CYLINDER RECORDS / TRANSCRIPTION DISCS

Thomas A. Edison first recorded sound onto cylinders in 1877 but put the idea aside to work on perfecting the telegraph, telephone & light bulb. In 1887, he resumed work on the phonograph, using wax cylinders which rotated at 90 to 160 RPM. Cylinder Records peaked in popularity around 1905. By 1912 the newly introduced Victrola record players & flat disc 78 RPM records began to dominate the market, which prompted Columbia to stop marketing cylinders. Edison introduced his Diamond Disc Phonograph, & the Edison Diamond Disc (aka 'Re-Creation' Disc), which together produced superior audio fidelity for the listener. However, the thick Edison Discs were not compatible with any other record players. The record groove had smooth side walls with the sound recorded vertically onto the bottom of the groove rather than laterally onto the walls of the groove. These could ONLY be played on expensive Edison Diamond Disc Phonographs, which ran at 80 RPM. The 'black-on-black' embossed (electrotype) etched labels were hard to read. With a larger variety of records available from other companies, Victrola machines won out, & Edison Records ceased production in 1929. Edison Discs offered here are in their original matching numbered 'liner note' sleeve, where noted. From about 1922 paper labels were used. Rare 'Red Star' labels are also noted. Those are records that were predicted not to sell well by Edison’s Music Committee or by Edison himself, and couldn't be returned by the dealer in quantity. Edison didn't like the peppier tunes, making many of the Red Star records desirable today.

78 RPM records remained popular right though the mid 20th Century, thanks in part to radio. As recording technology evolved, transcription discs became the most common way of preserving live radio broadcasts. To fit the longer programs, large 16" diameter discs were used, providing better fidelity than 78s. Syndicated programming then became possible. For a list of old radio shows on vinyl, click here.

By the late 1940s 16" transcription discs became obsolete. The 7" 45-RPM record was introduced, along with the 12" 33 1/3rd RPM LP (Long Playing) microgrooved vinyl record. Calculus was used to offer precisely optimized sound based on rotational speed vs diameter. These vinyl formats are still preferred today by music enthusiasts interested in experiencing warmer & more accurate analog sound, with true, natural, smooth & continuous wave forms. Digital sound can only sample a wave form in defined individual steps, reducing it to compressed files which must then be reconstructed & converted to analog for listening. Compact Discs (CDs) are ok for saving shelf space, but over time the shiny metal substrate of a CD can corrode. Therefore, the ultimate medium is still the vinyl record.

CYLINDER RECORDS

820- MURRAY & BELMONT- Gentle Spring Is Here Again- Edison Amberol M $9

851- NEW YORK MILITARY BAND- Invercargill March (Alex F. Lithgow)- Edison Amberol (Cotton lined box & lid only. No record) M- $3

4M-962- PREMIER QUARTETTE- Moonlight Bay- (aka The American Quartette w/ Percy Wenrich, circa 1913) Edison Amberol (w/ proper lid) M $6

1047- ADA JONES- Oh, Mr. Dream Man- (1912 w/ James V. Monaco Orchestra) Edison Amberol M- $4

1473- EDISON MIXED QUARTETTE- The Ninety And Nine- (Sacred song from 1910 released for promotional purposes as part of the Amberol conversion kit package) Edison Amberol (Special D w/ proper lid) M $14

1515- PEERLESS QUARTET & CO.- The Peerless Minstrels- (Released for promotional purposes as part of the Amberol conversion kit package. Cotton lined cylinder record box & lid only. No record) Edison (Special K) Amberol (Blue Box & Lid) M- $4

1518- HELEN CLARK & HARRY ANTHONY- Whispering Hope- (1912 Mezzo-soprano & tenor duet) Edison Blue Amberol M $5

1615- MANUEL ROMAIN- When The Old Oaken Bucket Was New- Edison Blue Amberol (w/ proper lid) M $12

2229- EDISON MALE QUARTETTE- Farmyard Medley- Edison Gold Moulded VG+ $3

7425- EDISON GRAND CONCERT BAND- Manisot March- Edison Gold Moulded VG+ $3

7595- HARRY MACDONOUGH- I Can't Tell Why I Love You But I Do- Edison Gold Moulded VG $3

8096- BYRON G. HARLAN & FRANK C. STANLEY- The First Rehearsal For The Huskin' Bee- (1902 Vaudeville Comedy dialogue & singing w/ orchestra accompaniment) Edison Gold Moulded M- $28

8736- BYRON G. HARLAN & FRANK C. STANLEY- Two Rubes At The Vaudeville- Edison Gold Moulded VG+ $28

8982- ADA JONES & LEN SPENCER- Heinie- (1905 Vaudeville Specialty) Edison Gold Moulded EX- $16

9047- ADA JONES- Songs My Mammy Sang To Me- (1905 Descriptive song. Contralto solo w/ orchestra accompaniment) Edison Gold Moulded VG+ $3

9087- EDGAR DAVENPORT- "Laska" (1905 reading of the Frank Deprez poem, the 1st recording of it) VG $8

9119- LEN SPENCER- The Musical Yankee- (1905 Vaudeville musical act w/ witty dialogue & music) Edison Gold Moulded VG- $8

9240- EDISON MALE QUARTETTE- Only A Message From Sweet Home- Edison Gold Moulded M $5

9310- EDWARD MEEKER- Good-Bye, Mister Greenback (1906 w/ Thomas S. Allen) Edison Gold Moulded VG $3

9335- ADA JONES & LEN SPENCER- Bashful Henry & His Lovin' Lucy- (Vaudeville) Edison Gold Moulded VG- $8

9343- UNKNOWN- I'm Crazy 'Bout It (Duet) Edison Gold Moulded VG- $2

9395- BILL MURRAY- Are You Coming Out To-night Mary Ann? (Irish serenade from 1906) Edison Gold Moulded VG- $1

9456- EDISON MALE QUARTETTE- When Daddy Sings The Little Ones To Sleep- (1907) Edison Gold Moulded VG- $2

9516- BOB ROBERTS (?)- If You Want To Pick A Fuss, Wait Till The Sun Shines- (Coon Song) Edison Gold Moulded EX+ $14

9520- BILLY MURRAY & THE EDISON MALE QUARTETTE- Ida-Ho! (1907 song about Idaho) Edison Gold Moulded VG- $3

9642- ARTHUR COLLINS- Brother Noah Gave Out Checks For Rain- (Coon song about a biblical baseball game) Edison Gold Moulded M- $40

10538- WALTER VAN BRUNT- There's A Dixie Girl Who's Longing For A Yankee Doodle Boy- (1911 recording) Edison Gold Moulded VG+ $4

10264- JOE BELMONT- Home Sweet Home- (Whistling) Columbia M- $8

32616- ARTHUR COLLINS- Kalamazoo Is No Place For You- (1905 Baritone Solo) Columbia EX $3

33197- ADA JONES & LEN SPENCER- You've Got To Love Me Alot- (1907 Vaudeville) Columbia EX $16

EDISON DIAMOND DISCS

50060- (w/ sleeve)- Christine Miller "Old Folks At Home" bw/ Mixed Quartet "Massa's In De Cold, Cold Ground"- (both songs written by Stephen Collins Foster) EX $16

50061- (w/ sleeve)- Mr. Ecke "Dear Heart" bw/ "Memories Of Home"- EX+ $14

50352- Glen Ellison "Nanny (I Have Never Loved Another Girl But You)" bw/ "My Bonnie Bonnie Jean"- VG- $1

50516- (w/ sleeve) Gradys Rice & Vernon Dalhart "Silver Bell" bw/ Ada Jones & Billy Murray "Snow Deer"- (1917) M- $40

50596- Jaudas' Society Orchestra "Good-Night Waltz" bw/ "Goodnight Waltz No. 2"- EX+ $8

50599- Cal Stewart& Ada Jones "Uncle Josh & Aunt Nancy Put Up The Kitchen Stove" bw/ Cal Stewart "Uncle Josh & The Honey Bees"- (humorous rural story telling) VG $18

50637- Harry Raderman's Jazz Orchestra "Make That Trombone Laugh" bw/ "Dardanella"- (circa 1920) VG $14

50670- Toots Paka's Hawaiians "Wailana Waltz" (guitar duo) bw/ Waikiki Hawaiian Orchestra "Hawaiian Smiles"- VG $14

50673- Peerless Orchestra "Caresse d'Amour - Valse Lente" (Love's Caress) bw/ Peerless Orchestra w/ Ada Jones, Steve Porter, & Edward Meeker "Day In Toyland"- (a descriptive 'tone picture' w/ sound effects) VG- $4

50690- Helen Clark "I'm In Heaven When I'm In My Mother's Arms" bw/ Louise Terrell & George Wilton Ballard "The Love Nest"- (1920) VG- $2

50704- Betsy Lane Shepherd & Lewis James "In Old Manila" bw/ Charles Hart & Lewis James "Down The Trail To Home Sweet Home"- VG $3

50806- (printed label) Ray Perkins "Look For The Silver Lining Medley" bw/ "Make Believe Medley"- EX+ $4

50850- (printed label) Club De Vingt Orchestra "Rosy Cheeks" bw/ "Three O ' Clock In The Morning"- VG $4

51306- (printed label w/ red star) Walter Scanlan "Maid Of The West" bw/ "Memory Garden"- (1924) M $8

80061- (w/ sleeve)- Elizabeth Spencer "Silver Threads Among The Gold" bw/ Agnes Kimball "The Kiss Waltz"- VG+ $4

80437- Sodero's Band "Reminiscences Of Ireland" Part 1 bw/ "Reminiscences Of Ireland" Part 2- VG+ $3

80484- Helen Clark "When The Ships Come Home" bw/ The Moonlight Trio "The Rose Of No Man's Land"- VG $2

80510- Walter Van Brunt "In Dear Old Napoli" bw/ Elizabeth Spencer & Walter Van Brunt "Shades Of Night"- VG+ $2

80520- Apollo Quartet Of Boston "In The Garden" bw/ Thomas Chalmers "List! The Cherubic Host - Holy City" VG $3

80601- Manual Romain "A Little Birch Canoe & You" bw/ "It's Never Too Late To Be Sorry"- VG- $2

80764- (printed label w/ red star) Losey's Instrumental Quartet "Answer" bw/ "A Dream"- M $9

82543- Marie Rappold & Christine Miller "Whispering Hope" bw/ Christine Miller "Just For To-day"- VG $2

TRANSCRIPTION DISCS

JACK LEE- (1-Sided Acetate from April 20, 1949. Lateral cut, outside start) WGBR Transcription VG $2o

GORDON MacRAE- Program 1 & 2 (Gulf Spray Series from May 20 & 22, 1947, produced by Young & Rubicam. Orthacoustic lateral cut 33 1/3rd RPM w/ outside start & proper outersleeve. Songs include: "Let's Go Back & Kiss The Girls Goodnight"; "There's A Tavern In The Town"; "April Showers"; "Anniversary Song"; It's Wonderful"; "I Tipped My Hat & Slowly Rode Away"; "How Are Things In Gloca Morra"; "Oh, But I Do") NBC Radio-Broadcasting (ND7 MM-5962 bw/ MM-5896 w/ Brown/Tan labels) EX $40 Rare!

GORDON MacRAE- Program 11 & 12 (Gulf Spray Series from June 24 & 26, 1947, produced by Young & Rubicam. Orthacoustic lateral cut 33 1/3rd RPM w/ outside start & proper outersleeve. Songs include: "If This Isn't Love"; "Dear Old Girl"; "You Are To Me Everything"; "Old Black Magic"; "Time On My Hands"; "September Song". Dan Seymour (announcer), Johnny Guarnieri, Trigger Alpert & Tony Mottola are featured on the other shows syndicated in the 1947 series) NBC Radio-Broadcasting (ND7 MM-6124 bw/ MM-6132 w/ Brown/Tan labels) EX+ $35

GORDON MacRAE- Program 15 & 16 (Gulf Spray Series from July 8 & 12, 1947, produced by Young & Rubicam. Orthacoustic lateral cut 33 1/3rd RPM w/ outside start & proper outersleeve. Songs include: "Night & Day"; 'Old Man River"; "Close As Pages In A Book"; "My Adobe Hacienda"; "When Evening Shadows Fall"; "My Wonderful One"; "Everytime We Say Goodbye") NBC Radio-Broadcasting (ND7 MM-6171 bw/ MM-6200 w/ Brown/Tan labels) EX+ $30

GORDON MacRAE- Program 19 & 20 (Gulf Spray Series from July 22 & 24, 1947, produced by Young & Rubicam. Orthacoustic lateral cut 33 1/3rd RPM w/ outside start & proper outersleeve. Songs include: "Nice Work If You Can Get It"; "Sunday Kind Of Love"; "The Very Thought Of You"; "I'll Remember April"; "Sigh By Night"; "Begin The Beguine") NBC Radio-Broadcasting (ND7 MM-6497 bw/ MM-6498 w/ Green/White labels) EX+ $25

GORDON MacRAE- Program 21 & 22 (Gulf Spray Series from July 29 & 31, 1947, produced by Young & Rubicam. Orthacoustic lateral cut 33 1/3rd RPM w/ outside start & proper outersleeve. Songs include: "I Got The Sun In The Morning"; "My Shining Hour"; "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows"; "Say No More"; "Peg Of My Heart"; "She Didn't Say Yes"; "Blue Champagne") NBC Radio-Broadcasting (ND7 MM-6499 bw/ MM-6600) EX+ $25

PRODUCE SELLS THE EXPERTS- (Part 1 & 2 of The National Association Of Retail Grocers Of United States (NARGUS) (commentary may be by Hershall Gordon Lewis) A Dallas Jones Production (L7SM-6268 bw/ 5269) VG $35

Unknown Acetate- I have two acetates stamped 'Audiodiscs 9074' in red. The programs are different lengths, so I know they're not both the same, but will have to eventually check them out at my local college radio station where they can accommodate 16" discs. These come in their the original printed outersleeve) Each EX+ (offers?)