Hi Robert,I thought they came out in 1906, but from the patent date it would have to have been 1907. I have three, 253, 343, and 244. Do you play yours? I thought they were too fragile to play. How do you keep them from slipping? I am now curious how these sound. Steve> From: [email protected]> To: [email protected]> Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 19:43:49 -0500> Subject: [Phono-L] Marconi Velvet Tone discs> > Is anyone out there an expert on the failed 1907-08 Columbia experiment, the > Marconi Velvet Tone discs? I have some conflicting information and I can't > find any decently extensive information on the things.> > Nauck/Sherman's book, Note The Notes, says Marconi's potrait on the label > started out with a receding hairline, and that later issues show him > sporting a lovely new hairpiece (tongue in cheek, that, as they both appear > to be artist renderings and not portraits). This goes opposite the 6 > Marconi's I possess according to their catalog numbers (which match the > matrices), but it goes with the Grand Prize markings along the bottom of the > label; the one receding hairline Marconi I have lists 1900 and 1904, while > the other 5 hairpiece Marconi's add the 1906 award. (In fact, the picture > they show of the receding hairline label is the same > recording/matrix/release/number as one of my hairpiece labels.)> > Nauck/Sutton's book, American Record Labels and Companies, says the records > started with No. 01 and reached into the low 400's, and that most issues > were pressed from ordinary Columbia masters. Would they have issued the > biggest Columbia sellers first, or was it common to issue records > non-chronologically? I'm just trying to figure out why my (lowest) No. 06 > is on the later label while my (highest) No. 169 is on the earlier label, > and why my No. 32 is on the later label while the one in the book is on the > earlier label.> > I didn't pay attention much to the one Marconi I've had for years, quite > beaten up and greyed-out, but I did remember thinking it sounded pretty > amazing and wondering if it was electric or acoustic. It's a march with > lots of drums, and the bottom end is astounding, worlds ahead of any > acoustic record I'd ever heard (and certainly better than any acoustic > Columbia's), even better than many early electric recordings I have. So all > this time I haven't bothered to find out when they were made. Then I just > grabbed 5 more Marconi's from eBay a week ago, 3 of which are an easy EX, > the other 2 VG+ and VG, and they sound AMAZING. My favorite is No. 169, > Stabat Mater, a cornet solo "with Band Accompaniment" (EX condition), and > it's the warmest, richest pre-1930 band recording I've ever heard. The low > brass sonority is to die for. And at the climax of the piece, no strain, no > stressed grooves, no harsh upper mids. Frankly, that's an accomplishment > for even modern orchestras and engineers. I was astounded to discover they > were 100 years old.> > So is it just me, or are the Marconi Velvet Tone's the most sonically > superior acoustic recordings out there? It was a failed project because > they were standard Columbia issues that needed expensive gold-plated needles > and slipped on the turntable, but I'd venture there was no technological > failure in their manufacture.> > Opinions? Thoughts? Anyone know what order the numbers were released in?> > (By the way, there are apparently a scarce few Fonotipia masters on Marconi > out there. Fonotipias are near the top of my list for sonic pleasure from > acoustic recordings; I bet those on Marconi must've sounded unbelievable > when still fresh.)> > > Thanks in advance for any further information,> Robert > > _______________________________________________> Phono-L mailing list> http://phono-l.oldcrank.org From [email protected] Wed Jul 4 11:13:32 2007 From: [email protected] ([email protected]) Date: Wed Jul 4 11:14:51 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Marconi Velvet Tone discs Message-ID: <[email protected]>
In a message dated 7/4/2007 10:23:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: > Do you play yours? I thought they were too fragile to play. How do you > keep them from slipping? I am now curious how these sound. > Hi All, Well, I'm not Robert but I play my Marconi Records. I merely play them on a modern lightweight tone arm electric 78 rpm phonograph. The sound can be simple awsome! I have also played a few Columbias from the same era that seem to blow away the Victors with depth and roundness on tone. However, something changed in Columbia's recording equipment and by the time the Blue Label records came out the sound quality in the lower range seems to have greatly diminished. My only assumption is that the strong notes in the lower register were causing damage to the reproducers used in the Columbia. The mica would finally start to disintigrate from the extra strong vibration and caused that squealing sound at certain tones and if the reproducer was too stiff the damage to the grooves would soon become apparant. Just my personal observations. Sincerely. Rick A. Jorgensen AMERICAN GRAMOPHONE & WIRELESS Co. http://members.aol.com/AGW1886/index.html GOLDEN ERA AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION http://members.aol.com/AGW1888/geaahome.htm ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com. From [email protected] Wed Jul 4 16:28:34 2007 From: [email protected] (bruce78rpm) Date: Wed Jul 4 16:29:37 2007 Subject: [Phono-L] Marconi Velvet Tone discs(Fonotipia) References: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <013801c7be93$0b298990$6401a...@custom> A few years ago I acquired a 12" Fonotipia Record: 74000(A4737) La Boheme Che Gelia manina by Alessandro Bonci recorded in Milan, backed by 74006 (A3316) Faust Salve dimora also recorded in Milan by Bonci. The strange thing about the label is that in the two spaces that would ordinarily refer to Tenor Solo (to the left of the spindle hole) and In Italian(to the right of the Spindle Hole) are clearly printed the words "MARCONI" and VELVET TONE on both sides of the record. There was an unsuccessful attempt to rub these words out, but they are still clearly visible. I would assume now since I read your comments about some fonotipia masters used for Velvetone recordings that when the Velvetone records failed, these Phonotypic-MARCONI-VELVET TONE labels were used instead on regular shellac Phonotypic 12" records. If anyone would like to see the scan of one these sides I would be happy to supply it for your research. Best Regards, Bruce ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Medved" <[email protected]> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2007 12:15 PM Subject: RE: [Phono-L] Marconi Velvet Tone discs in?> > (By the way, there are apparently a scarce few Fonotipia masters on Marconi > out there. Fonotipias are near the top of my list for sonic pleasure from > acoustic recordings; I bet those on Marconi must've sounded unbelievable > when still fresh.)> > > Thanks in advance for any further information,> Robert > > _______________________________________________> Phono-L mailing list> http://phono-l.oldcrank.org_______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
