Hi Steve and all, Here is a great source for information.
This is where we found information on our little 5". 1889-1892 is indeed the dawn of disc records. -Scott & Denise Corbett Below is from the website: http://www.archeophone.org/Berliner5inch/ The earliest disc records ever released : The five inch Berliner Gramophone records online catalogue It is commonly said that the first Berliner Gramophone record to be offered on the market was pressed in the USA in October 1894. It was a seven inch record. But in fact Emile Berliner (1851-1929), inventor of the gramophone record, had made and sold records long before that date. It is a German toy maker (Kämmer & Reinhardt in Waltershausen, Thuringen) who made and marketed the very first Berliner Gramophone which was a toy with a cardboard horn, hand operated with a crank, but with no spring or motor. This device put on the market from 1889 to 1892, rotated five inch records (12,5 cm) at 100-150 revolutions per minute. These records are not made of shellac like records made later, but of gutta-percha : an inelastic compressed and vulcanized natural latex or rubber isolated from the sap of several species of tropical tree, but mainly from Palaquium gutta. They are pressed from metallic matrixes. Both records and machines bear the mention "E. Berliner Grammophon D.R.P. [Deutsches Reichspatent] 45048". The label on the reverse side of each record contains the title or the recorded text and the mention of two of Berliner's US patents : Nov 1887, May 1888. They are indeed the oldest records in the world. The voice heard of most of these records, singing or talking with no instrumental accompaniment, is Emile Berliner's own voice. This is commonly admitted and it is indeed a voice - always the same on different records - with an audible German accent. The above list represents the earliest disc record catalogue in the world. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steven Medved Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 12:18 PM To: Phono-l Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Berliner record Thanks, I guess the 5" was made for a toy phonographs. Do you know how old yours is? I really appreciated the information. Steve > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2011 13:40:22 -0700 > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Berliner record > > That appears to be a 5" Berliner. We recently were able to purchase one, > and it looks identical (except for the title). They are VERY thin compared > to the 7" Berliners and it's a wonder any survived at all. Not surprising > that it is being sold in Germany where they were made. This title is > probably the most sought after being Berliner's own voice. It is said that > he recorded others as well. Our records is "Barnyard sounds", which is > rather poor imitations of clucking and mooing. I would imagine this was > Berliner also (no documentation however), because I don't see him paying > someone else to record it! Our 5" Berliner plays a total of 45 seconds! > If it is pushing $2,000 with 7 days to go, one wonders where it will end up! > > WE HOPE TO SEE MANY OF YOU AT THE 26 ANNUAL CALIFORNIA ANTIQUE PHONOGRAPH > SHOW AUGUST 13 & 14. > > Scott & Denise > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Steven Medved > Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2011 1:21 PM > To: Phono-l; phonolist > Subject: [Phono-L] Berliner record > > > > > > Hello, Is this actually one of the first Berliner records? Steve > http://cgi.ebay.com/250864718289 > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.org
