"Test Record for NBC Orthacoustic Recording" - 1930s?

WOW! Not only way cool it looks like it's it great shape!

 

That is very cool!

Kinda like a deluxe version of this one sided Caruso I have.

The record is actually all black but the flash in this particular shot created a neat silvery look.

 

Neat!

 

Orthacoustic...that means it's good for your feet, right...?

 

Anyone know if Aeolian ever etched any single sided pressings?

All the black and brown Vocalion's I've ever found or seen are very smooth.

 

Matt,

Nice post. Does your friend have a 12" tonearm? If not, I am willing to assist you. I have one and a Tascam CD Recorder if you desire. PM me if you want this transferred or to discuss it.

 

The Savory collection has a bunch of high quality recordings like this. The stuff that dreams are made of... The best jazz artists of the 1930's in really high fidelity sound. I've been making regular trips to Harlem to hear it all. I hope it gets released in some form someday. Anyone have any pull with Disney?

 

I'm trying to figure out how you copyright test tones...

 

The only records I know of that ever were embossed on one side were those of Gramophone Co. and Victor/RCA Victor. Victor used to issue single sided pressing all the way across their line, as did other labels of that time, and they were smooth on one side, no embossing. After they switched to double sided pressings, around 1909, along with Columbia, and other companies followed suit, the red label Victor classical discs were still single sided, and at some point, had an embossed rear side added. After red label records were converted to double side status in 1923, you may still find embossing used on the odd classical multi disk set that ended on a blank side, with no filler piece to round the set out.


Aeolian-Vocalion/Vocalion didn't issue even single sided pressings in the United States as far as I'm aware. If you find them, it must have been a Canadian thing.

 

Here is one example of a single sided/smooth bottom Vocalion sold throughout North America.

Interesting to note the USA/CDN price differential.

 

I guess you're right. Because searching through the discographies of people like Rimini, Giulio Crimi, or Rosa Raisa, sees their operatic records for that label issued as single sided pressings, and also as double sided couplings of those single sides, (like the record in your photo, it also appeared as one side of a two sided disc.) None of my black or brown Vocalions are single sided.

Back to the thread topic, anyhow, we're going far astray here...

 

There's a Victor 78 RPM of Caruso with two other tenors with a written note on the Smooth Side of the record,put there by the company because heated arguments broke out due to the fact that no one knew exactly who sang what in the recorded Opera tune on lead..Caruso and one other tenor's voice on it sounded the same,soo..Victor settled this by printing the Liberetto and sticking it on the back! True Story!

 

and that scrolled disc Matt posted is beautiful.

 

That's really cool! I've seen that etching before on a regular release. It was a Beethoven symphony that didn't fill all of the sides, so disc 1 had that design on the flip. I should still have it somewhere.

That's a cool bit of broadcast history you have there though.

dan c

 

Beautiful!

 

Yes, I think I'm in love...

 

Actually, the record was of Caruso and baritone Antonio Scotti in a duet from "La Forza Del Destino". Many listeners' were unsure which singer sang the first phrase, so Victor printed the text of the duet (in English) on the blank side of the record.