Unfortunately, Edison records are hit-and-miss with respect to collector interest. Most seem to sell for $1 to $3 each, but there are some scattered among them that are more valuable. … [Note: The last Edison discs were produced at the end of 1929.
What is an Edison phonograph worth?
First introduced by Thomas Edison in the 1870s, the typical cylinder is black or blue and about four inches long and two inches in diameter. Most of them are worth less than $5, but some can be worth a $100 or more. Cylinders that are brown, pink, green or orange, or bigger than two inches, can be worth up to $200.
What are Edison Diamond Discs made of?
Because the vertical recording method required an absolutely flat surface, the manufacture of Edison discs was quite involved. They were made up of a core of compressed wood flour (later China clay) with a layer of “Condensite” (a phenolic resin varnish) bonded to the surface on which the recording was engraved.
When were Edison Diamond Discs made?
In 1926, an attempt at reviving interest in Edison records was made by introducing a long-playing Diamond Disc which still rotated at 80 rpm but tripled the standard groove pitch to 450 threads per inch by using an ultra-fine groove, achieving a playing time of 24 minutes per 10-inch disc (12 on each side) and 40 …
What is the most valuable Edison record?
Edison no | Side one title | Price |
---|---|---|
Edison number: 51385 | Side one title: She Loves Me | Price:$100 |
Edison number: 51102 | Side one title: Fate – Fox Trot | Price:$40 |
Edison number: 52584 | Side one title: Blue Hawaii | Price:$400 |
Edison number: 80734 | Side one title: Israfel | Price:$10 |
How much did a phonograph cost in 1877?
The machines had been costly, approximately $150 a few years earlier. But as prices dropped to $20 for a standard model, the machines became widely available. The early Edison cylinders could only hold about two minutes of music. But as the technology was improved, a great variety of selections could be recorded.
Who invented the phonograph?
The phonograph was developed as a result of Thomas Edison’s work on two other inventions, the telegraph and the telephone. In 1877, Edison was working on a machine that would transcribe telegraphic messages through indentations on paper tape, which could later be sent over the telegraph repeatedly.
Are Records vinyl?
The terms are often used interchangeably since all modern records are normally made of vinyl. At first, records were commonly made from shellac material. This changed when polyvinyl chloride was created. … Since in former times, records were popularly known either as shellac records or phonograph-records.
Are 78 records thick?
78 RPM records are made of thick and brittle shellac, which is highly breakable and causes edges to easily chip. 33 RPM records are made of sturdier vinyl.
What are old thick records called?
12 inch Albums (LP or Long Playing)
These are thick, black vinyl record albums commonly known as LPs. LP stands for Long Play or Long Playing. Most of the time, LP plays at 33 1/3 rpm.
Can you play Edison records on a Victrola?
ANSWER: Victors and Victrolas will play any laterally-cut 78 RPM record. … Don’t play the very thick Edison discs, as these are vertically cut, and the Victrola’s needle will ruin them. Victor, Columbia, Regal, Paramount, Banner, Aeolian, and a host of other brands will all play correctly.
How were Edison records made?
At first, no method of mass production was available for cylinder records. Copies were made by having the artist play over and over or by hooking two machines together with rubber tubing (one with a master cylinder and the other a blank) or copying the sound mechanically.
What is a 78 rpm record?
Any flat disc record, made between about 1898 and the late 1950s and playing at a speed around 78 revolutions per minute is called a “78” by collectors. The materials of which discs were made and with which they were coated were also various; shellac eventually became the commonest material.
What was Thomas Edison’s favorite music?
“I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen” (Rio Grande, 1950) – YouTube. Song written by Thomas P. Westendorf and performed by The Sons of the Pioneers (with Kirby Yorke’s music box as an intro.)
How much are Victor Records worth?
We are not record experts, and have no information on the value of records other than to say that 99% of 78 RPM Victor (and other brand) records are worth no more than $2.00 each in good condition, and many are worth less than that.
What does a phonograph play?
phonograph, also called record player, instrument for reproducing sounds by means of the vibration of a stylus, or needle, following a groove on a rotating disc. A phonograph disc, or record, stores a replica of sound waves as a series of undulations in a sinuous groove inscribed on its rotating surface by the stylus.
What did Edison record?
The technology that made the modern music business possible came into existence in the New Jersey laboratory where Thomas Edison created the first device to both record sound and play it back. He was awarded U.S. Patent No. 200,521 for his invention—the phonograph—on February 19, 1878.
What did Emile Berliner do in 1887?
In 1886 Berliner began experimenting with methods of sound recording and reproduction. He was granted his first patent for what he called the “Gramophone” in 1887. … He began marketing seven-inch records and a more substantial Gramophone, which was, however, still hand-propelled like the smaller toy machine.
When was the record player popular?
Record players became extremely popular in the 60s and 70s when Dual released the first turntables to provide stereo playback. High-fidelity sound reproduction hit the scene and motivated countless people to add a record player to their home. The automatic high-fidelity turntable was an immediate hit in the early 60s.
When was the Victrola invented?
History of Victrola
Victrola, one of the leading turntable manufacturers, was born in 1906 in Camden, NJ when first introduced to the American public by the Victor Talking Machine Company.
What was invented in 1878?
This book, entitled All About the Telephone and Phonograph, was published in 1878, the same year Thomas Edison patented his great invention the phonograph. Two years earlier, Alexander Graham Bell had invented the telephone. These inventions were to transform forever the way humans communicated with one another.
What is the first voice recorder?
Phonautograph is the earliest known device for recording sound. Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville made the first known recording of an audible human voice, on April 9, in the year 1860. It was a 20-second recording of a person singing ‘Au Clair de la Lune’, a classic French folk tune.
How much is a 45 record of The Beatles worth?
That record is probably worth about 2,500 dollars.
What are 45 records worth?
Rock and roll and R&B 45s with the cardboard sleeves are worth at least $20, with many being worth more than $200. First pressings of albums have more value than second, third, or subsequent pressings. They are referred to as the “originals” that were purchased when the record first hit the charts.
Are 45 records worth anything without the sleeve?
It might be valued at $80. But the same vintage doll in the original box is worth $400. Records are the same – collectors want the complete product – not half. All vintage 45 records in the original manufacturer sleeve are worth at least double the value of the 45 in the wrong sleeve.
Is an album 33 or 78?
Vinyl records come in three speeds: 33 1/3 rpm (often just called a “33”), 45 rpm and 78 rpm. The “rpm” is an abbreviation for “revolutions per minute” — an indication of how fast the record is meant to spin on the turntable.
Is 200g vinyl better?
All other things being equal, heavier vinyl pressings are usually preferred by audiophiles. Records usually range from 120 to 200 grams in weight. … “If someone does a good job mastering a record and puts it on 120 gram, it’s going to be better than a bad master on 200 gram,” Mr. Kassem said.
When did they stop making 78 rpm records?
In just ten years, 78s plummeted to only 2% of music sales. And in 1959, the last US-made 78 record was produced. Not all sales went directly over to 33s, however. Although many did, there wasn’t always a need to use up all 40 minutes of an LP.
Why are records called wax?
Wax records were called that because they were actually made of wax. The wax allowed the sound waves to be imprinted on the cylinder so they could then be played back on the same or another machine. The wax could then be shaved off and the cylinder could be used for a different recording.
Are old 78 records worth money?
He said that on average a rare jazz 78 might sell for $1,500 to $5,000, whereas sales for a comparable blues record would start at $5,000. … Paramount’s blues releases — especially its “race” records with label numbers in the 12000s and 13000s — are among the most coveted records in the world.
Why are records called LPS?
LP stands for ‘Long Play. ‘ These are longer than EP’s, originally needing two vinyl per release until the 33 1/3rpm 12-inch record was released. LP’s and albums are where artists are often judged quite heavily as it shows their audience how capable they are at pulling together a large, cohesive project. …
Can a Victrola play 33?
Helpful Tip of the Day: Don’t play 33 or 45 RPM records on your Victrola. The heavy needle will destroy the record grooves, and the machine is not designed to operate at those slower turntable speeds. These machines are only designed for use with shellac records operating between 76 and 80 RPM.
Which Victrola records are worth money?
- Rock n’ roll, blues, and jazz records produced from 1960 to 1970 are the most valuable.
- A “valuable record” can range anywhere from $500 to $3000.
How is music played back from a record?
How do record players work? A stylus touches the top of the record and rides around the disk. It picks up vibrations that are then sent to a cartridge, which then converts them into electrical signals. These signals are sent to an amplifier which converts the signals back to sound through speakers.
What did the original Edison phonograph use for its recording medium?
In 1887, Edison resumed work on his phonograph, using wax cylinders. Although initially used as a dictating machine for offices, the phonograph proved to be a popular form of entertainment, and Edison eventually offered a variety of recording selections to the public through his National Phonograph Company.
What was the first thing Edison recorded?
In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, the first machine that could record sound and play it back. On the first audio recording Edison recited, “Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was white as snow.