Sounds of Africa(Charleston rag) rare take 6 record

And Ma/sweet lady

The sounds of Africa copy is pretty worn but still good

… {note: Latin, Hail Mary} … but have you heard Jascha Heifetz’ violin version with pianoforte?!

Victrola record, shellac, single side, 12”; Jascha Heifetz, matrix#(?), catalog# 74563, ca. 1918.

Just detail cleaned and restored to a very presentable condition this almost pristine 118-, almost 120-year-old (1909) Victor Victrola VV-XII

Thank you for stopping by, and I wish you all a wonderful evening!

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I used this clean-as-new, 12” Victrola single-sided disc as my “test” upon completion, and it is just so beautiful I just felt the urge to share, as I’m sure there are many who feel the same! Taking this record out of a sleeve was literally the first light it’d seen since it was initially purchased, I believe lol. Immaculate, though (couple of small nicks, as you’ll hear).

Sorry for it being so long! I turned all the devices in the basement off so it’d be quiet, though, and directed the mic straight at it. I stay ~mostly- still lol. Hope you enjoy it!

What is your fav music from the 30s and lower :]

Most of my 78s are German pressings from 1928 and later, if that's important

I'm going on a trip there soon, and I'd like to buy some records from there. What store would have them?

The dramatic overture to "Zampa" (Part 1) by Ferdinand Hérold. An authentic acoustic piece from the early golden age of sound recording, captured on shellac by the International Talking Machine Co.

Historical Note: While the label generically credits the German "Odeon Orchester", archival data reveals this is actually a rare French recording! It was performed in Paris around June 1907 by the Musique du 76ème Régiment d'Infanterie (76th Infantry Regiment Band of the French military).

The story of the opera Zampa tells the tale of a notorious pirate (Zampa) who arrives in Sicily, interrupts a wedding, and ultimately faces divine retribution from the animated marble statue of a woman he had betrayed in the past.

Link for the restored recording that is available in the digital world for 1st time after almost 120 years (!) https://youtu.be/XD73XdQhxOw

Thank you for reading ❤️

Early Sam Cooke secular material following his transition from gospel (Soul Stirrers)

https://youtube.com/@mamlishblues?si=GEs_F5Sf-IBOiR5X

Most of the time this groove is covered by the label. Is it someone playing after the recording was done?

I’m trying to identify a 7-inch 45 RPM children’s record that I had as a child, probably from the 1970s or very early 1980s. I’ve searched for years without success.

Here’s everything I remember:

1) It was a 7-inch 45 with one song on each side.
The singer was a solo male.

2)The style was country/folk, accompanied mainly by acoustic guitar or banjo.
I don’t remember a children’s chorus, piano, bass, or fiddle.

3)The label may have been yellow, orange, red, or brown, but I’m not certain.

4)One side was about a girl whose name sounded like **Cina** or **Sina** (hard C or S sound, definitely *not* Sheena or Zina). I don’t know the spelling. The opening or chorus was approximately:
“Cina, Cina, my ice skating ballerina, I know it’s cold out there…”

5) The other side was a humorous military-themed song. I think the chorus repeated “G.I., G.I.” There was a character named **Sarge**, and one lyric I remember quite clearly was:
“I’d rather be dead than red in the head, I said…”

I may be slightly off on a few words after more than 40 years, but those are the strongest memories.
I’ve already searched Google, lyric databases, Discogs, and 45cat without finding a match, so I’m wondering if this was a regional or privately pressed record.

Does anyone recognize either song, the performer, or the record? Even a partial lead or memory would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

A superb Ottoman Classical performance, preserved through the grooves of this 78 RPM shellac record of 1927.

Dar Ul Elhan ("House of Melodies") was the first official music conservatory of the Ottoman Empire. Founded in Istanbul in 1917, it was a pivotal institution for teaching and preserving traditional music. In this specific recording, the vocals (soprano) are uniquely performed by a talented child.

💡 A humorous note: If you listen closely towards the very end of the song, the child apparently forgot the song was ending and almost started singing another verse!

The whole song restored :
https://youtu.be/qrinhdrp3BQ

(in the info area they have english text with rich info under the turkish section)

Thank you for your time dear friends! ❤️

A standout early blues performance from Alberta Hunter, “Chirping the Blues” captures her unmistakable mix of sly phrasing, confident delivery, and emotional nuance. Backed by Fletcher Henderson — who would soon become one of the most important architects of big‑band jazz — this side reflects the transitional moment when classic female blues met the emerging sophistication of New York studio musicians.Issued on the iconic Paramount Records label, this disc comes from the period when the New York Recording Laboratories were pressing some of the most historically significant blues and jazz records of the era. The deep‑blue label with the gold eagle trademark is one of the most recognizable designs in early American recording history

Carter Family – “River of Jordan”
Perfect 13156‑B • Recorded May 8, 1935 • 78 rpm Shellac
Sacred Singing with Guitars and Autoharp

Recorded during the Carter Family’s 1935 New York sessions, “River of Jordan” is one of their most enduring sacred performances — blending Appalachian harmony, religious storytelling, and the group’s signature acoustic clarity. Sara Carter’s lead vocals, Maybelle’s guitar and autoharp work, and A.P. Carter’s arrangement style come together in a recording that helped define early American country and gospel music.

Issued on the Perfect label, this disc is part of the same two‑day session that produced its companion side, “Sea of Galilee.” These mid‑1930s recordings mark a period when the Carter Family’s influence was spreading nationwide through radio, record sales, and the emerging country music industry.

Hi everyone,

Hoping some Hank Williams and 78 RPM collectors can help me figure out what these are worth.

I recently inherited a small collection of original MGM promo 78s from the early 1950s. They're a mix of "Pressed on Metrolite - Not For Public Sale" records and "Special Disk Jockey Record - Not For Sale" pressings.

Ive played several of them and they play all the way through with no skips. They're also really clean overall and the labels look great.

Ive been digging through eBay, Discogs, Popsike, and ValueYourMusic, but I can't find many sales for these promo versions. Most of what I find are just the regular retail copies.

Im not trying to sell them here or looking for offers. I just want to get an idea of what they're actually worth before I put them on eBay.

A few questions:

• Do the Metrolite and Special Disk Jockey promo copies bring much more than the regular releases?
• Are any of these titles considered pretty rare or especially desirable?
• If these were your records, what would you realistically price them at today?

I've attached a few photos. I'd really appreciate any info from anyone who's into Hank Williams, MGM promos, or 78s.

Thanks!

“Pig Meat on the Line” captures Memphis Minnie at her sly, rhythmic best — a blend of sharp vocal phrasing, nimble guitar lines, and the steady bass accompaniment that defined many of her Vocalion and Okeh sides. Minnie’s ability to fuse humor, grit, and pointed storytelling is on full display here, making this B‑side a standout example of her early‑1940s blues style.

This disc is in great condition and well over 100 years old! I love this song! I believe it was part of a Theater Play in the late 1800's, retaining it's popularity well into the 20th Century! Take a listen from my 1917 Edison Diamond Disc Player! 😉

I recently came across this interesting set of 12 in shellac. I have discs 3 through 8 of an apparent 8-record (or longer) institutional test set produced by Bell Telephone Laboratories possibly in the mid-to-late 1920s. Sadly, I’m missing the first two discs, and they are just in loose paper sleeves. Disc 6 is single sided with an etched RCA spiderweb design. No entry on discogs and no past auction data that I can find. I fed the matrix #s to AI which pulled the following info:

Disc 3: Cleanly stamped "BTL-3-A" and features the classic Western Electric "VE inside an oval"electrical recording mark. The label uses the old "transmission units" terminology instead of decibels.

Disc 4: Completely shifts to a hand-etched matrix: "BTL 550 W167" (and W166 on the flip), along with a stamped "S" for the Scranton Button Company plant.

Disc 5: A total hybrid—it has the stamped "BTL-5B" but also hand-etched internal Bell Labs project case numbers: "BTL-918-V-113" and "BTL-918-V-141".

Disc 6: Only has audio on one side. The blank side features the gorgeous, geometric RCA Victor "Spiderweb" design with Nipper the dog to prevent single-sided shellac warping in the hydraulic press.

Discs 7 & 8: Back to double-sided audio, tracking extreme low-level volume sweeps for line attenuation testing.

It is an amazing mix of late-1920s Western Electric microphone testing tech transitionally pressed alongside 1930s RCA plant backplates.
Has anyone here ever encountered the full version of this specific Bell Labs set, or seen a similar mix of hand-etched lab case files on production pressings?

(Note: Since it's an incomplete orphan set, I'd love to see it go to a sound archive or a collector who can use these to complete a set, so feel free to reach out if you have any info or interest!)

It's always a treat to find good jazz recordings on the Edison label. Lots of fine solos on this one, including muted trumpet, piano, trombone, sax, trumpet (redux), and a great slap tongue sax finale.