I have a few of these brown Canadians, mostly 7" but a couple 10". I assumed they weren't all that uncommon up there. I don't know much about the Canadian discography of Berliner's company.
One curiosity, however -- all the labels on mine are chocolate brown. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thatcher Graham" <thatc...@mediaguide.com> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <phono-l at oldcrank.org> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 9:55 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] mystery record I'm familiar with the existence of the record label, what I'm not familiar with is the pressing of 7-inch diameter brown one-sided 78s. I've only seen them in the typical 10-inch size. Is this for some specialty phonograph or a toy maybe? BoehlandL at aol.com wrote: > Also: > > > > The Gramophone Company > > Emile Berliner founded "The Gramophone Company" to mass manufacture > his sound disks (records) and the gramophone that played them. To help > promote his gramophone system Berliner did two things, he persuaded > popular artists to record their music using his system. Two famous > artists who signed early on with Berliner's company were Enrico Caruso > and Dame Nellie Melba. The second smart marketing move Berliner made > came in 1908, when he used Francis Barraud's painting of 'His Master's > Voice > <http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/ss/gramophone_2.htm>' > as his company's official trademark. > > Emile Berliner sold the licensing rights to his patent for the > gramophone and method of making records to the Victor Talking Machine > Company (RCA) who made the gramophone a successful product in the > United States. Berliner continued doing business in other countries. > He founded the Berliner *Gram-o-phone* Company in Montreal, Canada, > the Deutsche Grammophon in Germany, and the U.K based Gramophone Co., > Ltd. > > > In a message dated 9/3/2008 9:30:04 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > BoehlandL writes: > > > > In a message dated 9/3/2008 9:11:46 P.M. Central Daylight Time, > thatcher at mediaguide.com writes: > > bought a box of 45s in Canada, in it was a 7-inch one-sided > 78rpm record. > image here: > http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o13/josefritz/img113.jpg > > I can easily find references to Victor 2995, recorded July 13, > 1904. > But this is labeled GRAM-O-PHONE... clearly a different > record. Can > anyone fill me in on this? > > -- Thatcher > > > Thacher, > > Following from a quick Internet search. > Lyle Boehland > > > > The Berliner Gram-o-phone Company of Canada > > Background & Berliner in the United States > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-3005-e.html#cc> > Berliner in Canada > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-3005-e.html#dd> > > > Background & Berliner in the United States > > When Emile Berliner first established the United States Gramophone > Company in 1893, the recording industry was already eight years > old; it had been a tumultuous beginning for the business, marked > by a race to register patents, industrial espionage, and personal > rivalries. The next six years would bring more conflict, and in > the end would lead to Berliner's decision to give up control of > his patents in the United States to his associate, Eldridge > Johnson, and establish an independent company in Canada. > > Shortly after inventing the phonograph in 1877, Thomas Edison > established the first business devoted to recorded sound, the > Edison Speaking Phonograph Company. It had five stockholders > including Gardiner G. Hubbard, Alexander Graham Bell's > father-in-law. The company bought the tin-foil phonograph patent > for $10 000 and a guarantee of 20% of future profits. After > initial demonstrations of the new invention, like the one at > Rideau Hall, however, the company went dormant and Edison turned > his attention elsewhere. > > In 1886, the Bells and Tainter formed the American Graphophone Co. > to manufacture and sell the graphophone. This prompted Edison to > take up his interest in the phonograph in an attempt to reassert > control over sound recording technology, and to reorganize his > original corporation into the Edison Phonograph Co. in 1887. It > was at this time that Edison adopted modifications of some of the > Bell-Tainter innovations and created the Improved Phonograph which > utilized solid wax cylinders and a sapphire-point stylus. It was > this type of phonograph upon which the oldest surviving recording > 1 > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-3005-e.html#aa>, > a message of Lord Stanley > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f3/nlc008357.ram>, > Canada's Governor-General, to the people and president of the > United States, was made. > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/xx004484-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/xx004484-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-xx004484&uidc=recKey> > > Phonograph parlour at a ferry juncture with the Pennsylvania > Railroad, 1891-92 > > Though there had already been considerable competition between the > two rivals, the Edison Phonograph Company and the American > Graphophone Company both agreed to allow a wealthy businessman, > Jesse Lippincott, to form the North American Phonograph Co. in > 1888; this company would oversee a sales network of local > companies licensed to lease phonographs and graphophones as > dictation machines. Lippincott agreed to invest $200 000 in the > American Graphophone company and to purchase 5000 machines a year. > He bought control of Edison's patents for $500 000, and Edison set > up Edison Phonograph Works to manufacture and develop the > phonograph. Lippincott's enterprise soon failed, however, and in > 1890, the North American Phonograph Company went bankrupt. Edison, > as its major creditor, took over operation of the business. When > it became apparent that he could not assert control over the local > licensees, he reorganized the company and founded the National > Phonograph Co. in 1896. > > Meanwhile, one of those regional companies, founded independently > of the North American Phonograph Co. and thus immune from Edison's > take-over, had become a leader in recording cylinders for > coin-operated phonographs. This was the Columbia Phonograph Co., > and when the North American Phonograph Co. failed, Columbia became > the sole licensed seller of graphophones in North America. > > While Edison was struggling with the bankrupt North American > Phonograph Co. and Columbia was establishing itself as a major > player, Berliner quietly stepped onto the field and complicated > the quarrel. In 1893, he set up the United States Gramophone Co. > to attract investors for the gramophone. He hired brothers Fred > and Will Gaisberg, former employees of Columbia who had prior > recording experience, and together they found a Philadelphia-based > syndicate which agreed to contribute $25 000 to fund Berliner's > enterprise. The Berliner Gram-o-phone Co. was established in > Philadelphia to manufacture sound recording equipment and discs > under licence from the United States Gramophone Co., which > retained the gramophone patents. Berliner and the Gaisbergs then > engaged the services of Frank Seaman to undertake advertising, > distribution, and sales of the gramophone. To this end, Seaman > formed a third company, the National Gramophone Co. Ultimately, > the Berliner Gram-o-phone Company would be involved in a legal > battle with Seaman and the Universal Talking Machine Co. (a > company affiliated with the National Gramophone Co.), which would > drive Emile Berliner out of the gramophone business in the United > States. > > > Berliner in Canada > > By 1898, the gramophone business was booming and officials at > Columbia were becoming worried. Unwilling, or perhaps unable, to > compete in the marketplace without an extra advantage, Columbia > set its sights on Berliner's patents. A complex legal battle > ensued, involving not only the American Graphophone Co./Columbia > Phonograph Co. party and the Berliner Gram-o-phone Co., but also > Edison Phonograph Works, F.M. Prescott (an exporter), and Frank > Seaman. When hostilities were brought to a close, a court > injunction remained preventing Berliner from using the word > "gramophone" on any of his products in the United States. This > prompted him to establish E. Berliner, Montreal in 1899 which > would hold exclusive rights to gramophones and discs in Canada > (based on a Canadian patent of 1897), and to sell the rights to > his American patents to his associate Eldridge Johnson, who had > first been contracted by Berliner and Gaisberg to develop an > effective motor for the gramophone. In 1901, Johnson set up the > Victor Talking Machine Co., taking over the Berliner interests in > the United States. For the time being, relations between Victor > and the international Berliner affiliates, including E. Berliner > of Canada, remained cordial. > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004269-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004269-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004269&uidc=recKey> > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004263-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004263-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004263&uidc=recKey> > > The Berliner Gram-o-phone Company store at 2315-2316, > Sainte-Catherine St., Montr?al The main display room of the > Berliner Gram-o-phone Company store, 1913 > > According to Canadian law at the time, a patent was protected only > if the manufacturer established production in Canada, and Berliner > was happy to comply. He imported equipment from the American > affiliate, set up shop in space rented from the Bell Telephone > Co., and opened a retail outlet at 2315-2316 Sainte-Catherine > Street in Montreal. The company began an intense promotion of the > gramophone, highlighting the volume, endurance, and space-saving > size of discs as opposed to cylinders. The advertisements also > served to warn Berliner's competitors against infringement of the > company's patents, and to caution consumers against purchasing > imitation equipment and recordings. It was not long before E. > Berliner, with Emmanuel Blout as general manager, was prospering. > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004261-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004261-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004261&uidc=recKey> > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004271-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004271-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004271&uidc=recKey> > > An advertisement for E. Berliner, Montreal, showing the newly > trademarked HMV logo, 1900 An advertisement for E. Berliner, > Montr?al, 1901 > > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004274-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004274-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004274&uidc=recKey> > > An advertisement for E. Berliner, Montr?al, 1903 > > It was decided to incorporate the business and, in 1904, the > Berliner Gram-o-phone Company of Canada was given a charter with > Emmanuel Blout, Joseph Sanders, Charles Gartshore, Robert Shaw and > Herbert Samuel Berliner, Emile's son, as stockholders. Blout, > Sanders and Herbert Berliner were named as directors of the new > corporation. A recording studio was set up, and in 1906 a new > factory was built at the corner of St. Antoine and Lenoir streets, > one of the first reinforced concrete buildings in Montreal. In > 1909, the company underwent a reorganization and was renamed the > Berliner Gram-o-phone Company, with Emile Berliner assuming the > presidency of the business, Herbert appointed vice-president and > general manager, and Emile's younger son, Edgar, named > secretary-treasurer. Blout returned to the United States. > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004283-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004283-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004283&uidc=recKey> > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004265-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004265-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004265&uidc=recKey> > > Herbert and Emile Berliner, circa 1915 An advertisement > showing the Berliner Gram-o-phone Company factory and head office > in Montreal, 1918 > > Though both Columbia and Edison had entered the Canadian market by > this time, and the industry would soon open up to independent > companies as the original patents ran out, Berliner was clearly > the front runner in the Canadian recording business. Apart from > questions of convenience or quality, the Berliner company's status > might be attributed to its almost ruthless conduct towards its > dealers. For many years Berliner required its retailers to sell > only Berliner products and to sell them at company-set prices. > Though there was considerable resistance to this policy on the > part of the record dealers, and in an editorial in the /Canadian > Music Trades Journal/ (November, 1914), for which the company > filed a lawsuit and won, Berliner refused to relax its policy. > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004267-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004267-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004267&uidc=recKey> > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004266-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004266-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004266&uidc=recKey> > > The editorial, denouncing the policies of the Berliner > Gram-o-phone Company, that was published in the /Canadian Music > Trades Journal/, 1914. Berliner sued for libel and won. The > company waived damages and the Journal made an unsolicited > apology Apology from John A. Fullerton, the editor of the > /Canadian Music Trades Journal/ to the Berliner Gram-o-phone > Company; published in the journal in November 1915 > > Concurrent with a surge of record sales during and just after > World War I, Herbert Berliner decided to reduce the number of > recordings Berliner imported from the States, in order to decrease > its expenditure on royalties to Victor. In 1916, Herbert, through > a subsidiary company, His Master's Voice, introduced the 216000 > series, devoted to Canadian recordings. Later, an exclusively > French-Canadian series was initiated in the HMV 263000 series. By > 1920, the majority of the Berliner Gram-o-phone Company's records > was recorded and pressed in Canada. Victor was vexed by this > situation and asserted what must have been considerable pressure > to displace Herbert Berliner from his position of control. How it > was achieved will remain a mystery but, in 1921, Herbert Berliner > resigned from the Berliner Gram-o-phone Company and departed for > the Compo Company in Lachine, Quebec, which he had established > independently in 1918 to manufacture records for other recording > labels. His younger brother Edgar undertook the presidency and > management of Berliner; the HMV series was phased out and replaced > with Victor recordings. In 1924, Victor acquired controlling > interest in the Berliner Gram-o-phone Company, changing its name > to the Victor Talking Machine Company of Canada. Edgar remained > president but the other directors were also active directors of > the American company. > > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc006573-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc006573-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc006573&uidc=recKey> > http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004286-v6.jpg > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/m2/f1/nlc004286-v6.jpg> > Source > > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-150-e.php?uid=m2-nlc004286&uidc=recKey> > > Advertisment for The Compo Company's new record pressing plant in > Lachine, Quebec, /Canadian Music Trades Journal/, October 1919 > Edgar Berliner, circa 1921 > > Even the formidable Victor Co. could not stand against the > increasing predominance of radio in the sound recording business > and, in 1929, RCA (Radio Corporation of America) merged with > Victor, including the Victor Talking Machine of Canada, to create > RCA Victor. Emile Berliner died the same year, at the age of 78, > and the following year Edgar Berliner resigned from the presidency > of Victor of Canada, severing the family's last tie to the > company, and effectively ending the first era of recorded sound in > Canada. > > 1 > <http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/gramophone/m2-3005-e.html#bb> > The whereabouts of the original cylinder, made on September 11, > 1888, are unknown, but a re-recording was made in 1935. > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > It's only a deal if it's where /you/ want to go. Find your travel > deal *here* > <http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047>. > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > It's only a deal if it's where /you/ want to go. Find your travel deal > *here* > <http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047>. -- Thatcher Graham Senior Field Engineer ph. 610-578-0800 x214 cell: 484-354-6918 fx. 610-578-0804 Mediaguide 640 Freedom Business Ctr. STE 305 King of Prussia, PA 19406 _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org
