[78-L] RCA Special purpose records

[Steven C. Barr]

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From: <neechevoneeznayou at gmail.com>
> I've never seen these before, just acquired a few of them.
> It is a 12" vinyl 78 rpm. It appears identical to a regular commercial 
> 78, other than being made of the lighter and flexible material. The 
> label is the same except that it says "special purpose record" jut above 
> the center hole.
> 
> So what was the special purpose? Is there any difference in these and a 
> plain ol' 78 shellac?
> 
> I have Chopin's Barcarolle played by Artur Rubinstein on 12-0378
> and Bernstein plays Ravel Piano Concerto in G on DM 1209. The usual run 
> out info looks like any other record - matrix & catalog. There's also a 
> 5-pointed star at about 3 pm reference the label (on the Bernstein. 
> Iturbi doesn't follow the pattern and has no matrix info in the run out).
> Iturbi is 12-0242, a coupla Tchaikovsky selections.
> So what am I looking at?
> 
My guess would be that these were "low-noise" pressings of extant Victor
recordings...?!

Steven C. Barr