[78-L] Pre Dog Questions

[Michael Biel]

  jeffrey smedbron wrote:
>> Found this Pre dog Victor last week and noticed the date, some initials and
>> title info is scribed in the area behind the label. Is this how these Victors
>> were all identified at this time ?

Scratching the recording info in the label area of the master is a hold 
over from the Berliner days.  As Steve  Barr mentions, this info is 
suppressed in the "sunken label" pressings we later get in the U.S. but 
is seen in flush label pressings in other countries, as well as in test 
pressings.

>> It also has a matrix number of 3532 above the label.


No, that is the catalog number in the 12 0'clock position.  This is a 
"pre-matrix" record, which means the metal part pulled from the original 
wax is the only stamper.  It was recorded on Sept 5, 1901 as both a 
7-inch version on A-930 and this ten inch version which Moran & Fagen 
call M-930.  Copies that were still being sold in 1902 were often 
renumbered to match the 7-inch, so it might sometimes have a 930 sticker 
over the 3532 catalog number on the label.  And example of a stickered 
label will be picture II-7 in the forthcoming new edition of Mike 
Sherman' Collector's Guide of Victor Records.

>> Is this a first issue. ?

Yes.
>>    Is it known how many of this issue were
>> produced ?

This record does not have a sales figure in M&F but the 7-inch version 
sold 380 copies.
>> Pics:
>> http://merr.com/users/xcentrik/3532a.jpg
>> http://merr.com/users/xcentrik/3532b.jpg
>>
>> Jeff S
>>
>>
On 9/7/2010 4:04 PM, neechevoneeznayou at gmail.com wrote:
> I am thinking this is an eatry Monarch.

It is late as a pre-dog Monarch, since that series began in January 1901 
at 3001 and ended in Jan 1902 at 3622.

> My ERJ records do not say
> Monarch, and my Monarchs do not say ERJ. To find one with both is
> surprising, but sweet!
>
> joe salerno
>
>
The ten inch ERJ labels say either Victor Ten Inch Record or Victor 
Monarch Record.  The Ten Inch version was only used in the first week of 
January 1901.  Are those the ones you have, or are you talking about 
7-inch discs?  The November-December 1900 7-inch pressings will say 
Improved Record, and those from late Dec 1900 through 1901 will say 
Victor Record.  Johnson's name is dropped sometime in Oct-Nov 1901 and 
then the labels that say Victor Talking Machine Co will say Victor 
Monarch Record on both sizes until the introduction of the Nipper 
trademark.  There will be a chart in the new book.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com