[78-L] Pathe 20" use, was pizza sizes

[bruce78rpm at comcast.net]

Are you sure you are not confusing these with the 16" Pathe records, which were the last vertical groove U.S Pathe products? According to Ron Dethlefson's Pathe book, the records were actually 15 5/8" , and played at 130 rpms and required the special Pathe Concert Actuelle phonograph to play them. These were referred to by Pathe as The Pathe Giant Records and were first pressed in 1923-24 for use in movie houses and dance halls where extra volume was needed and were probably leased for that purpose. A few years ago I found a box of some of these Pathe Giant records and in amongst them were also the same size records with a Music Service Inc. Label, and the only machine I could play them on, was a friends transcription phonograph. I have heard from some other collectors that there is a fellow in the Northeast who actually owns a Pathe Concert Actuelle Phonograph on which to play these "Giant Records". The 20" Pathe-Theatre discs played at 60rpms, and according to the reference book, served as sound sources for a film series of complete operas produced by Pathe in 1911 or 1912., and it is not clear what playback equipment was used for these records. 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Biel" <mbiel at mbiel.com> 
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com> 
Sent: Sunday, October 9, 2011 12:42:10 AM 
Subject: Re: [78-L] Pathe 20" use, was pizza sizes 

In my looking thru the early trade press I haven't yet come across the 
20-inch Pathes and the special machines that played them, but I have 
seen info about sales of the Victor Auxetophone, and it was sold thru 
the regular channels. I would think the same would be for the 20-inch 
Pathes, but I'll be on the lookout for info. 

Mike Biel mbiel at mbiel.com 


-------- Original Message -------- 
Subject: [78-L] Pathe 20" use, was pizza sizes 
From: "neechevoneeznayou at gmail.com" <neechevoneeznayou at gmail.com> 
Date: Sat, October 08, 2011 6:42 pm 
To: 78-L Mail List <78-l at klickitat.78online.com> 

All this discussion about pizza sizes has reminded me of a question I've 

been meaning to ask. 

I've read that 20" Pathe records were intended mainly for "commercial" 
use, canned music for outdoor events and such. 

How were they sold? To regular retail customers (would they own a 
machine to play these monsters?) along side of conventionally sized 
records, or thru some other industrial outlet directed at a different 
market? 

joe salerno 

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