[78-L] 78rpm record collecting - a new Guide for Beginners - why not?

[David Lennick]

How about "How to Collect Records, Own a Cat, and Maintain Your Sanity?"

dl

On 10/22/2011 6:35 PM, Adam Miller wrote:
>
> I was wondering....
>
> Why isn't there a new one of these?  It can't be that hard
> to put together - can it?
>
> Think for a moment.  A quick search on Amazon for
> "Introduction Stamp Collecting" finds a long list of titles
> - even a "Stamp Collecting for Dummies".  Now I admit there
> are a lot more philatelists than 78rpm collectors (myself
> included in both groups), but there are many similarities,
> especially in the amount of published research representing
> the scope for specialist study.
>
> I re-read Semeonoff's Record Collecting - A Guide for
> Beginners (1951) last night, which gave rise to the question
> above.  I felt it struck the right level for the intended
> reader, but was now terribly dated, especially in its
> listing of artists and genres to collect.
>
> I've a couple of other recent books on Record Collecting,
> including one that noted '78s' on the cover, but they tend
> to cover them in a page or two and then focus on 45s and
> LPs.
>
> What I think is needed is a volume just on 78s that would be
> useful for answering all those questions that beginners have
> (many of which end up on this forum, often repeatedly).
> Care of 78s, stylii, recording to CD, packing and shipping,
> buying&  selling online, rough value guide, collecting areas
> or themes, dating records, useful books&  societies etc etc.
>   The book would need to be cheap enough to encourage local
> libraries to hold, or beginners to buy online.
>
> [You have to imagine a 20 minutes pause here while I thought
> up the following contents list]
>
> 1. The pleasures of collecting 78rpm records
> 2. A brief history of the 78rpm record
> 3. The range of record types
>   'Standard'
>   Speeds
>   Laminated etc
>   Oversize Holes
>   Early items
>   Super-size
>   Miniatures
>   Postcards, cigarette cards, other gimmickry
>   Flexible, both card and transparent
>   Vertical cut
>   Acetates
>   etc
> 4. Common collecting themes
>   The Music style
>    Jazz/Swing
>    Classical Vocal
>    Blues
>    Country&  Western
>    Orchestral
>    Rock&  Roll
>    Music-hall
>    etc
>   The Artist
>    Caruso
>    Vernon Dalhart
>    Billy Williams
>    etc
>   The issuing Company
>    Victor
>    Berliner
>    Vogue
>    Fonotipia
>    etc
>   The record itself
>    Picture Discs
>    Unusual labels
>    Kiddie Records
>    6" and below
>    etc
>   Record sleeves
> 5. Obtaining records
>   Dealers
>   Garage sales
>   The Sallies
>   Second-hand shops
>   Local household lot auctions
>   Ebay&c
> 6. Handling&  Cleaning
> 7. Packaging&  Storage
>   Mailing safely
>   Storage Conditions
>   Sleeves
>   Cabinetry
> 8. Cataloguing
>   Spreadsheet vs database
> 9. Equipment for playing your records
>   Gramophones
>   Steel, trailer&  fibre needles
>   Earlier 3-speeds
>   Modern turntables
>   Cartridges&  stylii
>   Recording your shellac
> 10. Disposal
> 11. Some famous collectors
> 12. Clubs&  Societies
> 13. A valuation 'ready reckoner'
> 14. A basic bibliography
> 15. Glossary
> Index
>
> What does the list think - both about why there isn't an up
> to date version of Semeonoff, and about what could be in
> such a book?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Adam Miller
> Wellington
> New Zealand
> www.78rpm.net.nz
>
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