[78-L] A few Vocalion questions

Harold Aherne leotolstoy_75 at yahoo.com
Sun May 20 13:09:44 PDT 2012


Just a few questions on the Vocalion label design--
 
The blue/white/gold variant, with "lateral record" prominently displayed, was the first
design used on the 14000 series and it lasted through at least 14071. By 14099 
Vocalions were pressed on red shellac and the coloring had pretty much reverted to that
used on 1917-19 vertical issues. The make was still "Aeolian-Vocalion" as late as 
14194 (the Online 78 Discography shows the designation continuing through 14232).
Is this correct, and does anyone know the last catalogue number pressed on red shellac?
 
In 1933, when ARC launched the 25(0)00 series for popular material, the Vocalion label
design still looked more or less like it did in 1921, although references to the Aeolian
company had of course been replaced by Brunswick. The white portions of the Vocalion
label looked a bit more silvery; the black portions looked more greyish and various patent 
lines had come and gone, but otherwise no huge changes had occurred. This was still the 
case as late as Voc 2898 (recorded in December 1934).
 
By the summer of 1935, the Vocalion label had changed to the scroll variant (more literally
a scroll, one could say, that the Victor ever was!), certainly by about 3023, and it was used through at least November 1936 (I've seen it up to 03405). Before the scroll, however,
I *think* there was a short-lived variation on the 1921 design that inverted the colours on
the black and gold portions, but it's pretty rare; I can't even find an example online.
 
Can anyone fill in more information on when the Vocalion variants were introduced, 
particularly when blue/gold design of the late 30s was introduced?
 
-HA


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