[78-L] Approximating 78s age by physical characteristics

[Michael Biel]

From: "neechevoneeznayou at gmail.com" <neechevoneeznayou at gmail.com>
> perhaps solid or paper core (WW2 vintage Columbias for instance)

No, laminated records started long before WWII.

> thickness. size. large records were early, such as 14, 16, and 20"
> joe salerno

Depends on what you mean by early.  These answers were not much of a
help.  14-inch were made briefly in 1906, but again Victor had some 14"
ETs in 1932-33.  16-inch soundtrack disc began in 1926 but continued all
the way through into the 1960s.  There were some Italian 20-nch discs in
1904 I understand, but the Pathe 20-inch discs were in the mid to late
teens.

On 3/3/2013 12:51 AM, David London wrote:
>> I would like to know if it possible to guess approximately how old a 78 is
>> by some of it's physical characteristics. For example, here's a list of
>> some things in common with most 78 records, that seem to change in
>> correlation to age from oldest to newest.
>>
>> Start point: one-sided records, no lead out groove,no paper label

Victor Red Seals were mostly single-sided until 1923, but few pop
records were single sided after 1911 or 12.  

Berliners in the 1890s had no paper label, but neither did the 1915-1920
Little Wonders or Edison Diamond Discs (give or take 2 years).

>> large paper label

Brunswick started to use smaller labels with their first electricals,
but other companies continued with large labels thru the 20s.

>> lead-out groove added

The Europeans had thick heavy and FAST lead outs before 1910.

>> added eccentric lead-out groove

Victor started around 1921 with an eccentric groove, but as the 20s went
on others had lead outs but not all were eccentric.  By 1933 I think
most had eccentrics.

>> change to small paper label
 
See above.

>> added lead-in groove

Those started around 1933, but I have a 1929 Ruth Etting Columbia with
an experimental lead in.

>> first laminated pressings

Columbia and American were doing laminated pressings in maybe 1902 or 3.
 The Columbia Marconi Velvet-Tone flexible plastic discs in 1907 were
laminated. But Columbia was doing solid pressings as well until the
introduction of the New Process in 1923.

>> Is it possible to put approximate dates - even roughly like early/mid/late
>> which decade, against things like this, when they were first/last used
>> commonly? Are there other indicators of age that could be added to this
>> list?

Obviously the introduction of electrical recording in 1925 (except
Harmony and Edison) is a good indicator.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com