[78-L] Are AV 12000s the rarest discs on the planet ? [exasperated rhetorical question]

[Harold Aherne]

Aeolian probably didn't have very wide distribution at the time and their product may have been sold only in limited locations (or, as you suggest, with Aeolian phonographs). Late 1910s vertical-cut Brunswick and Gennett discs are none too common either, although OkeH seems to turn up a little more often. In my experience, I've never been able to find electric Emersons (1926-27) very much; the same sides are more common on Bell.

There's also the issue of collector interest in the material to be found on the AV 12000s. Black Pattis and early 30s Paramounts command four-figure prices (sometimes beyond), but few people pay much attention to Shannon Quartet records, say, even if they actually may be as rare. "Splatter-wax" AVs are definitely feathers in some collectors' caps, though!

The ODJB's Vocalions have sometimes turned up on Ebay; about 15 such auctions can be found on Popsike, at prices from $78 to the $600s. Three Sophie Tucker AVs are on there as well.

-HA

--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 6/23/14, Doug Caldwell <rw78stuff at comcast.net.invalid> wrote:

 Subject: [78-L] Are AV 12000s the rarest discs on the planet ? [exasperated	rhetorical question]
 To: "'78-L Mail List'" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
 Date: Monday, June 23, 2014, 2:12 PM
 
 
 For the past 5 or 6 years I've been on what has proven to be
 an almost
 futile search for AV 12000s. As part of a project on Rudy
 Wiedoeft I
 compiled my own rough "discography" of the series (since I
 don't think there
 is one? or wasn't, at the time)  and determined there
 were about 45 discs
 (90 sides) I needed to hear, in a range between AV 12076 to
 AV 12239. But
 it's been like looking for dodo birds. I am baffled at how
 non-existent they
 are. And not just the sides I'm looking for. It is rare to
 see ANY 12000s up
 for sale--though there were some 170 + discs in the series
 (not counting the
 1200s.)
 
 Over the years I have been able to locate and purchase only
 19 of the discs
 on my list. The Library of Congress has a measly 6 of them
 (some duplicates
 of what I have) and I've been able to hear 3 other sides on
 web sites. In
 all, therefore, I have heard 45 out of the 90 sides I'm
 looking for. 
 
 I'm just wondering if anyone has ANY inkling of what the
 story is - WHY is
 this series so impossible to find? (I've read that 12000s
 were mainly sent
 out, as a package, with new Aeolian Vocalion phonographs.
 Then, of course ,
 the series ended when the Lateral 14000 series began.) Were
 they sold more
 in Canada than the US? And, WHERE might I search for better
 results? Does
 anyone collect these? Should I post a "Want" list?
 
 (sorry for the exaggerated 'subject' line -- thought it
 might garner some
 attention.)
 
 Doug Caldwell
 
 
 
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