[78-L] Are There Still Operatic 78rpm Collectors?

[Ron Fial]

My wife and I are opera lovers.  I believe there are a lot of us opera lovers out here, we just don't talk much.  Its getting much harder to find mint condition 78s, but to me it is easier for opera disks, it seems they were played less, or borrowed from libraries less.

I have quite a number of operas and arias,  mostly on 12-inch 78s, most came from garage sales or library sales 20-30 years ago. You could get mint 12" at the Goodwill for 25 cents, and every Friday they would crush what had not sold to make room for more arriving (1970s to 1990s).  Hardly see these any more at garage sales or the Goodwill.  I mostly bought pristine condition stuff, many of the library sides are mint, like they were never loaned out.  Some still have the library card and envelope, or a slip of paper with due dates, showing only one or two checkouts.  Especially like duets and trios where the 78s really shine on the batwing Orthophonics and Red Seals - I play them on what they where designed and optimized for. 

Once bought a Batwing Flying Dutchman aria just because the stamping pattern on the back was so beautiful, hoping to find that the music was even more beautiful.  Well, suffice to say Wagner sometimes more loud than beautiful (Senta's Ballad, Maria Jeritza, matrix 74776 :)   Looks can be deceiving.

___Ron


At 08:58 PM 3/14/2015, you wrote:

>It would seem, looking at the current Nauction # 57, that there are still
>quite a number of folks who collect operatic 78s.  The cover item is exactly
>that, and the minimum bid is about what I paid for my house.  No idea if
>that's the all-time high for a minimum bid or not, but apparently folks who
>didn't choke on a record for $7.00 in 1907 are still not choking on records
>for $25 grand today.  And there's 20+ more pages of more of the same kind of
>stuff.
>http://www.78rpm.com/auction_frame.htm
>
>
>Rodger
>
>For best results use Victor Needles
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
>[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of OKIN EARL
>Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 2:06 PM
>To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
>Subject: [78-L] Are There Still Operatic 78rpm Collectors?
>
>
>The  very first 78rpm collectors collected early recordings of the great
>opera singers.
>As early as the 1930s, HMV added an 'Historic' section to their catalogue to
>cater to these collectors.
>
>Now, it seems, we are a dying breed.
>Let me know if YOU collect operatic 78s, like me.
>
>Earl Okin.