[78-L] Voices From the Past

[Joe Salerno]

My Fellow Collectors,

I have just recently acquired some odd little records, the series is 
called Voice From the Past and the record label is Rare Records. What an 
original name, right? Address is 303 Fourth Avenue, NYC.

They are vinyl LPs, 7" single face, paper sleeves. They feature brief 
spoken recordings by the likes of Bryant, Roosevelt, Valentino, 
Bernhardt, Shaw, Dressler, Pickford, Arliss, Lauder, Tanguey, Patti, 
Barnum, and many others. About 60 total different voices according to 
the catalog printed on the back. Some of the names I have never heard 
of, but most of the recordings don't seem as tho they would be too 
strange among this crowd.

So I'm wondering if these were an advertising giveaway? If not, then 
what? Did someone actually expect to make money selling these things?
-- 
Joe Salerno