Caruso Cylinder Advertisement

[melvind]

A friend (thanks @PatheLogical) sent me this ad image but I do not own the ad It is interesting that this ad for the rare Pathe cylinder records is in English and not the original Italian for the names of the songs he sings. I am not sure if it was British or from the USA, but it is a cool ad all the same.

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by melvind

[Neilvanstem]

Cool is right. Nice one there. Thanks

[phonogfp]

Simpson Crawford was a U.S. store, and the price is in cents rather than pence, so I'd bet this is American!

 

George P.

[AmberolaAndy]

I wonder who has a Caruso on cylinder? The majority of his output was on discs.

[melvind]

51 minutes ago, AmberolaAndy said:

I wonder who has a Caruso on cylinder? The majority of his output was on discs.

 

Caruso made these recordings on cylinder for the Anglo-Italian Commerce Company, which had an arrangement with Pathé who issued them outside Italy on both cylinder and disc.

 

Original cylinders are around but not lots of them and they are usually pretty worn and they have a very high value. Often more than $1000 for a good original Pathe cylinder. They were released on both standard 2 minute cylinders and intermediate size cylinders. The same 3 songs were released on Pathe center start records as well and are much more common. Still expensive, but nothing like the cylinders.

 

Norman Bruderhoffer made modern copies a number of years ago that are really fantastic. But, I cannot find his site any longer and they may no longer be available.

 

 

I own one original cylinder, but it is not in very good shape and play so softly you almost cannot hear it. But it will play all the way through. I got it pretty cheap because of the condition.

Edited June 17, 2020 by melvind

[Tinfoilphono]

Norman's site is up at https://www.phonoworks.com/  However, due to shipping problems caused by the pandemic he has taken down his entire catalog of cylinders for sale.

 

I have one of his Caruso copies and it's amazing.

[Valecnik]

8 hours ago, melvind said:

 

Caruso made these recordings on cylinder for the Anglo-Italian Commerce Company, which had an arrangement with Pathé who issued them outside Italy on both cylinder and disc.

 

Original cylinders are around but not lots of them and they are usually pretty worn and they have a very high value. Often more than $1000 for a good original Pathe cylinder. They were released on both standard 2 minute cylinders and intermediate size cylinders. The same 3 songs were released on Pathe center start records as well and are much more common. Still expensive, but nothing like the cylinders.

 

Norman Bruderhoffer made modern copies a number of years ago that are really fantastic. But, I cannot find his site any longer and they may no longer be available.

 

 

I own one original cylinder, but it is not in very good shape and play so softly you almost cannot hear it. But it will play all the way through. I got it pretty cheap because of the condition.

I got the same set from Norman too.  I think they are still available, or will be.  He's stopped shipping as transatlantic mail has ground almost to a halt because of the pandemic.

 

[Bruce]

I recently came into possession of some of Norman Bruderhoffer's cylinders.  I use them to demonstrate some of my machines but I have extra so if anyone is interested in the # 84004 Sig. Enrico Caruso "E Lucevan Le Stelle (Puccini) let me know - Covid won't keep me from the post office.

 

These regularly sell for $ 80 US by Phonoworks so first decent offer will be fine.  It is a pristine copy.

 

Note:  I realize that this site has a Classified section which I intend to use in the near future.  I thought I would take advantage of this thread since everyone was expressing a desire for these Caruso cylinders.

[Grammophon]

I had won an intermediate Pathé cylinder of "E Lucevan Le Stelle" by Caruso in perfect condition at the J.P. Getty auction, but it broke in many pieces during amateurish transport by the auction house.

[RodPickett]

I realize this is a very-late comment on this thread, but that is one feature of digital technology.  It never goes away.

 

Grammophon’s comment regarding receiving a Caruso cylinder auction winning, in pieces, reminded me of an experience I had long ago.  I was successful high-bidder on a Caruso cylinder (eBay), in South America – Brazil perhaps – I don’t really remember.  After multiple attempts to contact the seller to complete payment and discuss shipping, I gave up.

 

Months later, I received an email from someone who had some knowledge of that transaction.  The email indicated that the seller had been found, murdered, which had occurred after he listed the item, but before it ended – and no – I have no knowledge of the cylinder whereabouts.  At least I didn’t lose money - or worse.

 

[phonogfp]

Now that's serious collecting!  I've heard collectors mutter, "Gee, I'd kill for one of those..." but I'll bet they've never really contemplated it.

 

But in all seriousness, over the years many of the artifacts in our collections have passed through strange places and belonged to unusual people.  The old adage of, "If they could only talk" applies in more ways than one.  Wherever that Caruso cylinder is today (hopefully intact), I'll bet it could tell some colorful stories.

 

George P.