Black and Silver label Columbia Band records

[melvind]

Recently while looking through my records in search of new and interesting things to digitize, I re-discovered a couple of albums full on Black and Silver Columbia label records from the 1902 - 1905ish era. The Columbia Band records are really something else and they ended up being in really great shape. They could not have been played too much, but there is at least a little distortion, so they did get played.

 

I have not spent as much effort in educating myself on records as I have on phonographs. So, the fact that these records came to me as a group and are all basically from the same time the label variants seem abundant. Not one of mine match. It almost makes me think they created new label configurations for each record or at least really often. All of these labels mention the 1904 St. Louis exhibition so the pressings must be from at least 1904 or 1905. I have found that the early Columbia records did not get complete cataloging and DAHR and other sources mention that these records were recorded sometime between 1901 and 1908.

 

Here are the images of the various labels from what I think is the oldest to the most recent. The 1st three are announced which leads me to believe they are somewhat older takes. If anyone would like to hear them they are on my YouTube channel and I can add them here too. Just let me know.

 

I am sure many of you know much more about this era of records than I do. I would love to hear what you think and/or know about them.

 

This one is the oldest I think. Notice the extra notch on the back of the record rather like an early Zonophone record.

 

 

 

This one has an earlier number, but I believe is a later take without an announcement.

 

Here is one I digitized a couple of years ago that might be an older pressing. It does not show the St. Louis 1904 date.

Edited October 27, 2020 by melvind