"white" or "no label" 78's?

[Lauren]

Hello all,

I picked up a 78 with only a typed label on it at an estate sale today and was wondering if there were any record collectors on the forum that could tell me about it. It says, typed:
Gene Fowler's
"The Cowboy's Lament"
John Barrymore

Anyone know anything? Thanks

 

[LizzieMaine]

Hi Lauren,

Usually a white label like you describe is a test pressing or a private issue made for some special or promotional purpose. Are there any numbers or other information engraved or stamped in the runout area -- the space between the end of the grooves and the label?

Fowler wrote the definitive early biography of Barrymore -- "Good Night Sweet Prince" -- and also wrote the poem "The Cowboy's Lament." I suspect that the recording itself might be an excerpt of Barrymore reading that poem on a radio program in the early forties -- he was a regular on Rudy Vallee's program from 1940-42, and occasionally did dramatic readings of that sort.

Neat find!!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Hi Lauren,

Usually a white label like you describe is a test pressing or a private issue made for some special or promotional purpose. Are there any numbers or other information engraved or stamped in the runout area -- the space between the end of the grooves and the label?

Fowler wrote the definitive early biography of Barrymore -- "Good Night Sweet Prince" -- and also wrote the poem "The Cowboy's Lament." I suspect that the recording itself might be an excerpt of Barrymore reading that poem on a radio program in the early forties -- he was a regular on Rudy Vallee's program from 1940-42, and occasionally did dramatic readings of that sort.

Neat find!!

Yeah!

 

[Lauren]

Woohoo! I'm excited

Gotta bug my buddy with an electric record player so I can listen to it. Don't want to scratch it up with my wind up...

Is that John Barrymore, the actor, you think?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Woohoo! I'm excited

Gotta bug my buddy with an electric record player so I can listen to it. Don't want to scratch it up with my wind up...

Is that John Barrymore, the actor, you think?

I'd be willing to bet on it!

One more thing you might look out for -- take a close look at the spindle hole. If you see a shiny metal core, you have what's called an "instantaneous disc," which is basically an aluminum platter coated with thick lacquer. The groove is cut directly into the coating rather than being pressed, and such discs are much more fragile than regular shellac pressings. If that's what it turns out to be, you might want to play back with a fairly light stylus pressure to avoid damage.

Let us know how it sounds!

 

[Lauren]

Just reread. Here's some pics. It looks like someone hand wrote the # 7 and there's a stamped GF-1 and scrated backward on one side, then stamped GF-2 on the other side. It's not metal in the middle.

You think this is worth anything? I think I paid about $1.25 for it

 

[LizzieMaine]

Just reread. Here's some pics. It looks like someone hand wrote the # 7 and there's a stamped GF-1 and scrated backward on one side, then stamped GF-2 on the other side. It's not metal in the middle.

You think this is worth anything? I think I paid about $1.25 for it

Looks like a custom pressing, most likely made by one of the small studios around Hollywood like Radio Recorders. GF would simply be Gene Fowler's initials, identifying him as the client for whom the disc was made, and the 1 and 2 would simply be part numbers. If it were a commercial recording there'd be a much more complicated sequence of numbers and letters.

So what you've got is probably a one of a kind item, which is pretty nifty. Basically the retail value would be what someone would be willing to pay, but I've seen personality-type custom discs like this go for thirty or forty dollars or so in record auctions. So I 'spect you'd make a profit on the deal!

Fowler himself was a screenwriter known for having, shall we say, a biting wit, and a lot of the little poems and skits he wrote for the amusement of friends tended to be highly caustic commentaries on the Hollywood scene. I suspect the piece on the record might be an example of that -- which should make it quite entertaining!

 

[Lauren]

Ooh fun! I think I'll hang onto it, then

Can't wait to hear it. Thanks so much for all the information!

 

[scotrace]

My goodness!

Usually a white label like you describe is a test pressing or a private issue made for some special or promotional purpose. Are there any numbers or other information engraved or stamped in the runout area -- the space between the end of the grooves and the label?
Fowler wrote the definitive early biography of Barrymore -- "Good Night Sweet Prince" -- and also wrote the poem "The Cowboy's Lament." I suspect that the recording itself might be an excerpt of Barrymore reading that poem on a radio program in the early forties -- he was a regular on Rudy Vallee's program from 1940-42, and occasionally did dramatic readings of that sort.

That's impressive. One doesn't just rattle off that kind of deduction - you must have an interesting collection of your own?

 

[scotrace]

?? Well...

Is that John Barrymore, the actor, you think?

You were expecting maybe John Barrymore, the Rabbi?

Fascinating find Lauren - very neat!

 

[LizzieMaine]

That's impressive. One doesn't just rattle off that kind of deduction - you must have an interesting collection of your own?

Well, kinda. My secret identity is "broadcasting historian" -- I've done quite a bit of research into thirties-era radio programming in particular, and am in danger of being crowded out of my office by all kinds of records and tapes and books and scripts and magazines and such....

I've got a website, which is woefully neglected, but which archives some of the material I've had published over the years --http://www.midcoast.com/~lizmcl

There's a lot of stuff I need to add to the website, which I hope to get to *someday*....

 

[scotrace]

Radio!

I meet so MANY people here that I want to have lunch with and pick their brains.

My career in radio lasted ten years, through the '80's Those of us who were in the business then refer to it as radio's second golden era.

Your site is really wonderful - a treasure trove! I have shared the link with some friends in the business who will love it. Thanks!

 

[Dismuke]

I've got a website, which is woefully neglected, but which archives some of the material I've had published over the years --http://www.midcoast.com/~lizmcl

Nice site - one that I was not aware of.

Let's have another cup of coffee -- and let's have another piece of pie!

Indeed! After all "Mister Herbert Hoover say's that now's the time to buy!"

 

[Dismuke]

Hi Lauren,

Usually a white label like you describe is a test pressing or a private issue made for some special or promotional purpose.

A year or two ago I came across a couple of early 1910s era Victor discs with a white and somewhat minimalistic version of the normal "batwing" label with the song and artist information having been typed onto the label. I asked around and found out that, for a while, Victor offered a custom pressings of titles that were no longer listed in their catalog but for which the stampers still existed. So that is yet another occasion where an unusual white label would have been used. I am not sure what Victor charged for the service - one had to write in and specifically request it. I am told that the service was advertised in at least a couple of their catalogs. Too bad that Victor's modern corporate successor does not continue to offer the service. Imagine being able to simply order a brand new copy of that hard-to-find 78 rpm you have been looking for.