Was pleased with the result too, as with some records I think it gives too much treble. As for that 'plano reflex' tone arm, they promoted it heavily at the time, but it disappeared with later models. Pseudo science based marketing?

Glad you enjoyed & thanks for viewing.

You're welcome my friend. Have a great weekend.

It deserved to be a hit. Best version I've heard & so pleased you enjoyed it my friend!

I really bought it for Ruth Etting on the flipside, not knowing that he was one of 'The Happiness Boys' Never knew of a solo performance, but very happy with it my friend.

Indeed they have. So much of their wealth was gained by exploitation, so things had to change. Many of them are open to the public now, which helps upkeep their stunning architecture, priceless works of art & gorgeous furniture.

I believe 'Viva Tonal' was Columbia's answer to 'Orthophonic' Noel Coward, whom I uploaded the same day, was played on an Orthophonic machine. Comparing the reproducers, I think far more design effort has gone into the HMV, tho' I've heard Viva Tonal reproducers have tiny ball bearings in the pivot. Agree re the crisp sound, but to my ear it lacks bass on some records. As for Orthophonic, the idea of a straight response sounds a bit boring, but again, love the sound on certain records. Could go on about such nuances all day, but think choosing the best gramophone for a given record, is a bit like choosing which wine to serve with a given dish. One thing I've found time & again is that mica diaphragms are always best for acoustic records.

@@tiga4180 This is your area of expertise. (curtseys) As for bass tones, all acoustic machines are lacking in that frequency range. Bass sound was a major selling point when mic. 78s and amplified players were introduced around 1925.

Indeed it is! Thanks for viewing.

Its the flip of 'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes' A pleasant surprise. So pleased you enjoyed xx

The more I hear, the more I look out for records by the lovely Ruth. Glad she escaped the marriage to a gangster & found happiness xx

Loved Keeping Up Appearances. Hyacinth's manners were far from stately, not to mention her highly embarrassing family!

I do too. Thanks for viewing!

Same here. I find it on many of her records.

Certainly did!

Think its the best version I've heard.

You're welcome! We sadly don't see much of that humour today.

You're welcome my friend!

You're welcome & thank you for viewing!

So pleased it cheered you up. Many thanks for your positive comment!

Also worth looking for: Don't Put Your Daughter On The Stage Mrs Worthington, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Please Don't Be Beastly To The Germans & There Are Bad Times Just Around The Corner. Hull gets a mention in that one!

Think there's telepathy on YT. get notified of 2 different uploaders posting the same music. As for Noel Coward I find: Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Don't Put Your Daughter On The Stage Mrs Worthington, There Are Bad Times Just Around The Corner & Please Don't Be Beastly To The Germans most memorable. Will look out for Billy Cotton.

@@tiga4180 I've two versions of Mad Dogs. One is a 1950s in concert, the other may be the original. That Mairzy Doats CD gives no track data, not even run times.

@@AnnieVanAuken Just found this 1955 version: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gdF1l5aIzLicoas.htmlsi=khn6A4lJbzC4QZ-Y Think the original was 1932, with Ray Noble.

Yes, its almost like a new record. Glad you enjoyed.

Apart from the needle dig at the end, its in great condition. Another one or two to follow.

They certainly were my friend. One of my earlier uploads was 'By The Light Of The Silvery Moon' by the same singer. There's also a song called 'Moonstruck' on KZfaq. Its from the 1909 musical 'Our Miss Gibbs'

They do record very well. I think they're 'studio chimes' which are really iron rods suspended at one end & struck with hammers. Jack Charman was an excellent recording artist. Worth collecting, but will be hard to find on your side of the Atlantic.

Yes, it does a fine job on conventional records too!

Almost like a new copy. Jack Charman is always worth collecting, but he had around 100 pseuds, so quite a minefield! Glad you enjoyed!

Glad you enjoyed. Look forward to hearing yours.

Yes, certain instruments recorded very well. Bowed instruments faired less well, but special violins & cellos were invented which had an amplifying horn, giving the sound direction These were known as 'Stroh Violins' a few examples of which have been uploaded on KZfaq.

Yes, they do have a sound of their own & its perhaps because no microphones were used. They played & sang into a recording horn, a bit like a gramophone in reverse. Thanks for your comment & appreciation.

I was lucky to inherit this machine from neighbours back in 1966. Its actually dual standard, making it capable of playing 'Marathon' records, an early & short lived attempt at extended playing time. My posting of 'The Little Hero' which was done on the same day as this record, shows it playing one of these Marathon records.

@@tiga4180 : I've not heard of "Marathon" records. Were they larger in diameter or possibly run at a slower speed or did they squeeze narrower grooves closer together ?

@@blackpoolbarmpot The grooves were cut up & down (sometimes called 'hill & dale' or vertical cut), meaning there was no theoretical limit to the groove width or pitch. Generally, they were to be played at 80rpm. A 10" Marathon disc could play up to around 5 minutes, a 12" one could play up to around 8 mins. This upload shows a Marathon disc in original cover & you may note the soundbox is swiveled to accommodate the vertical cut: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a7yZlN2jkpy9d2w.htmlsi=jhvc9mDfcNOR0oSB Other Marathon discs can be accessed via the search facility on my channel. Some more info on the label: www.mgthomas.co.uk/Records/LabelPages/Marathon.htm

You're welcome! I live near a church & the bells are delightful.

Was thinking of you when I posted it xx

I think its a bit of a rarity. The long playing qualities of this record allow the full story to be told, which like many Victorian ballads, has a moral. Glad you found it of interest.

You're welcome. Have a great weekend.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but think many of your sources are from US record companies like Columbia & Victor, which have connections to UK labels. I did manage to find the sheet music to this 1881 ballad in the archive of 'The National Library Of Australia' Robert Howe did record for several labels & to my mind rivals Peter Dawson, but surprisingly I can find no bio on him. Marathon was a short lived recording company (c.1911-1916), tho' its long playing capabilities were impressive for the day. Thing is, the records needed a special gramophone, or at least an adaptor & as the market was already flooded with cheap German imports, sometimes costing half the price of a Marathon, so they'd lose out on price, rather than quality of product. They did appear to have a good repertoire & quality artists to record for them.

@@tiga4180 My sources are international. One, 45worlds even breaks listings down by country.

Indeed it is. There can never be too many of these 'moonstruck' songs, old or new!

Yes, it certainly tells of hard times, rather like many a Charles Dickens story. I also like the way it values the truth. Warm greetings to you too my friend!

I'm sure there must be lots of versions. I'm more familiar with softer versions, but being a Randolph Sutton fan, I had to have it. Thanks for viewing/commenting.

This is one of a small number of sides made for Regal by Bobby Grey (Robert Carr) in 1928. Here's the flip: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g7ugndCclcrIgGQ.htmlsi=CTg7yQUTv329OUJP I don't know if he sang in this style for other labels, if so, they may have been under his real name, or another pseud. I find 'whispering baritones' different from crooners, with there part spoken lyrics & gently self assured style. Guessing it was a short lived genre. Robert Carr (under real name & several psueds) appears to have been more of a sweet voiced baritone ballad singer. He also made the classic: 'Stand To Your Post'/'Be British' record to commemorate & fundraise for the Titanic disaster, under the pseud of 'Ernest Grey' posted by myself & other KZfaqrs.

I knew of him as one of 'The Two Gilberts' which as far as I know were purely a recording duo. This duo recorded from c.1922-c.1932 & were mainly led by Fred Douglas (also mainly a cover artist) the second 'Gilbert' varying down the years. The Two Gilberts & Fred singing solo, had massive sales for Regal & are easy to find. Their speciality seems to have been 1920's 'silly songs' & vocal versions of dance tunes. I collect & post Fred's records & The Two Gilberts. No doubt I'll find more Lionel Rothery, but these cover artists were allocated many pseuds, by cheaper & reissue labels, so can be hard to identify.

I'm not sure as to the sales policy, but Edison disc players are not a rarity over here, just less commonly found. The discs aren't too difficult to find at record fairs, tho' I was lucky to have many which came with the machine. Edison 2 minute cylinder players & their wax cylinders are fairly common here, frequently with recordings by British artists. There are also a fair number of 'Amberola' players around (model 30 being most common) & again, a fair number of wax Amberol & Blue Amberol cylinders, several of which are recorded by British artists.

Yes, 'Mrs Gamp' was a character in the Dickens novel 'Martin Chuzzlewit' who always carried an umbrella. It passed into everyday slang, tho' is used less today.

Glad you enjoyed & thanks for viewing. My channel is still alive & posting historic songs & music.

Thanks for the info. My reprinted Zonophone catalogue gives X-43189 as 'He Never Even Said Goodbye' as recorded in 1907, but unissued. X-43188 as 'Now I Have To Call Him Father' recorded August 1908 & issued September 1909. The matrix numbers however, don't agree, this recording bearing matrix No. 18288-A whilst my catalogue gives: A-9116, stating that it came from a USA Zonophone. Zonophone was a subsidiary of 'The Gramophone Company, tho' no reference is made on the label. It would appear that the Gramophone Company was happy to make money from popular music, but wanted to distance themselves from it. What a different & class based world! As for the machine, it's a Marathon' designed to play 'Marathon narrow groove' vertical cut discs, which played up to 50% longer than lateral cut ones. Both the machine & such discs are uncommon. The reproducer will however swivel, to play conventional discs. The machine dates to 8th December 1913 & was inherited from neighbours in 1966. Its also a survivor, as they were bombed out of their home 3 times during air raids of WW2.

@@tiga4180 Reprinted from what year? Now I'm curious if UC Santa Barbara has this wrong. Wouldn't be a first. I helped correct a couple of errors with photo proof. That Marathon machine must be pre-1920? Fascinating.

@@AnnieVanAuken Printed in 1999 & sourced from catalogues dated March 1904 to May 1911. Authors Frank Andrews & Ernie Bayley of the City Of London Phonograph & Gramophone Society. Not wanting to dispute your sources, just curious as to the differences. Perhaps different takes. The gramophone contains a quality inspectors label dated 8th December 1913 & initialed 'R S' A friend of mine, Paul Reeve of 'Gramophonic Reevolution' also has a 'Marathon' internal horn model. This has a a label signed off by the same inspector, but at a slightly earlier date. Perhaps they sat together on the same shelf waiting to be sold. Here they are, reunited at my home all those years later: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p6d-gq-hyJrcpIk.htmlsi=I1BuWvNxrRpjujrR

@@tiga4180 Thanks. The DAHR strikes again. I wonder if modern high-end gramophone repros still use mica diaphragms or if it's an artificial substance?

@@AnnieVanAuken Not seen a modern high end repro gramophone, only those quirky badly made ones from India, which some dodgy dealers pass off as the real thing. Mica diaphragms are still available, so guessing a high end repro would use it if it was re creating a model from the mica era. If they were reproducing (for example) a Columbia Viva Tonal, or a Victor/HMV 'Orthophonic' they would, of course use foil, as in the original. If ever you've dismantled a reproducer from either of these models, you'd see how carefully crafted they are. The 'Panatrope' reproducer which appears on EMG's & some later Deccas is also excellent.

Sorry if the photo makes it appear as a toy. Its actually an HMV 101 portable (in some countries Electrola 101), which was designed for playing the newly released electrical recordings. I think the secret in the good sound is due to the slightly oversize mica diaphragm & the narrow bore tone arm. What I like about this machine is that it also gives great results on acoustic records. I've always found mica to be best for acoustic records.

@@tiga4180 It's clearly fabulous. BTW I speak literally without condescension or disdain. These are our toys. Playing records is hardly a chore, especially when one's cranking a 101 model. Here, these several pieces of low-end equipment sometimes turn out OK vids. My toys.

@@AnnieVanAuken Got it! toys as in big boys/girls toys. There were of course toy gramophones, sought after by some collectors, wouldn't mind one myself. A bit on the rare side & tho' not made to last a few still survive.

@@tiga4180 You've chatted with me for some years and I think it's clear I never try to insult. Calling this ThinkPad a toy isn't belittling it, as all my life I revere my playthings. Uploaded a 1929 dance band song yesterday. One feature that I use regularly is a level boost for the vocal and then a reduction to the original volume as the band takes over again. Can't even tell I manipulated that recording.

@@AnnieVanAuken Didn't feel the slightest bit insulted. Always think the best of folks unless its downright blatant that they mean to offend. Was just a bit puzzled & clearly misunderstood the use of language. Was aware of the 1929 band record & will have a look shortly. Yes, I think a boost to the vocal is needed in some of these dance records, as the singer can sound a bit distant.

They had a great selection, usually taken from Beka or Favourite masters. John Bulls were sold door to door, with a free gramophone for agreeing to buy a fixed number of records. Wonder if the gramophone bore the John Bull logo. Would like to see one.

Strange, he never mentions the back row of the cinema!

Glad you enjoyed & thanks for listening.