The Recordings Collection
(Browse the inventory of the Recordings Collection.)
Among the more than 2,000 cylinder-type records are rare recordings by Thomas Edison and Theodore Roosevelt. The more than 14,000 flat disc recordings encompass the entire history of flat discs from 1897 to the present, in all configurations. The collection of recordings includes diamond records, music box metal records, a rare and early Enrico Caruso recording, and a rare Edison long-playing disc.
The collection of cylinders includes examples of Edison's longer-playing and "Gold Mould" cylinders. These Gold Mould cylinders were a great innovation in the duplication of wax cylinders, which was previously accomplished by simply having a performer repeat his or her performance again and again. A wax master cylinder became the basis for a metal mold in which successive wax cylinders could be molded with their grooves already in place. In 1908 Edison increased the number of grooves per inch from 100 to 200, thus extending the playing time of the cylinder.
Our recordings collection also includes flat discs of all sizes and types, from the early wax records to the celluloid records to which Columbia switched in 1908.
The earliest of these recordings run from 2 to 4 minutes, and contain famous and rare speeches and musical performances. To learn more about the highlights of this collection, please contact Stephen Cunetto.
