Zonophone
INTERNATIONAL ZONOPHONE COMPANY,
May 1901 to June 1903 F. ANDREWS
Although much more is now known about the International Zonophone Company of New York and Berlin than when Mr. P. G. Hurst, in his The Golden Age Recorded, (published in 1963 ), wrote that "the International Zonophone Company of Milan was apparently a subsidiary of the Anglo-Italian Commerce Company of Milan", and that, "there was a great scarcity of International Zonophone Records, as well as information concerning them", nevertheless, there yet remains a great amount of basic information about the company and its records which needs to be discovered, so this article cannot be offered as a definitive account but is more in the guise of an investigatory ramble, using those facts already known, to try and deduce the story of the International Zonophone Company for the twenty-five months of its independent existence and of the following few months after the purchase of the majority of its stock capital by the Gramophone & Typewriter Limited. This acquisition of International Zonophone Company shares effectively brought to an end the Zon-o-phone’s rivalry to the Gramophone Company, Ltd. and its successor, the Gramophone & Typewriter, Ltd. had been attempting to minimise from the first, yet I propose not to deal with the early days to commence with, but to make the June, 1903, catalogue my starting point as this gives a good indication of how successful the company had become, as far as the recorded repertoire was concerned, before losing its independence.
The International Zonophone Catalogue, dated June, 1903, had obviously been compiled by the independent company but it is not known when the catalogue was issued to dealers . If the date-line was pre-dated then it would have been issued by the independent company, as also if it was issued in the first five days of June, 1903, but after that date the catalogue could only have been issued by the company as a subsidiary of Gramophone & Typewriter, Ltd.
That Gramophone & Typewriter, Ltd. kept the International Zonophone Company going as a separate entity, with its business in hand, for a number of months after acquisition, is authenticated, and catalogues of 1904 and 1905 show the further Zon-o-phone Record entries with numbers higher than the highest in the 1903 catalogue. Judging from the British Zonophone Company’s first output in February, or March, 1904, the continuance of the old original numbering of the Zon-o-phone Records did not cease until the latter part of 1903 or the first two months of 1904. It may be that Gramophone & Typewriter, Ltd only kept this old sequence of numbers going simply to clear the contracts for recording, which had already been entered into, or which had been allocated to those recordings already taken but which had not yet reached the stage of production of pressing for the Agents and dealers. This is one area where there is lack of information.
So the June, 1903, International Catalogue does not reflect the complete recording achievements of the independent International Zonophone Company, for there were recordings already in the various stages of manufacture at the factory, and the contracts entered into with artists through the various Agents for the company in Europe and Africa and South America. Another consideration is that the International Catalogue did not include the complete "national" repertoires, indeed, some were not represented at all. Also deletions, through worn out matrices or other considerations, had occurred and it is known that re-recordings had taken place, and that catalogue numbers had been used again on recordings which differed entirely from the original titles and artists. This raises an interesting issue, as it is generally accepted that the catalogue number and the matrix number of European International Zonophone Company "Zon-o-phone Records" were identical, therefore, in those instances where the catalogue number was used again the question arises was the matrix marked as the catalogue number? The June, I 903 , catalogue contains a number of records having a second use of early catalogue numbers, and so it would appear that it is possible to have two matrices with the same numbers, but having completely different recordings thereon.
Besides the general information which the catalogue contains, there were also various items of interest preceding the lists of records by a number of selected artists. Except for Walciwa’s (Vialtzeva’s)records , these were all written in English indicating that this version of the June, 1903, catalogue was intended for dealers where English was spoken or understood. The Walciwa heading was written in German. The general announcements were in polyglot form.
Here is all the information, written in English, contained in the catalogue, which is here in concentrated form but in the catalogue is dispersed throughout its eighty pages ;-
Zonophone Records and Supplies may be had from any of the following Agencies :-
International Zonophone Company, Muhlenstrasse, 73, Berlin, Germany.
International Zonophone Company, Singel 342, Amsterdam, Holland.
International Zonophone Company, 23 East 20th. Street, New York City.
Zonophon, Herm Maassen, Karthnerstrasse 45, Vienna, Austria.
Compagnie Beige du Zonophone, 110 Boulevard du Nord, Brussels .
Societe-Franyaise du Zonophone, 11 Fauborg Poissiniere, t Paris .
Societe-Suisse du Zonophone, Berne & Moutier, Swizerland.
Anglo-Italian Commerce Company, Milan & Genoa, Italy.
Ch. et J, Ullmann, 9 Butler Street, London E C, England.
Zonophone Supply Company, 4 Castle Street, Liverpool, England.
Regino Alonso, Meson Paredes 17 , Madrid, Spain.
Walter Sella, Valetta, Malta.
Oscar Grünberg, Jassy, Romania.
Blumenthal Frères , Constantinople, Turkey.
Blumenthal Frères, et Cie, Cairo, Egypt.
Casa Edison, 107 Rua da Ouvidor, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
M. E. Repetto y Cia, Calle Cangallo 679, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
"Besides the records in this catalogue we issue two additional catalogues. One of records with orange labels, which are of the premier artists at the first opera houses in all the various capitals of Europe. The orange label records are of concert size and cost 6.50 marks each. Catalogue on application. (About 6 shillings & 6 pence Sterling = F.A.)
"The other catalogue of records is of blue labelled and consists only of the very choice artists of world renowned fame. The records are of concert size and the prices 10 Marks. Catalogue on application. (About ten shillings. These catalogues would be International Zonophone catalogues, and not the "celebrity" catalogues issued by the individual Agencies . = F.A .)
"Please always give a second or third choice, as often records are out of stock, and an order with no second choice cannot invariably be filled complete.
"If all the records on an order are not in stock, and no second or third choice is given, we shall substitute, as near as possible, unless you request us not to substitute on your order. (This notice was obviously directed at buyers and dealers and not the agents. = F.A.)
"All records bearing the number after them in parenthesis may be ordered either by the numbers before or after the title. (These records were originally made in the USA for the Universal Talking Machine Company and the later Universal Talking Machine Manufacturing Company, the first and second manufacturers of the Zon-o-phone machines. The Zon-o-phone Records of the first company also bore and inscription of the National Gram-o-phone Corporation, the original Sole Sale Agent for the Zon-o-phone products in the USA, the company which had formerly handled the Gram-o-phones and E. Berliner Gram-o-phone discs for Frank Seaman’s Sole Sales Agency for Horace S. Parvin’s "Berliner Gram-o-phone Company" of Washington D.C. These USA Zon-o-phone Records had a number of changes in their catalogue numbering, some being re-numbered from one series into other series, hence there were a number of discs extant which could be had with earlier and later catalogue numbers = F. A.)
"La Garde Republicaine Band-This is not only the finest band in France but also, numerically, the largest in the world. The records are all very fine.
"Banda Civica di Milano.-This band is the best in Italy and the records will please all, Every artist is a soloist and the records are played with an interpretation such as only soloists can give.
"The British Military Band has, doubtless, had the longest experience over any European band of playing for the talking machine. Because of this experience its records are among the very best we have in our catalogue. We recommend them to everyone.
"The Hotel Cecil Orchestra, London, conductor Norfolk Megone.-The following records are recommended especially for string enthusiasts. This being principally a string orchestra, the lovers of string music will do well to include some of these records in their repertoire.
"The Wiener Secessions Orchestra.-The following Viennese band records are exceedingly bright and can be recommended to people of any nationality. The instrumentation of the band is peculiar to Vienna and the music will be enjoyed as a change over the other European Orchestra Music.
"Trompes de Chasse (Belgium).-There are eight French hunting horns and the music is very effective as hunters separate and the horns are heard echoing through the forest.
"Italiano. (Heading to Italian vocal records = F.A.)
A large number of our records of Italian artists have recently been resung in Milan. They are among the loudest clearest and best records we have. The orchestra accompanment is especially loud and well balanced and adds greatly to the value of the records. To all who love Grand Opera our Italian records will be a constant source of pleasure. (Note the word "resung" = F.A.)
"Nicola, 1st. tenor of Milan Cathedral.-the celebrated cathedral of Milan, Italy is so well known as to need no introduction. That Signor Nicola is the first tenor of this celebrated cathedral requires no further endorsement of the excellent quality of his tenor voice. The first and best, interpreter of Maestro Perosi’s "Oratoria" , his insinuating, sweet voice is pliable to all the exigencies of sacred songs. We owe him the best records of this style, faithful reproductions of the greatest sweetness and with the most delicate blending of notes in his splendid tenor voice. He is the tenor for who Maestro Perosi has a special and decided predilection, and he has sung, along with Kaschmann, all Perosi’s creations in the leading theatres of Italy and in the Perosi-Hall, Milan. These records are sung in Latin to piano accompaniment, excepting X431 , which is to the accompaniment of Violin and piano-violin obligato. Cav. Leopold Signoretti.-We may say of this celebrated tenor, "Tanto nomini nullum par elogium" . It has only been at great sacrifice that we were able to obtain a few records of this world-renowned artist, belonging to that school of fine song, the mould of which, we are afraid, is lost for ever. The records are few but exceptionally fine, so as to meet the tastes of the most difficult of publics and the most exacting connoisseurs. His successes in the greatest theatres of the world are too many to be numbered, and he is now living as a private gentleman in a well-deserved rest in Milan, that saw the climax of his glory. Everybody remembers the name of Signoretti,
"Cav. Alessandro Silvestri.-What can be said of him that has not been repeated over and over again by the universal press? To this celebrated artist, who attracted the attention of Verdi himself, we owe the finest impersonation of Don Carlos, and he is now, as ever, quite the best impersonator of all the principal roles, which he renders with perfect voice and gesture. We may mention of him that he has met with repeated success at the Conservatorium, St Petersburg, Covent Garden, London, La Scala Milan, and nine times at the Reale of Madrid.
"Records of Sacred Music, Schola Cantorum di Santa Cecilia, Milan.-This is the celebrated male choir of 16 voices, 8 men and 8 boys. The records are sung in Latin to piano accompaniment. They are loud, clear, distinct, musical and of great artistic merit.
"Solo e Coro del Teatro Alla Scala, Milano.-The Scala is said to be the largest theatre in the world and, at some time, all artists of note have given representations there. For records of a chorus these numbers cannot be surpassed.
Our chorus is taken from a choice selection of the best voices from the chorus of the Scala Theatre, Milan, and are therefore perfectly educated at the highest schools, perfectly drilled for that perfection of performance which the leadership of a man like Maestro Toscanini never fails to obtain. (This is probably the first reference to Toscanini in connection with recording. = F. A.)
Our choirs obtained a world-success with their performances out of "Germania", and "Trovatore" at Milan’s Scala (season 1901-2). The"Trovatore’s" "Miserere" had to be repeatedly encored, against all the rules of that leading theatre, the Scala, Milan.
"Comm. Edoardo Ferravilla.-He is the artist "Unic" who has created a style which is all his own. Of most of his pieces he is the author and the actor-his are all the words, his the characters, his the exquisite snapshots and insuperable impersonations of types we meet with every day on the social intercourse. He never had any Masters and became a Master himself, endowed, as he is, by the deepest artistic feeling and a true and irresistible "via comica".
"Ian Colquhoun, (Two notes combined = F.A.) Mr. Colquhoun is noted as a singer of patriotic songs at the Alhambra, London. His recordings are among the best of the baritone voice in our English selections; .... during the British / Boer War he sang "The Soldiers of the Queen" more than 500 times at the Alhambra, London. His records are very loud and clear and sympathetic.
"Charles Norton.-Coronation Records, (Farmer Giles),-These records give the experience of Farmer Giles during the Coronation Week of the recent crowning of King Edward the Seventh. It was Farmer Giles’s first visit to London and his experiences were very ludicrous.
"Vocal Records. Franćais.-Most of our French records have been recently made in Paris from the very best Parisian artists obtainable and are among the very best vocal records in the catalogue.
"Kaiser Franz-Garde-Grenadier-Regiments Kapelle, Berlin.-The above stands as one of the very finest military organisations in Berlin. These records are exceedingly loud and clear and are the best military band records we have .
"Anton Satler-yodler, Berlin. These Alpine yodler songs will be enjoyed by people of all nationalities. The yodling is very clear and distinct.
"The Haydn Quartet, New York.-(These American-made 9 inch discs were given an X prefixed number in the catalogue which did not appear on the records themselves ,=F .A . ) The Haydn Quartet is, perhaps, the quartet longest in the business of singing for the talking machine extant. By their long practice these records are sweeter and more harmonious than is possible to be made without special experience in singing for the talking machine. (The Haydn Quartet began its recording career with the New Jersey Phonograph Company, in the mid-l890’s, with Victor Emerson as the recording engineer. F. A.)
"Arthur Collins (on 9-inch discs)-Mr. Collins is best known as a singer of American negro melodies. The following are among his very best numbers and can be recommended to all who want genuine comical negro melodies.
"George Johnson. (Also on American-made 9-inch discs) Laughing and whistling songs.-Although these four records have been made by many artists they have never been surpassed as when made by the inimitable negro George W. Johnson, who has made a speciality of these four songs for the last twenty years. Mr. Johnson was at his best when he made these records for us. We think more records of these numbers have been sold than any other records made for the talking machine. They are purchased and enjoyed by every nationality.
"Cal Stewart (As"Uncle Josh") (American-made Zon-o-phone Records)-Uncle Josh is the American Farmer Giles and the mistakes he constantly makes, together with his experiences with matters outside farming, are very amusing."
With the exception of the Walciwa heading, which was in German, this completes the headings in English to artists records in the various sections of the International Zon-o-phone Records Catalogue.
There were also two announcements, written in French, advertising the complete French Zon-o-phone Records catalogue, obtainable from Paris, and the large catalogue of Flemish and Walloon repertoire, obtainable from Brussels, Belgium. And there was another announcement, in Portuguese advertising the 200-disc catalogue of Zon-o-phone Records of a Portuguese and Brazilian repertoire. (Your Editor would very much like to pay for photostat copy of this Portuguese/Brazilian catalogue, have the loan of it, or be able to buy it, for the purpose of research. E. Bayly)
The records contained in the International Catalogue were described as black labelled and were priced at 2.5 marks for 7-inch diameter, 4 marks for the 9-inch diameter and 5 marks for the 10-inch diameter. All the nine-inch discs were of American recordings and so were a small minority of the 7-inch discs, the vocal records being listed under the "English Vocal" section. There was a very small number of 10-inch diameter records also of American recordings, but pressed in Germany for the International catalogue, and these were probably not offered to the American public by the Universal Talking Machine Co. Only Fred Hager’s Orchestra and Victor Herbert’s Band (the Band of the 22nd Regiment of New York), appeared on this size record, which had a catalogue series starting at X0-100 and ending at X0-127.
Although described as "Black Labelled" records, the American made or recorded discs did not bear labels, the centre of the discs being inscribed in the pressing with the name style, title, artist and catalogue number, etc. With the exception of two small batches of records made by Ian Colquhoun under unusual circumstances, all the European-made Zon-o-phone Records included in the catalogue, as far as is known, were pressed with black labels and gold lettering.
The front cover of the catalogue mentioned the various styles under which the International Zon-o-phone Company records were sold, according to countries and areas for which markets they were primarily intended, and these were "Zon-o-phone Schallplatte" for Germany and the Austro-Hung arian Empire. "Zon-o-phone Record" for Britain (and from America). "Disque Zon-o-phone" for France, Belgium and per haps Holland. "Disco Zonofono" for Italy. "Disco Zon-o-phone" for Spain, Portugal and the South American countries. Russian labels were in Cyrillic script ресорд Зонофонъ from "International Company, Zonophone" New York, Berlin, St. Petersburg, with a z in a lozenge trade mark [Jols to put in illustration]-The telegraphic addresses of the Agencies were given
THE WALCIWA ‘HEADING’ IN GERMAN
Dies Aufnahmen verursachen gabz enorme Kosten und werden die Platten in Russland zum doppleten regulären Preis verkauft. Durch ein Abkommen mit unserm Petersburger Haus sind wir aber in den Stand gesetzt, Ihnen diese-Russland auges chlossen zum regularen Preise aubieten zu konnen. Wir empfehlen diese Schallplatten jedem Liebhaber guter Musik."-A ‘free translation of this would be-"These recordings were made at enormous expense and are being sold in Russia at twice the standard price. Through an arrangement with our St. Petersburg Agent, we can quite legally offer these records to you at the standard price-outside of Russia .We recommend these records to all lovers of good music."
THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES
It is noticeable that no Russian Agent is mentioned in the list of Agencies as at June, 1903. The Russian Agent was the firm of C. Scharlach of 10. Sagorodni Prospekt, St Peters-burg, and this was the Agent mentioned in the Walciwa "heading" who was the Agent at the time her recordings were taken and these, bearing very low numbers, were most likely pressed at the end of 1901 or the early months of 1902, when the German announcement about the discs was probably composed and had been a regular feature of the catalogues since that time. C. Scharlach had entered into his contract with the International Zonophone Company on September, 23rd. 1901 becoming the second of the Company’s Agents. Under the terms of his contract C. Scharlach was given the franchise in Zonophone goods for the whole of the Russian Empire which then included Finland and Poland.
Neither is the first Agent in Europe mentioned in the June, 1903, catalogue. The Zonophon GmbH had been founded by Messrs Bumb und Konig at Ritterstrasse 63 , Berlin, when their sales of imported Zonophone goods from the Universal Talking Machine Company in America had become large enough for them to warrant them organising the Zonophone business as a separate concern. Once the International Zonophone Company had become established in Germany, the Zonophon GmbH company began advertising as the sole agents for Germany and the Austrian Empire. The date of the first contract between the Zonophon GmbH and the International Company is unknown to me. Kurt Rohfield was the first Berlin manager.
The first paper-labelled discs of the International Zonophone Company had "New York" and "Berlin" printed near the spindle hole, soon to be augmented with St Petersburg. With the later additional agencies established the names of these cities were omitted.
With the extension of recording into Vienna, the Zonophon GmbH entered into a new contract on 1st. July, 1902, which was signed for the company by Hermann Maassen, who was the manager in Vienna, at Karthnerstrasse 45, in June I903,and trading as "Zonophon, Hermann Maassen."
The Zonophon GmbH which had been restricted from selling in Finland, Great Britain, Russia and Serbia, would have appeared to have lost its Agency by the time the June 1903 catalogue had been composed, for the International Zonophone Company itself was listed as the Agency in Germany.
In March, 1903, the International Zonophone Company moved to Muhlenstrasse, having previously been very close to the Zonophon GmbH in Ritterstrasse , which was still handling the Zonophone product.
The Dutch Agency would appear tp have changed hands, for it was a Mr. Stibbe of 19 Sorphaticksade , Amsterdam, who had entered into a contract with the International Zonophone Company on 13th. August, 1902. Of course, Mr. Stibbe may have been in charge at Singel 342, in the same city, in June, 1903. Who knows?
The Compagnie Beige du Zonophone was a Ch. et J, Ullmann Company in Brussels but I have not found the date of its contract with the International Zonophone Company.
The Societe Franćaise du Zonophone, Paris, was another Ch. et J. Ullmann concern, at 11 rue du Fauborg, and it made its contract with the International company on 4th. October, 1902, and under its terms, it was forbidden to sell its Zon-o-phone products in U S A, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, the Austrian, German, Hungarian and Russian Empires, Greece, Italy and the Italian Speaking Mediterranean, the whole of Turkey and Egypt.
The Societe-Suisse du Zonophone was also a Ch. et J. Ullmann company and its contract was not signed until 21st. January 1903.
The Anglo-Italian Commerce Company of 6. Via Dante, Milan, was, like Bumb & Konig of Berlin, a long established talking machine house before it ever took up with the Zon-o-phone. Over ten years I have tried to establish who were the proprietors of this Company, but have failed, despite enquiries in many different ways. The only name I can find is that of Bennett, which became enshrined in the telegraphic code name of "Bennettini" . In 1900 they were dealing in the soft wax cylinders of that era, and continued with their cylinder lines even when contracted with the International Zonophone Company of Berlin to become the Kingdom of Italy’s Sole Agent for the Zon-o-phone products. The date of this contract, too, I have not been able to discover. There was a contract of 22nd. May, 1903, but this I believe to be a revision upon and existing contract, because Ch. et J. Ullmann’s of London had a contract revision at this date.
It is known that the A.I.C.C. contract of 22nd. May, 1903, was cancelled in February, 1904, and we do know that during the period between the Gramophone & Typewriter’s acquisition of the Zonophone business and that date, that A.I.C.C. were recording and manufacturing hard wax moulded cylinders and that Caruso, and other La Scala artists, were recorded thereupon in that period. Advertisements in the press by A.I.C.C. inform us so.
(Editor asks = Where does the man Puccio fit into the A.I.C.C. jigsaw?? )
Ch. et J. Ullmann of London, at Butler Street, London E.C.
I have just mentioned. Their contract with the International Zonophone Company, which was to have lasted for five years, was signed on 28th. March, 1903 , and was the penultimate contract to be entered into with Berlin before the G & T takeover.
I doubt if any contract was entered into with the Zonophone Supply Company at 4 Castle Street, Liverpool, because some of those interested in the International Zonophone Company-including Frederick Prescott, the Director, were interested parties in the International Phonographic and Indestructible Phonographic and Indestructible Record Co., Ltd. of 4 Castle Street, which business was used as provincial agents for the Zon-o-phone products. Verification is needed here, for it is possible that the same address was being used by the two separate companies.
I have no knowledge when the Spanish, Maltese, Argentinian and Brazilian contracts were entered into. The "Casa Edison" Agency in Brazil, which had a catalogue of its own with 200 Disco Zon-o-phones by June, 1903, had been hand-ling Zonophone products as early as May 1902, perhaps.
earlier, when they were already being supplied with double-sided recorded discs from Berlin, which were otherwise unknown in Europe, much of the repertoire having been recorded especially for the Portuguese speaking Brazilians , and by instrumentalists, in or from, Brazil*. I The Turkish and Egyptian Agents, Blumenthal Freres and Blumenthal Freres et Cie., both signed their contracts on 3rd. November, 1902.
The last contract to be signed was the Romanian Agency of Oscar Grüneberg, of Jassy. This was as late as 17th .May, 1903, only 20 days before G & T Ltd. took-over.
HOW THE AGENCIES OPERATED
The Agencies, once established, were solely responsible for the artists’ salaries, the hire of accompanists and instrumental ensembles, any hire of rooms for recording purposes and the hire of all talent. The International Zonophone Company met the costs of recording including the travelling expenses of their recording engineers and the carriage of the recording machines. At the time of the compiling of the June, 1903, catalogue, the Berlin headquarters had four travelling recording experts to meet the requirements of their agents. Obviously, with all the agencies having been formed within the last twelve months of independence, except for the Russian, the Zonophon GmbH, Casa Edison and, possibly, the Anglo-Italian Commerce Company, there would have been much work in hand when the Zon-o-phone business became the property of the G & T Ltd, with contracts to be honoured concerning recording and the delivery of finished discs to the Agents . Recording engineers were contracted to work for the Agents within 30 days of notice being given that they were required. On their part, the Agents were required to take given quantities of each record successfully made, the Agents paying for the making of matrices, which cost about 4 shillings for a 7-inch master and 8 shillings for a 10-inch master. A refund of expenses was given by the Berlin company for bad records if over a stipulated percentage. The commercial discs were to be supplied within four weeks from the recording dates. At November, 1902, there were over 3,300 Zon-o-phone Records in the repertoire and before Christmas had passed, the company expected to have another 2000 discs in the catalogue, mostly of German, French, Italian and Russian repertoire. In March, 1903,the International Catalogue was claimed to be twice its former volume .
I would think it unlikely that the Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd. itself, or through its International Zonophone Company entered into any contracts with the Zon-o-phone Agents beyond those already arranged at the time of the take-over.
I had for some time asserted from evidence of press-notices etc. , that Caruso recorded his Zon-o-phone Records around the middle of April, 1903. This was confirmed by Mr .Leonard Petts, Chief Archivist of EMI Music Ltd., who found documents in the Archives proving that the discs had not been on sale by 5th. May, 1903, but were on sale by 5th. June, 1903 • This information falls in line with the delivery requirements of finished discs within four weeks of recording the masters. (Editor’s comment: I have seen a reference from Frederick Prescott saying that the Caruso recordings "Cost us a pretty penny". = E.B.)
THE BLUE & ORANGE LABELLED ZON-O-PHONE DISCS
There is no date mentioned with reference to the two separate known catalogues containing orange and blue-labelled discs advertised in the Black-Labels catalogue of June, 1903, but significantly, both are said to contain only the concert-size discs, and this leads me to think that the particular editions referred to were not contemporary with the June, 1903 , catalogue, because there is evidence, dated 19th. May, 1903, which shows that, in France at least, there were small (7-inch) blue labelled records.
Two other known catalogues which may be contemporary with, or a little after, the June, 1903, catalogue, are an A. I. C. C. "Dischi Celebrita", which listed only Blue-Labelled Disco Zonophono, including the Caruso records X-1550 to X-1556 (that come in a block of numbers ranging from X-1507 to X-1599, which appears to have been reserved for Italian recorded Blue labelled Disco Zonofonos, as the June, 1 903, catalogue had numbers well beyond this block, having reached X-2188, and the highest number in "Dischi Celebrita” was X-2558, the highest known). This difference of approximately 600 numbers is of interest in that the International Zonophone Company were then claiming to be adding over twenty new recordings every day to their catalogue, and had been doing so for some time past, and as Caruso had recorded in April, 1903, over 800 new recordings could have been made in the intervening six weeks between then and the publication of the catalogue of June. But this would not account for the seven-inch records made during the same period, as a total larger 800 is required to cover for these. It seems, therefore, that one cannot assume that the records were issued in strict numerical order, it may be that there was some "leap frogging" as the masters from the different recording centres came into the factory for processing and pressing. There was no indication in this A. I. C. C. catalogue that the International Zonophone Company had any connection with the records except for the small representation of a blue labelled "Disco-Zonofono" in the left-hand comer of the cover which would have carried the International Zonophone Company wording above the spindle hole. The price of the records was L. 12.50 each.
The other catalogue which was contemporary with, or published a little later than, the June, 1903, black-labels catalogue was another which also did not mention the International Zonophone Company. This was from the Société française du Zonophone américain, an intriguing company style, as the Ullmann Company style at June, 1903, did not have the "américain" tag, and nowhere in this Paris-printed catalogue are Ch. et J. Ullmann mentioned!!. Another surprising feature of this catalogue was that it included both blue and orange-coloured labels, yet the June, 1903, black-labels catalogue is quite specific in stating that there were two separate catalogues of concert size blue and concert size orange labelled zon-o-phone discs, the "blues" being of Internationally known artists and the "oranges" being of national artists. All the artists in this French catalogue, whether with blue or orange labels, were French artists with the exception of Caruso, and there were seven-inch diameter discs in both colours.
Orange Disque Zon-o-phones were at 5 francs for 7-inch diameter and 9 francs for 10-inch diameter. The Caruso blue Disco Zonofonos were at 12.50 francs, and we know that the Caruso records begin with an A. I. C. C. announcement, Caruso giving Milan as his address when he wrote on 19th. April, 1903, that he had been prevailed upon to make records for the International Zonophone Company, so it follows that this French Zon-o-phone catalogue could not possibly have been printed before the middle of May, 1903 , allowing one month for the Caruso waxes to be made up into stamping masters, and as the June, 1903, catalogue did not mention 7-inch diameter blue and orange labelled records, * everything points to the catalogue being post June, 1 903 . But the catalogue contains no record number higher than the highest number allotted to an Ullmann French Disque Zon-o-phone known at June, 1903, which was Bontoux on X-2188 ( 10-inch) amd Deprimoz on 12283 (7-inch). This gives support to the accepted story that the Ullmanns completely dissociated themselves from the International Zonophone Company as soon as it came under the control of the Gramophone & Typewriter Ltd., and gave their full support to Frederick Prescott who, having lost his post as Managing Director, immediately began the formation of the International Talking Machine Company, the proprietors of the Odeon machines and records.
But although Ch. et J. Ullmann in Paris had no further French Disque Zon-o-phones to be entered into the International or French catalogues, it was a different matter with their London and Brussels houses, for after June, 1903, 270 British Zon-o-phone Records were in process of manufacture, and about 180 Belgian, which along with some Italian, German and Dutch recordings, were entered into the catalogue, under G & T’s control. Researcher Alan Kelly of Sheffield, has also found evidence of some Romanian Zon-o-phones and there are blocks of numbers, beyond the highest in the June, 1903, catalogue, which still have to be accounted for.
Many of the matrices were transferred to the Hannover factory of the Deutsche Grammophon A.G. and, as Leonard Petts has written elsewhere, pressings were being made from the Caruso matrices as late as 1907 for one of Intemational Zonophone Company Agencies .
THREE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS
One: When was J. Girard of Paris an Agent for the International Zonophone Company? Disque Zon-o-phones are known which bear the name of Girard impressed on the backs of the discs in a similar fashion to those of Ullmann’s Société du Zonophone and "Cie Beige du Zonophone."
Two: When did the Disco Reale labels of Italy, and the Disque Royale labels of France first come into use? Throughout the two years of advertising by the International Zonophone Company it never once mentioned these labels, and I wonder if they appeared after the G & T take-over, which was June, 1903.
Three: Was the matrix number impressed in the discs (which was also the catalogue number on the label), the original matrix marking, or was this a number applied only to those masters which remained undamaged during transit from the recording rooms to the factory and which proved suitably recorded to be made up into commercial discs?
I cannot answer the first two questions, and, as regards the third, it seems to me that the Zonophone recording engineers must have been extremely successful in their art if the matrix numbers on the issued records bear a direct reference to the numerical sequence of recordings entered into the recording ledgers of the day-none of which is still in existence so far as one knows.
If we take as an example the last session arranged by the Société-Française du Zonophone for the seven-inch size of record, then within the group of catalogue numbers running from 11504 to 12283, that is to say, 788 different recordings, there are only 13 catalogue numbers for which there are no titles and artists, in other words only 13 matrix numbers are unaccounted for out of 788 recording efforts!! It is possible that the catalogue number and matrix number was given to the masters only after they had been passed for commercial issue, and that there was another identifi-cation on the waxes which was dispensed with when a recording was accepted?
Frederick Prescott, advertising himself as a talking machine consultant in 1920, with a Riverside, New Jersey, USA address, laid claim to being the pioneer of the recording process in Europe, which was still in general use in 1920, and also claimed to have been the owner of the double-sided record patent, having introduced the same in 1903, which was a lapse of memory on his part, because it was 1902 that the first double-sided Disco Zon-o-phones were supplied to an Agent.
THE EARLY MONTHS OF THE INTERNATIONAL Z0N0PH0NE COMPANY
In November, 1903, the G & T Ltd.-owned Internation-al Zonophone Company began using the Z0NOPH0NE "Cross and Circle" trade mark in its advertising and on its wares, the mark also being put into use in Britain, by the new British Zonophone Company, in February, 1904. By this time the Ullmanns had given up their Zonophone Agencies, and the Anglo-Italian Commerce Company, as early as October, 1903, had reverted to advertising wax cylinders and was claiming the phonograph to be the superior talking machine .
Although many Agencies were in existence in June, 1903, the International Zonophone Company reserved the right to sell records out of the Agencies’ own repertoires to dealers outside of the owning Agencies’ territories , hence the need for an International Catalogue. And it was this dealing directly with dealers which had been the ‘modus operandum’ of the Company since its founding in May, 1901, with the exception of Germany and Austria, where Bumb und Konig’s German incorporated "Zonophone GmbH" already had an existence as the Agents for the Universal Talking Machine Company of New York. Upon the International Zonophone Company being founded in the State of New Jersey, which was contracted as Sole Agents for the American Zon-o-phone products outside of the USA and Canada, with Frederick M. Prescott appointed as the Attorney for the Universal Talking Machine Company, the Bumb und Konig "Zonophon GmbH" became the sole Sole Agents for the International Zonophone products in the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Bumb & Konig were soon to bring out their Beka Records after the G & T Ltd take-over (of Zonophone), having withdrawn in August 1903, by selling their interest in the Zonophon GmbH company (which was capitalised at 100,000 marks). During the time of the take-over the Zonophon GmbH continued in business, and after the Beka Records appeared, but not as "Agents" of the International Zonophone Company.
The International Zonophone Company had been founded on a capital of 40,000 dollars, divided equally into 800 preference shares and 800 ordinary shares of 25 dollars each. The original date of Incorporation was 7th .March, 1901 with the registered office given as at 259, Washington Street, Jersey City, New Jersey. There were five subscribers to the incorporation of whom Frederick Marion Prescott was one. The new company began its commercial existence on 2nd. May, 1901, and then appears to have been re-incorporated on 6th. May, 1901. The reason for which I do not understand.
‘The Board of Directors comprised Francis T. Sargent, Edward S. Innet, Edward McCarthy, Frederick Marion Prescott the managing director, and John G. Prescott, the treasurer. The stock which the Subscribers had taken in floating the Company was transferred to the managing director in payment for the transfer of his rights in the Universal Talking Machine Company (the manufacturers of the Zon-o-phones and the recorders of the Zon-o-phone Records) to the new International Zonophone Company, for which he received 20,000 dollars of stock.
An office was established at 66. Broad Street, Manhattan, New York City. Frederick Marion Prescott was appointed the lawful attorney for the Universal Talking Machine Company in the United Kingdom, Europe and the Russian Empire and he travelled to Berlin with three fellow Americans to act as foremen and engineers in setting up the German factory and recording unit. These were Mr. Dan Smoot [John Daniel SMOOT ("Dan")] Mr. Pancoast and Mr. Gloezner. Prescott was required to report back to the New York headquarters on the last day of each month and his freedom to negotiate transactions was limited to 10 dollars for each one, beyond that sum he required confirmation from New York.
The first known advertisement to come from the International Zonophone Company at 71, Ritterstrasse, Berlin, was published in the German language in "Phonographische Zeitschrift" on 5 [actually 7] th. June, 1901. In translation it reads:-"Z0N=0=PHONE"-The latest and best Talking Machine with sound and music discs. New Motor, New Diaphragm, Beautifully finished cabinets. New Accessories .- Five different models at varying prices. New coin-operated automatic machines at various prices. Zon-o-phone Schallplatten, standard and concert size, produced under new principle different from that applied to disc records, they have an excellently loud and natural sound and are pure and harmonious in timbre. Zon-o-phone discs can be used on any disc talking machine .- Agents Wanted Everywhere .- Prices and conditions free of charge upon request. International Zonophone Company. F. M. Prescott, Managing Director, 71 Ritterstrasse, Berlin, Germany. 66-68 Broad Street, New York, NY, U S A.
A Zon-o-phone machine with glass-panelled sides was depicted.
Under its business news, the periodical announced the establishment of the International Zonophone Company and remarked that it would undoubtedly participate very actively in the German and foreign talking machine business. The products were described as being similar to those of the Deutsche Grammophon AG, which had been meeting with great success. Mr. F. M. Prescott was described as "renowned" in the American phonographic industry to which he had brought some essential improvements, and whose company had a "large scale factory" at 66 Broad Street, New York, but he had now moved with his family to Berlin, to distribute from there the Zon-o-phone products throughout the world excepting Canada and the USA. Three foremen had been brought over from America to fit up a factory for the production of both discs and machines and they were proposing to market the first German product very shortly.
On 3rd. July, Model 30C was advertised with a Concert soundbox, and the Zonophon GmbH at Ritterstrasse 63 , Berlin appeared as Agent for Germany and Austria on the International company’s advertisement, which otherwise read as June advert.
