Pure Luck Find of some 78s.

[MrNewportCustom]

When I picked up my new signal gun today, I met a man named Ben. While I helped him load the item he'd purchased into his car, I noticed some old record album sets. I mentioned them and he told me that his father used to collect them by the thousands - some never even got played! Then he asked me if I wanted the ones he had there. When I said I would, he pulled them out and handed me four sets of 78s. Here are the two most interesting sets.

This set includes two two-sided 78s.

Look at those eyes! He's blowing for all he's worth! :eusa_clap

The small record you see on the right is two-sided and cardboard! It came in the yellow envelope along with the letter. You can see some damage on the edge.

Detail of the hand-typed letter that came with this set.


Set of four two-sided 78s from 1944.

Inside the front cover. The booklet slips into it's own pocket.

Inside the back cover.

Close-up of one of the labels.

On a sad note, both records in the Esquire set are broken in half.


Lee

 

[Sefton]

Those are some great artists. Too bad about the damaged records,still,the packaging is swell. It's good to see Esky cutting loose on the horn!

 

[Mr. K.L.Bowers]

Great find

Incredible find! Both are great collections. I collect 78’s of the Big Band / Jazz era also, early 30’s to late 40’s. I have found albums before but none in that condition and with all the accompanying paperwork. Good show. K.B.

 

[KilroyCD]

Yes, very nice find! I have a collection of 78s that numbers in the hundreds, and most of them have seen their fair share of plays. Once in a while I'll come up with some in great condition, such as a Glenn Miller collection that had hardly been played. I was lucky to have stumbled across that at an auction and scored it (along with two other sets - all big bands) for only $2.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

These unfortunately, are the Esquire records as they came out of their sleeves.

I would have loved to have listened to them.


Lee
___________________________________

They may skip a bit. *sniff*

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Before taking the above photo, I read the liner of the Esquire set. Quite a story! Here are a few snippets:


How the records were made
By Leonard Feather

"After several time changes, the hour was finally set at 8:30 P.M. By some miracle almost all of the musicians arrived on time, and at 8:45 the session began."

"The trumpet situation remained obscure until the last moment. Louis [Armstrong] said he'd come but he'd only sing, the tooth extraction making it impossible for him to play. Charlie Shavers could only come between his stage shows with Tommy Dorsey. Neil Hefti, not an Esky award winner himself but a well known trumpeter with Woody Herman's Silver Award Band was enlisted to fill the gaps."

"When "Satchmo" walked into the studio we were all delighted to observe his trumpet case in his hand. He took out the horn, blew a few practice notes, and within twenty minutes we were ready to make the master, except that Duke Ellington hadn't shown."

"While we were listening to the playback [of Long Long Journey], Duke arrived, urbane and smiling. He sat at the piano and worked out a couple of unexpected chord changes with the bass and guitar."

"By the time we made this one [Gone With the Wind] . . . it was 2:45 A. M. Hodges and Greer and the other Ellingtonians had to leave very shortly for Pittsburgh, where they were to play a date the next evening."

"Musicians are usually the first to grumble and the last to enthuse about their own recordings. One good thing about this session was that everyone who took part was happy about the way it turned out."




Lee

 

[Mr. K.L.Bowers]

That is something worth crying over! The price of remaining collections just increased.

 

[dhermann1]

With laser technology progressing as it is, you may still be able to hear them. There are machines that can scan broken records and fit the pieces back together. They're high end machines at this pooint, but either the price may come down, or the service may become available in some other way. Regardless, take care of them as if you expect to some day be able to play them.
It's appalling how some people handle 78's as if they thought they were Frisbees. I've seen things like original Blue Bird Glenn Millers sitting in bins, smashed to utter smithereens. Makes me very angry.