Evening star., 1937-04-25
Phonograph Records
Make Big Collections
Enthusiasts Are Largely Represented in the
Professions, and World Characters Have
Entered Ranks of Collectors.

auction. Among those sending auction
lists each month are the International
Collectors Club, the College of the
City Of New York, Jack L. Caidin,
1923 Broadway, New York, and the
American Record Collectors Associa-
ton.
Most laymen imagine Caruso
records, because Of his great reputa-
ton, bring huge prices, but the re-
verse is true. He was so popular mil
lions Of copies of his records were
sold and nearly all may be picked
up for few cents in secondhand
stores. Some 20 years ago. however,
a man travelling in Italy did pick up
two masters the tenor made in the
'90's for an Italian company, before
he became we'll known, and is said
to have paid $4,000 apiece for them.
TT MUST not be thought that only
classic and hot jazz records are
collected. Many collectors, including
your servant, specialize in the popular
songs and sketches of the popular
recorders Of a past generation: Billy
Murray, Henry Burr, Len Spencer,
Ada Jones, Arthur Collins, Byron B.
Harlan, Dan w. Quinn, etc. These
records today have no commercial
value, since they were so widely cir
culated that many copies remain, but
in the course of time they are likely
to become rarities Of Americana and
to have value accordingly.
Mark Sullivan once told me he be-
lieved nothing could bring pack the
past 50 vividly as listening to these
old records and that he wished he had
started collecting them. for some
time have been collecting materials
for a book containing biographies of
these old troupers. but apparently I'll
never be able to write it. I've got lot
OF valuable old pictures, catalogues
and general dope, however.
Its a moot question who has the
largest record collection DR.. Ricardo
Aleman, who died in Havana last
year, had more than 20000-prac-
tically all operatic He believed he
had copies of every operatic record
ever issued in this country, with two
or three exceptions. An Indian prince
is said to have more than 100000
and to have standing order for
every new one issued anywhere.
Dave Windsor, late King of Eng
land, is an ardent collector, his IA
vorite recording artist being Annette
Hanshaw. Senator Bronson Cutting
had more than 1000 records, which he
left to university. (He was a little
bit up on me with my slightly more
than 5000, which is considered re-
markable in Johnson City)
MOVE actors as a class are per-
haps the most rabid collectors.
Greta Garbo is said to have one of
the largest collections OF humor-
Gus records (the type in which
U. w. specializes, too) and Carole
Lombard, Edna May Oliver and
great many others likewise indulge
Record collecting is one OF the cheap
est hobbies, for most secondhand
emporiums charge only about a nickel
each.
I should add that practically all
current historical events, such as Mr..
Windsor's farewell broadcast to the
British Empire, are being preserved
on records. have records by the late
King George, D. W., Mussolini, the
present Pope, Joseph Jefferson, Will
Rogers, Theodore Roosevelt, Wood
row Wilson, etc. Even one Of Rudolph
Valentino!
There is growing interest" Walsh
concluded, "in collecting brands Of
records without particular regard to
what music is recorded on them. II
have about $50 brands, most of them
now obsolete, represented in my own
collection. The majority are Ameri-
can, but I have many from England,
France, Germany and even India,
China, Japan, Australia, Russia and
Some collectors with
plenty Of money buy at least one
copy Of every new brand that appears
anywhere in the world"
Walsh. well-known writer and news
paper man Of johnson City, Tenn, Is
q native OF Marion, Va, the home
of Sherwood Anderson.
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