Edison Gold Moulded Cylinder Records
1902-1912

By the turn of the century, demand for cylinder records was making the dubbing process of manufacture impractical. The masters themselves were simply recorded live on the same kind of wax and wore out just as quickly when played back. Rather than make new masters at a rate that would find artists performing the same selections over and over again like the absolutely direct method of the earliest days, a molding process had to be found. Disc recordings were stamped from the beginning but how would that work for the cylindrical form? A mould in two pieces would leave a line on either side of the cylinder that would click throughout playback. The mould would have to be one piece but how would one get the finished cylinder out of it? The solution was to use a new kind of wax that would shrink slightly when cooled so it could slip out, carefully of course. Along with an electroplating process that used a very thin layer of gold to take an imprint of the master, later backed with copper, Edison's Gold Moulded Record was born. The finished sub-masters took several more steps but the final black products, along with solving the quantity problem, also sounded far superior to the old brown wax and were more durable. Oftentimes they even surpassed discs of the era in tone. Gold Moulded Cylinders were made in the millions each year and dominated the scene in the first decade of the twentieth century. Fewer exist today relative to their disc cousins because, well, they're wax and they wore out quicker, broke easier, and still had a problem with mold growth – although a red type this time versus the white menace of brown wax. Yet, for ten years they brought quality entertainment to the masses at a cheaper price than discs.

* - a subsequent artist who remade the selection by an earlier performer, therefore a re-release; however, only the release date by the first artist is ever known and thus given

Encoded Speed: 192 Kbps

Laughing Song
George W. Johnson
Edison Gold Moulded #4004
released 1902-?
Note: Worn.

I Wish They'd Do It Now
Arthur Collins
Edison Gold Moulded #5412
released 1902-?

I Stood on the Bridge at Midnight
J. W. Myers
Edison Gold Moulded #8010
released June 1902
Note: Heavy mold.

Infantry Calls
John Hazel* (Bugle)
Edison Gold Moulded #8144
released September 1902

Down at Finnegan's Jamboree
Charles D'Almaine (Violin)
Edison Gold Moulded #8146
released September 1902

Lucky Jim
Edison Male Quartet
Edison Gold Moulded #8217
released November 1902

U. S. Army Lancers, 1st Half of Last Figure
Peerless Orchestra
Edison Gold Moulded #8250
released December 1902
Note: Mold, heavy at first.

U. S. Army Lancers, 2nd Half of Last Figure
Peerless Orchestra
Edison Gold Moulded #8251
released December 1902

Le Secret Polka
John Hazel (Cornet) and Edison Military Band
Edison Gold Moulded #8546
released November 1903
Note: Skip at 1:23.

Nobody's Looking But the Owl and the Moon
Corinne Morgan and Frank C. Stanley
Edison Gold Moulded #8577
released January 1904
Note: Worn with big scratches at beginning.

Celia
Arthur Collins
Edison Gold Moulded #8592
released January 1904
Note: Worn.

Down on the Brandywine
Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan
Edison Gold Moulded #8712
released June 1904
Note: Cracked at beginning.

You're as Welcome as the Flowers in May
Byron G. Harlan and Frank C. Stanley
Edison Gold Moulded #8767
released August 1904

Impassioned Dream Waltz
Edison Military Band
Edison Gold Moulded #8892
released January 1905

The Musical Yankee - Vaudeville Specialty
Len Spencer
Edison Gold Moulded #9119
released October 1905

Garden of Love - Caprice
Edison Symphony Orchestra
Edison Gold Moulded #9261
released April 1906
Note: Worn towards end.

At the Minstrel Show - No. 5
Edison Minstrels
Edison Gold Moulded #9279
released May 1906

Minerva
Edison Symphony Orchestra
Edison Gold Moulded #9327
released August 1906

If the Man in the Moon Were a Coon
Ada Jones
Edison Gold Moulded #9372
released October 1906
Note: Heavy mold.

A Chip of the Block
Helen Trix
Edison Gold Moulded #9426
released December 1906
Note: Mold, heavy at first.

Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms
Albert Benzler (piano)
Edison Gold Moulded #9437
listed November 1906

A Lemon in the Garden of Love
Billy Murray
Edison Gold Moulded #9462
released December 1906
Note: Played at 159 RPM.

The Merry Whistling Darkey
S. H. Dudley
Edison Gold Moulded #9502
released March 1907
Note: Lots of pits but no skips.

Rudolph and Rosie at the Roller Rink
Ada Jones and Len Spencer
Edison Gold Moulded #9503
released March 1907
Note: Very worn with groove gouge near beginning.

San Antonio
Billy Murray and The Edison Male Quartet
Edison Gold Moulded #9547
released March 1907

When the Bluebirds Nest Again, Sweet Nellie Gray
Manuel Romain
Edison Gold Moulded #9628
released September 1907
Note: Lots of scratches.

The 74th Regiment March
Edison Military Band
Edison Gold Moulded #9649
released September 1907
Note: Worn with light mold.

When Summer Tells Autumn Good-Bye
Manuel Romain
Edison Gold Moulded #9675
released November 1907
Note: Worn.

Every Ship Will Find a Harbor
Byron G. Harlan
Edison Gold Moulded #9732
listed November 1907
Note: Light mold.

Two Little Baby Shoes
Byron G. Harlan
Edison Gold Moulded #9766
released February 1908
Note: Worn.

There Never Was a Girl Like You
Byron G. Harlan
Edison Gold Moulded #9795
released April 1908
Note: Badly damaged at beginning.

Goodbye, Sweetheart, Goodbye
Alan Turner
Edison Gold Moulded #9843
listed April 1908

Santiago Flynn
Ada Jones and Len Spencer
Edison Gold Moulded #9863
released June 1908

The Home Over There
Edison Mixed Quartette
Edison Gold Moulded #9899
released August 1908

Last Day of School at Pumpkin Centre
Cal Stewart
Edison Gold Moulded #10021
listed October 1908

Christmas Morning at Clancy's
Steve Porter
Edison Gold Moulded #10030
released December 1908

Uncle Josh's New Year's Pledge
Cal Stewart
Edison Gold Moulded #10034
listed November 1908

Flanagan's New Year's Call - Vaudeville Sketch
Steve Porter
Edison Gold Moulded #10054
listed November 1908
Note: Light mold, stressed loud passages.

Hello There, Macintyre!
Jack Lorimer
Edison Gold Moulded #10102
listed February 1909

Uncle Josh's Letter From Home
Cal Stewart
Edison Gold Moulded #10111
listed February 1909

Softly Now the Light of Day
John Young and Frederick J. Wheeler (as Anthony & Harrison)
Edison Gold Moulded #10442
listed September 1910
Note: Worn.

Barataria Marsch
Orchester
Edison Gold Moulded #12728
released ?
Note: Groove gouges at 0:20-0:32 and 1:06-1:08.

Die Wacht Am Rhein
Tenor
Edison Gold Moulded #12810
released ?
Note: Several sections of groove are badly gouged.

"Fou The Noo"
Harry Lauder
Edison Gold Moulded #13743
released ?

Callaghan
Harry Lauder
Edison Gold Moulded #13759
released ?
Note: Worn, especially at end.

Heute Nacht Beim Mondenschein
Duett
Edison Gold Moulded #15539
released ?

We Parted On The Shore
Harry Lauder
Edison Gold Moulded #19176
ca. November 1907
London, England
Note: Lots of pits but no skips.

The Saftest O' The Family
Harry Lauder
Edison Gold Moulded #19177
ca. November 1907
London, England

Stop Yer Tickling Jock
Harry Lauder
Edison Gold Moulded #19179
ca. November 1907
London, England

Jackanapes Polka
Prince's Band
Edison Bell #571 (571V1MR 5/12 04)
May 12, 1904
Note: Mold.

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