Re: [ARSCLIST] paper/cardboard records

["Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Daniel Shiman" <daniel_shiman@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> I'm Dan, longtime lurker, first-semester student at UT Austin's School of
Information and dyed-in-the-wool vinyl junkie.  Very exciting to be taking a
class on audio preservation this spring, but I am struggling more than expected
with the first assignment, which involves a brief history of an early audio
format.
> I chose paper/cardboard records for my topic.  Historical surveys of recorded
media I've browsed have made little mention of this
ephemeral-in-every-sense-of-the-word format.  Online sources like RILM Abstracts
of Music Literature, The Music Index Online, Library Literature & Information
Science, and Academic Search Complete have either been fruitless or have
basically directed me to articles directing me in turn to the only website with
much substantive information on the subject, the excellent Internet Museum of
Flexi/Cardboard/Oddity Records (assembled by Mac, host of the WFMU's Antique
Phonograph Music Program).
> I've contacted Mac pressing him for sources, but was wondering in the meantime
if any ARSClist members knew anything about the paper/cardboard record's
history - or knew of any good articles or written/research sources that I might
explore.  Thanks so much!
>
There are at least two totally different kinds of phonorecords that MIGHT
fall into that category. The first sort were actually made of paper...but
coated with a plastic-type substance. These date back quite a ways, and
are often found in postcard form, or as pages in children's books. In
those cases, there should be some information on the Internet...but
probably searchable under "postcards" or "children?" The most successful
of these were made by the Durium Company (who used "Durium" as a name
for the moldable plastic coating used on their heavy-paperboard discs).
There as a Dutch collector who has an extensive web site based on
these discs...!

The second type were pressed onto thin plastic. These first appeared
(IIRC) in the UK in the late twenties, under such names as Filmophone
and Goodson. Eventually, these would evolve into the EXTREMELY thin
plastic records which could be (and were) bound into magazines. One
manufacturer of these is (was?) called Evatone. The "records on
cereal boxes" used a moulded plastic coating placed on the cardbord
before the boxes were folded into such...!

One interesting variant were the thin plastic discs pressed by the
(New) Flexo company. In some cases (I have one such) the thin
plastic discs were stapled onto greeting cards, so that the
recipient could both read and HEAR the holiday wishes (or
advertisement...?!).

Steven C. Barr
(try inquiring on the 78-L e-mail list...!)