The American Library of Congress began in 2003 annually selecting 50 recordings to include in the National Recording Registry. These recordings must be at least 10 years old and "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Considering that I haven’t spent that much time on Ebay lately, I’ve come up with quite a selection of items this time that I may not get to them all. In the category of recording media I came across three auctions for Bettini cylinder boxes. Phonograph pioneer Gianni Bettini, whose Micro-Phonograph recorders and reproducers are considered highly collectable, marketed these rare cylinders. The first cylinder box which sold for $169.50 (all prices in $US) was the highly illustrated style and came with a cylinder that was not as I gathered a Bettini cylinder. The other two boxes were the more familiar and desirable solid red container with black writing and each sold in the neighborhood of $250.00. If only these boxes had their cylinders!

If you really have some money to splurge, consider bidding on some of the later 5000 series Blue Amberols, one of which, #5716 titled Kansas City Kitty by Billy Murray and His Merry Melody Men recently sold for $2,525.00. You unfortunately missed some Columbia 6 inch cylinders, which sold as a lot with a few Edison Gold molded cylinders for an outstanding $2,225.00. If you would like to move up into the 1940’s and collect something that is still affordable, a few good deals can be had similar to the cerise (orange) coloured 45 RCA record Arthur Big Boy Crudup’s "That’s all Right Mama" which sold for a reasonable $148.50.

Getting to the really rare and good stuff, I found a Hiller Talking Clock from about 1911 which sold for $3,700.00. As with all the examples I have heard about, the celluloid tape that contains the recording was missing. Other unusual items were a Regina feature that adapts it to play 78 RPM records. This item went unsold with an opening bid of $6,200.00. The final item I can fit in this month is a Wurlitzer Debutante Jukebox Prototype from around 1932. This model design was purchased by the Wurlitzer Company to be utilized as a test model for the marketability of jukeboxes. This one, which the seller believes may be one of only two known examples, sold for $4,400.00 plus 15% buyers premium (for live auctions).

In the May-June 2003 issue of Antique Phonograph News, I outlined the state of my research on Gus Hill, the Canadian ballad singer known as perhaps the first "live" vocalist on Canadian radio, circa 1920, on the Montreal Marconi station XWA (later CFCF). We also knew that he recorded four 10-inch acoustic sides for Herbert Berliner’s Apex label and one for his black HMV 216000 series. Other than these few facts, and a photograph in the Canadian Music Trades Journal, October 1921, with a brief caption stating that he had sung for Mrs. (Prime Minister) Meighen at the Ottawa Exhibition, we knew nothing about him.

The breakthrough happened when I finally got at and searched the Globe and Mail database, and found a little obituary article on Reginald (Gus) Hill. He had died on Friday, January 18, 1946, at his home, 7 Bonfield Avenue, Toronto. "Onetime singer of popular songs", he had been "associated with several music firms as song sheet salesman", "had been active in business both in Toronto and Montreal", and had been ill for some years. Gus Hill was buried at Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, and surviving him were his parents, Mr. And Mrs. Joseph T. Williams.

It’s becoming hard to believe that the duo of Timothy C. Fabrizio and George F. Paul can continue to unearth the rare and unusual in the phonograph hobby, but once again they have come up with a treasure-trove of items for their newest book.

Phonographica, The Early History of Recorded Sound Observed is number 7 in their series on phonographs and related items. As is the case with all their books, this one is filled from cover to cover with spectacular photographs. Of all their books this one is the best illustrated with over 500 photographs and the insightful captions for this 224 page 8 ½ by 11 ½ inch coffee table book are a great source of entertainment. At 49.95 US it is well worth it to be able to see some of the most charming posters, catalogue covers, promotional giveaways and hand-painted signs. My favorite chapter contains dozens of "real life" images of ordinary people with their machines.