Edison Bell

Edison Bell

Are jazz 78s with these labels worth anything?

Label
HMV
Voralion
Columbia
Parlaphone
Decca
Circle
Vogue
Imperial
Bosworth Record
Swing
Brunswick
Savoy
Mercury
Blue Star
Regal
London
Melodisc
Columbia
Rex
Beltona
Conroy
Theme Music
MGM
Solitaire
Elite Special
Tempo
Embassy
The Master Sound System
Edison Bell Radio

Hello

This is not very easy to answer because it really depends

HMV---> usually not very much, there are exceptions. However, there are English HMVs, where the original Victor stamper was used and Victor (US) didn't issue the record. Example: Lovable by Paul Whiteman Orchestra

(American) Vocalion: It depends on the music on it. Vocalions with numbers between 15500-15999 are usally extremely valuable (more than 300 Dollars). There are also so called race series 1000-1500, which are usually very valuable. Blue Vocalions are usually not valuable. If the blue Vocalion is not jazz but blues (like the ones of Robert Johnson--> extremely valuable)

(American) Columbia: Again... It depends on the music. Red label Columbias are not valuable. Black label Vivatonal Columbias can be quite valuabe, particularly race series (Race series means generally black music made predominantly by African Americans for predominantly African Americans)

Parlophone: American Parlophones are usually around 75 Dollars. English Parlophones can be valuable but not really the so called Swing Series. Older Parlophones with large labels (purple, red, black) are around 50-100 Dollars. It depends again what's on it.

Decca: Usually not valuable. However, there are some exceptions. But usually really nothing special.

Circle: No

Vogue: Vogue is not valuabe. There are so called Vogue picture discs 12" records. Prices are paid between 50 Dollars and 1500 Dollars. But I guess you don't mean those

Imperial: Usually not valuable at all.

Bosworth: Nothing special

Swing: Nope

(American) Brunswick: It depends once again. Race series 7000-7300 very very scarce and valuable, at least 200 Dollars. Usually a Brunswick record is between 5 Dollars and 250 Dollars, depending on the artist

Savoy: Can be valuable. Particularly the ones with Charlie Parker

Mercury: Nope

Blue Star: Nope

Regal: Usually not

London: Not at all

Melodisc: Nope

Rex: Nope

Beltona: Nope

all the others except Edison Bell Radio: There are some rare records among these.

***

If I look at the labels you mention here, you might have a collection of records from late 1940s until mid-fifties. These 78 rpm records are usually not valuable.

The value of a 78 rpm record depends mostly of the artist(s) on the record. Usually, these artists are not known to the general public or it's the early work of a famous musician. Besides that, the condition of the record is extremely important for the valuation of a 78 rpm record.

Popular music is generally not valuable. Early blues records (1920s- around 1935) can be extremely valuable (up to 6000 Dollars for super nice copies of Robert Johnson).

So called Race records are usually very valuable.

In jazz, it really depends on what you have. Usually, 78 records pressed later than 1935 are not very valuable.

Early Rock'n Roll and early Country e.g. on the Sun label (Elvis) are extremely valuable.

This book might be a help:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Premium-Record-Guide-1900-1965/dp/087349282X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222270234&sr=8-1

However, the values there are sometimes a little bit too low.

If you have specific questions on certain records, you can email me. I'll try to help.