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MMD > Archives > April 1999 > 1999.04.14 > 06Prev  Next


Hupfeld Phonola Rolls
By Julian Dyer

Following the recent postings, I dug out my rough photocopy of the
1921 Hupfeld general catalogue, some 450 pages in all.

Hupfeld marketed their 88-note rolls as either 'Animatic' or 'Hupfeld',
using the same serial numbers; these two brands are identical except
for the label stuck on the roll or box!  The same serial number was
also used for rolls coded for the Triphonola system, which were market-
ed under the label 'Animatic T'.  (Did the coin-operated cafe piano
rolls on the 'Animatic S' label use the same number as well, I wonder?)
I've never seen 88-note rolls labelled 'Phonola', which was instead
used for Hupfeld's 73-note player (and earlier 65 note instruments?).

Intriguingly, the 1921 catalogue shows that every single title was
available on both 88-note Animatic and 73-note Phonola.  Perhaps this
answer's Ian Sanderson's original question about a rollography for
Phonola: the 1921 catalogue must be a substantial proportion of the
total rolls issued.

This would suggest that a high proportion of Phonola rolls -- the
later ones at least -- are based on hand-played performances.  The
1921 catalogue still lists the roll Ian described as labelled "SPECIAL
ROLL - THIS RECORD is a reproduction by electricity of the pianists
(sic) actual performance", but by 1921 there is no mention of the roll
being hand-played!

I wonder what the extra numbers like '9 20 0' in Ian's listing mean?
They aren't the roll's serial number.  Perhaps they are cost or size
codes.  88-note Animatic rolls often have odd symbols in the corner of
the labels, such as squares or triangles, and I've never figured out
what they mean.

Julian Dyer


(Message sent Wed 14 Apr 1999, 10:01:59 GMT, from time zone GMT+0100.)

Key Words in Subject:  Hupfeld, Phonola, Rolls

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