Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > March 2005 > 2005.03.29 > 01Prev  Next


Watermarks in Hupfeld Music Roll
By Paddy Handscombe

The musical notes B and E in Hupfeld roll watermarks mentioned by
Niels Berkers could be H (German B) and E, standing for Hupfeld and
perhaps Electrisches (Electric) recording; sometimes a zigzag
arrow/lightning flash is also shown which some have assumed indicates
an electrical process.

However, it's fairly clear that both the Hupfeld recording and
production perforating processes were -- at least originally -- all
pneumatic, and it's most likely that the notes are in fact B and E
and stand for Böhlitz-Ehrenburg (bei Leipzig) where the Hupfeld factory
was located.

The acronym B.-E. and Böhlitz-Ehrenburg appear frequently in Hupfeld
literature, such as at the end of the 1923 hand-typed Triphonola
Operation Manual.

The year watermark most likely denotes not the year a roll was recorded
or first issued, but when the paper batch was produced.  Both Hupfeld
and Aeolian UK (who sourced their paper from Germany for some years)
aged their paper for a period before use.  Why Hupfeld chose to show
the date and other details is interesting; Aeolian/Universal didn't.
Were Hupfeld rolls being counterfeited?...

Patrick Handscombe
Wivenhoe, Essex, UK

(Would posters please always show where they are located?  There are
people outside the US!)


(Message sent Tue 29 Mar 2005, 12:01:20 GMT, from time zone GMT+0100.)

Key Words in Subject:  Hupfeld, Music, Roll, Watermarks

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page