Hi All, I'm Mike Walter and I currently work for the QRS Music Roll
Company, although remotely from home.

A few years ago -- when QRS was about to move from their factory
on Niagara Street in Buffalo, New York, to Seneca, Pennsylvania --
I managed to obtain all of their old paper roll box labels (that
they would have thrown out). In amongst all of the labels that
I found were some labels that I had never seen before.

The labels indicated that, although they did say in large print that
they were made by the QRS Roll Company, it did say in smaller print
"Montreal" (as in Canada). The first label (from what I've seen)
indicates that the first roll/label was made in 1939 and the last,
around 1963. A picture should be below.

Some unusual things about these rolls is that the songs appear to be
in the French language (appropriate for Montreal). Another is that
the box labels give no specific indication of a roll number. There
are some random numbers that appear. Some artist names may appear on
the labels, or it may be the composer of the tune, or the publisher.

If anyone who subscribes to the MMD, lives in Montreal, and or knows
anything about these labels, I'd love to hear about them.

My assumption is that QRS had a contract with a Mr. Archambault of
Montreal and, starting in 1939, produced in a somewhat limited quantity
songs which had a French language origin. I would imagine that French
lyrics would be printed on the roll, as is done with all regular QRS
rolls. This arrangement continued until the early 1960s, when the rolls
ceased to be made by QRS.

I have two 12" x 14" cardboard boxes filled with these labels; each box
weighs about 60 lbs. per box. I do plan to alphabetize the titles, if
they aren't already done so. I plan to have a single sample of each
placed in a binder to make it easier to browse through the collection.

There should be about 50 to 100 copies of each box label in the
collection. If any individual would like a single copy of one or two
Labels, or one of each label, I would consider such requests.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Best wishes,

Mike Walter
Bufalo,, New York
mikew_14086@yahoo.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

[ QRS box label "Ed. Archambault"
[ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/26/02/01/260201_120604_IMG_20260201_140928376.jpg 

[ The song title translates as "The Scale and Love". Indeed, the
[ piano is playing a chromatic scale during the verse. Hear the song
[ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1LRe9PH9eY&list=RDF1LRe9PH9eY 
[
[ As early as 1931, Ed. Archambault adopted a compelling slogan:
[ "The most complete music store in Canada." Ref.
[ https://www.banq.qc.ca/explorer/articles/archambault-berri-magasin-emblematique/ 
[ -- Robbie