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Elephone

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Elephone records were make by The Universal Talking Machine Company which was William Barraud's first foray into the early Gramophone record field. He was later involved in the Invicta record company which produced Invicta and Guardsman records. William Barraud was the uncle of Francis Barraud, well-known for painting the famous HMV dog-and-gramophone portrait and he also painted the picture of Sgt Hassall used on the Guardsman label.

The Universal Taliking Machine Company recording rooms (and presumably their offices) were at 3, Scrutton Street, Finsbury, London E.C. It is very likely that any recordings were made under the supervision of German recording experts from the Lyrophon Company, from spring 1908 to early 1909. Universal's recordings were issued on their Elephone record label, and it is thought that the presence of an Elephant on the label (which was a registered design) is what prevented Jumbo records from also using an Elephant on their earliest issues.

Elephone's British recordings are in the 20000 series and should have a small "o" prefix. Other masters used are from German Lyrophon
, and also some French recordings which have an "F" suffix. It was the intention of the company to make ethnic Indian recordings for Export to India, but none have ever been reported, so this may never have happened.
The business (and presumably the recording rooms) moved to 37, Curtain Road, London E.C. in November 1908, but by March 1909 the company needed more money, and proceeding to wind up the business started by June 1909 and it seems likely that the Universal Talking Machine Company never really made much in the way of profit!

Elephone records are exceedingly scarce, as can be seen by the very sparse listings below. So far, I know of these catalogue series, a plain 100-, 1000-, A-1500, D-4000 and G-8000. There may be others!

It goes without saying, I hope, that further information would be gratefully received.

 

This is an attempt at a listing of this scarce label. Please e-mail me if you can add any extra information.
Extra Information supplied by:
R. Cox, Norman Field, Michael Gunrem, Mike Langridge, Ian McPherson, Heiko Mohn, Alan Williams

Page last updated on: July 23, 2023


Thanks to Alan Williams and Norman Field for most of this first series. It would appear to be actually made for export to France, using French Lyraphon recordings from about 1905-06.

Cat No Matrix Title Artists
       
109 348 f
353 f
La Garde Qui Passe
Air De La Calomnie ("Le Barbier de Seville" - Rossini)
M. Aumonnier (basse, du Theatre de la Gaite) (sic - should be M. Aumonier)
111      
112 111
112
Cavatine ("Le Juive" - Halevy)
Grand Air ("Patrie" - Paladilhe)
M. Aumonnier (of Théâtre de la Gaîté) (bass, with piano accmp)
       
138 366 Le Roi De Lahore Ananion (Baritone, with  piano accmp)
139 365
373
Pauvre Martyr Obscur ("Patrie" - Paladilhe)
La Chanson Des Gars d'Islande
Ananion (Baritone, with  piano accmp)
140
141
142 410
412
Les Enfants de Massenet
Je n'ose - chanson
Durand (of L'Opéra-Comique) (Baritone, with piano accmp)
       
190 168
208
Viens Avec Nous, Petit ("La Vivandière")
Demain Je Partirai ("Sappho" - Massenet)
Jeanne (of L'Opéra-Comique) (contralto, with piano accmp)
       
198 216F
339F
La Marseillaise (Rouget de L'Isle)
Le Crusifix (Faure)
M. Milhau (tenor) and M. Aumonnier (bass)
       

This 1000- series uses the British recorded 20000-series matrices (These are not the same as Invicta recordings, which also have 20000-series matrices).

Cat No Matrix Title Artists
1001      
1002      
1003      
1004      
1005      
1006 20136
20143
Aubade Printaniere (Paul Lacombe)
The Rosary (Nevin)
Band Of H.M. 1st Life Guards
Musician Morgan (cornet) with the Band Of H.M. 1st Life Guards
1007      
1008 20159
20165
By The Water Melon Vine
Poppies
Band of H.M. Horse Guards
1009 20160
20161
Flight Of Ages (F. Bevan)
L'Oiseau Du Bois (Le Thiere)
Corpl. Frye (Cornet) with the Band Of H.M. Horse Guards
Corpl. Thompson (Piccolo) with the Band Of H.M. Horse Guards
       
1092 20189
20190
Asleep In The Deep
Bedouin Love Song
Herbert Tracey (bass)
       
1115      
1116 20259
20260
April  Morn (vocal waltz) (Robt. Batten)
I Hid My Love (Guy D'Hardelot)
Miss Beatrice Jeffreys (soprano)
1117      
1118 20241
20242
Waltz Song (from "Tom Jones") (Ed. German)
Love Is Meant To Make Us Glad ("Merrie England")
Miss Nellie Beare (soprano)
       
1150 20120
20121
The Turmut Hoer (old Somerset song)
The Poacher (J. L. Hatton)
Carl Brandt
1151 20168
20169
Cruise Of The Ancient Light (F. Hastings)
Only A Man (Chas Collins & F. J. Barnes)
Owen Tudor
1152      
1153      
1154      
1155 20198
20199
I Ain't Nobody In Particular (Scott Mackenzie & F.W. Leigh)
Class
Tom Carney

 

Cat No Matrix Title Artists
     
A-1512 1071
1126
The Cadets March
The Corcoran Cadets March
Universal Band
       

Thanks to Mike Langridge for the following, which uses Lyrophone masters.

Cat No Matrix Title Artists
       
B-2208 1266
1378
Selection from "The Geisha"
Selection from "The Merry Widow"
Universal Band
       

Thanks to Alan Williams for the information on the D-series items below, which also use Lyrophone masters.

Cat No Matrix Title Artists
D-4001      
D-4002 1454
1462
Serenade (Pierne)
Berceuse "Jocelyn" (Godard)
Max de Groot (violin)
Elvira Schmuckler (violin)
D-4003      
D-4004 1468
1470
Nocturne (Chopin)
Cavatina (Raff)
Elvira Schmuckler (violin)
       

 

Cat No Matrix Title Artists
 
G-8019 444
445
Liebeslied ("Walkure")
Durch Die Walder ("Freischutz")
Willy Schuller (tenor, with piano accmp)
 
G-8027 Darni Pure Serenato (sic - should be Dormi Pur - Serenata)
Man Dolniato Don Giovanni (
sic - should be Mai Donato - Don Giovanni)
H. Orlando, Milan   [ex-Lyrophon, c. 1908]