Early Operatic 78rpm discs 4 x Martinelli, Melba, De Luca, Mardones, Slezak

	£		15
	$		20

Here are FOUR splendid RARE EARLY operatic 12” 78 rpm discs.

They all play well, are clean and sound great.

1. Giovanni Martinelli: “Serenata” (Mascagni) HMV 2-052099, single-sided 12” disc.

2. Nellie Melba: “Comin Thro The Rye”. HMV 03369, single-sided 12” disc.

3. De Luca, Mardones & Martinelli: “Trio from Guglielmo Tell” by Rossini HMV 2-054130 12” single-sided disc.

4. Leo Slezak: “Lohengrin's Farewell” & “Walther's Preislied” Lohengrin (Wagner) 12” Columbia A5395 double-sided disc.

In detail... here’s what you get..

First, there’s the celebrated Italian tenor Giovanni Martinelli performing “Serenata” (Mascagni) on a nice red-label HMV 2-052099, single-sided 12” 78rpm disc. It was recorded in 1915 and has a mandolin featured in the orchestral accompaniment (info from Robert Johannesson).

The record is in very acceptable but not quite mint condition.

It is clean but has a couple of tiny marks, and plays very well.

It is very loud and clear. It plays through OK with very little annoyance to the ear’ole. It is better than a poke in the eye with the rough end of a pineapple.

I would rate it as a strong VG+ using “Record Collector” magazine’s grading system.

Next there’s Nellie Melba, the celebrated Australian soprano, recorded in Camden Noo Joisey, in 1914. She’s singing “Comin Thro The Rye”.

Just to be accurate, it’s the version with the matrix C13907-1, the same one as released on DB362, with piano accompaniment by prof Gabriel Lapierre. It’s on a pink-label HMV 03369, single-sided 12” 78rpm disc. It was recorded in 1914.

The record is in very acceptable but not quite mint condition.

It is clean but has a couple of tiny marks, and plays very well.

There is a tiny v-light needle-run over the first centimetre, and needle marks around the surprisingly wide blank-bit before the run-in groove.

The label isn’t brilliant, but these First World War austerity b/w labels always looked a bit grim, anyway. (I think someone has rubbed light pencil graphite on the label to see what recording engineer Fred Gaisberg had written in the wax under the label)

Once the record starts, it is very loud and clear.

It plays through OK with very little annoyance to the ear’ole.

It is better than a kick up the Dardanelles, and very highly recommended.

I would rate it as VG+ using the “Record Collector” grading system.

Then, thirdly, there’s Guiseppe De Luca, Jose Mardones and Giovanni Martinelli performing the celebrated trio from Guglielmo Tell by Rossini, on a nice clean single-sided HMV 78 number 2-054130. It was recorded in 1923 (info from Robert Johannesson) in Camden (New Jersey, not the trendy place in North London).

The record is in very, very acceptable condition.  It is very clean, and plays very well. The label is brilliant. It is very loud and clear. It shines like my cat’s eyes when she hears the tin-opener, and plays through beautifully.

I would rate it as at least VG++ using the “Record Collector” grading system.

Finally, there’s Leo Slezak performing “Lohengrin's Farewell” and “Walther's Preislied” both from Lohengrin (Wagner) on a 12” Columbia A5395 double-sided 78rpm disc recorded in New York in 1912 (info from Robert Johanneson).

Slezak has signed the wax, so you get a nice repro of his signature too. The record is in in very clean condition with a few very light storage marks. It plays extremely well.

I would rate the condition as a very strong VG+ using Record Collector grading system.

YOU’RE BIDDING ON ALL FOUR RECORDS TOGETHER AS A JOB LOT.

I am just an old bloke thinning out his record collection before the floor collapses.

I’m selling many of my discs FOR LESS THAN THEY COST ME.

The records in the photographs are the records you will get.

You don't get the large friendly tabby cat. She belongs to a neighbour and always turns up in the garden when I'm photographing things for eBay.

I have described the discs to the best of my ability, and everything looks in splendid condition to me, but please check the photographs to decide for yourself.

PAYPAL only Please.

NO OVERSEAS bidders please.

And NO OVERSEAS bidders using UK addresses please.

This is because I like my buyers to be happy bunnies. If there is a problem, I like to sort it out personally.

I can't do this if you're thousands of miles away.

Thanks for looking!