Our New Best-Seller

RECORDING THE ’THIRTIES
  
The Evolution of the American
Recording Industry, 1930–1939

By Allan Sutton

The latest installment in our popular EAR Series chronicles a vital — but often overlooked and misunderstood — decade in the history of American sound recording.

New! — In Stock for Immediate Delivery

THE AMERICAN ZONOPHONE
DISCOGRAPHY
  
Volume I: Ten- and Twelve-Inch
Popular Series (1904–1912)

By William R. Bryant

Bill Bryant's landmark study of Eldridge Johnson's other label has arrived and is already getting rave reviews.

2012 Nominee — ARSC Award for Excellence

INDESTRUCTIBLE AND U-S EVERLASTING CYLINDERS

An Illustrated History and Cylinderography

By Kurt Nauck & Allan Sutton

  
Indestructible and U-S Everlasting Cylinders is the first new study of these records in five decades, covering all brands and series.
 
It includes all the fine detail you've come to expect from Mainspring books, including release dates, composer credits, alternate versions, and other essential data — along with the first illustrated, fully documented history of the people and companies behind these popular cylinders

This deluxe hardcover edition also features comments on rarity and value; more than 50 illustrations (including 24 pages in color); and author and titles indexes.

We're honored to announce that the Association for Recorded Sound Collections
has nominated this title for a 2012 Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded
Sound Research. Winners will be announced later this year.
    

THE VICTOR DISCOGRAPHY SERIES

By John R. Bolig
   
Winner of the ARSC 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award

John Bolig strips away years of published guesswork and fabricated data to offer the first accurate look at exactly what is (and is not) contained in the Victor files. The result is the most authoritative data available on Victor 78 records.

The discographies are compiled entirely from original sources — including the Victor Talking Machine Company, RCA Victor, and Gramophone Company files; catalogs and supplements; and the records themselves.
     
The Victor Red Seal Discographies:
VOLUME I • Single-Sided Series
VOLUME II • Double-Sided Series to 1930

The Victor Black Label Discographies:
VOLUME I • 16000 / 17000 Series
VOLUME II • 18000 / 19000 Series
VOLUME III • 20000 / 21000 Series
VOLUME IV • 22000 / 23000 Series — Coming later this year
  
Other Victor Discographies:
VICTOR BLUE, GREEN AND PURPLE LABELS (1909–1926)

   
“What distinguishes this discography is that the information originates entirely from original sources. John Bolig continues to raise the bar, setting new standards in discographical work.” — The Record Collector (UK)

Congratulations to John Bolig,
winner of the 2010
ARSC Lifetime
Achievement Award

“Significant contributions to discographic research... Invaluable to sound archives,  researchers, and serious collectors.”
— Notes (Journal of the Music
Library Association)

“Carefully prepared work...The true enthusiast cannot manage without
all the resources mentioned  here.”
— ARSC Journal
  

  
THE EVOLUTION OF AMERICAN RECORDING  (EAR Series)

By Allan Sutton
  

"Sutton takes readers on a tour of the development of the phonograph and the beginnings
 of the American recording industry... Appeals to anyone interested in music and early
 20th century pop culture." — Book News

Browse the 1900–1919 Subject Index in Adobe Acrobat

RECORDING THE 'TWENTIES
The Evolution of the American Recording Industry, 1920–1929

“Most brilliantly original in its examination of commercial issues... A book worth
 reading and using.” — ARSC Journal

“Without question the definitive account of the recording industry in the 1920s,
 and raises the bar for all future studies.” — Vintage Jazz Mart

Browse the 1920–1929 Subject Index in Adobe Acrobat

LITTLE WONDER RECORDS AND BUBBLE BOOKS
  
An Illustrated History and Discography

By Tim Brooks with Merle Sprinzen

Collectors have long been intrigued by Little Wonder. They look like children's records, but the repertoire was mostly the popular hits of the day. Selling for just a dime, the little discs caused an uproar in a complacent recording industry, and they sold by the millions.

Grammy Award winner Tim Brooks and Little Wonder detective and archivist Merle Sprinzen reveal the full story behind these labels and unmask the anonymous artists in a book that contains many surprising new discoveries.

View Sample Pages
in Adobe Acrobat

EDISON BLUE AMBEROL CYLINDERS — New Expanded Edition

The Complete Blue Amberol Cylinderography:
U.S., Foreign, and Special Issues (1912–1929)

By Allan Sutton

The only complete, fully detailed cylinderography of Edison Blue Amberols — now thoroughly updated using Edison file materials and Edison National Historic Site data that were not accessible when the original edition was compiled.

Newly added features — much of it published here for the first time — include personnel of backing groups, Diamond Disc disc takes used for dubbing, foreign-catalog issues, and other details not found in the original edition.
  

THE EDISON DISCOGRAPHY: THE FINAL YEARS, 1926–1929

Diamond Discs, Needle Types, 20- and 40-Minute Records, Samples, Experimentals, Radio Transcriptions, and Special-Use Recordings

By Raymond R. Wile

“Wile's reputation for methodical, painstaking research is continually in evidence in this
  discography... An important volume.” — Notes (Music Library  Association)

“A fine reference work not just for record collectors but also those interested in Edison,
  popular culture, and musical taste in the 1920s.”— Book News

 
ARSC Award
for Excellence

THE PLAZA–ARC DISCOGRAPHY — Volume I
U.S. Issues, Mxs. 5001–11082 (1922–1931)

By Billie W. Thomas & Allan Sutton
Foreword by Randall Stehle

Covering Banner, Conqueror, Domino, Jewel, Oriole, Regal, and their many associated
labels, The Plaza–American Record Corporation Discography is the only complete and accurate guide to these ubiquitous labels.

This remarkable volume is the result of more than five decades' research by the late
Billie W. Thomas in association with the contributors to the legendary collectors' journal Record Research, posthumously compiled and annotated by Allan Sutton. The data were obtained from painstaking, firsthand examination of the actual records, correlated with what remains of the original company documentation.

  
We're nearly sold out of this popular title

THE AMERICAN STAGE PERFORMERS DISCOGRAPHY
Actors, Vaudevillians, and Musical Comedy Stars
(Volume I: 1891–1932)

By Allan Sutton

The American Stage Performers Discography covers the recordings of than 460 stage stars — from the legitimate theater to musical comedy, vaudeville, and burlesque — on original 78s, cylinders, and soundtrack discs. Also included are capsule biographies detailing highlights and little-known facts of each performer's career, compiled from the playbills, entertainment papers, reviews, and news reports of the day.
   

Mainspring Press Digital Discographies
on CD-ROM

Setting New Standards for Convenience and Affordability
   
• Fully searchable on any word, phrase, date, number, etc.  
•  Bookmark links to chapters and sections
• Instant on-screen type scaling

For Windows • Mac OS-X compatible* • Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader required     

NATIONAL MUSIC LOVERS AND NEW PHONIC RECORDS
A Discography

National Music Lovers records — with their confusing multiple versions, false
or missing matrix numbers, alternate takes, artist aliases, retitled songs, and ever-changing master sources — have long been a challenge for collectors and researchers. Help is finally here, with the first fully detailed, properly
documented discography devoted to NML and its successor, New Phonic.

By Allan Sutton

  
Free Shipping Worldwide

JAZZ & RAGTIME RECORDS, 1897–1942

The final and most complete edition of the late Brian Rust's classic jazz discography — out-of-print in book form, but now available as an affordable,
fully searchable CD-ROM. Royalties on sales are donated by the Rust estate
to benefit prostate cancer research.

By Brian Rust
   

Includes 98 Historic Recordings in MP3 Format

THE RAGTIME DISCOGRAPHY, 1894–1960
Cakewalks, Rags and Novelties on 78s and Cylinders

Our first multimedia offering, The Ragtime Discography includes full-color reproductions of 50 rare sheet-music covers, plus 98 early ragtime recordings
in MP3 format. A revised and greatly expanded version of the author's 2003 Cakewalks, Rags and Novelties, this new edition now includes records
issued through the end of the 78-rpm era.

By Allan Sutton
  

THE VARSITY DISCOGRAPHY

Volume I: United States Record Corporation Series

Includes original issues from USRC masters and the reissues from Crown,
Gennett, Paramount, Ultraphon, etc.

By Allan Sutton

Volume I: 14000 Series

By Allan Sutton
  

ARSC Award for Excellence

MONTGOMERY WARD RECORDS: A DISCOGRAPHY

The complete issues, including the Victor, Decca, and Varsity series

By Allan Sutton

VICTOR RECORD MONTHLY CATALOG SUPPLEMENTS **

Volume I: 1904 / 1905 / 1906

This remarkable compilation features more than 300 carefully restored monthly supplement pages and covers — A treasure-trove of artist photos and biographical information, Victor company news, and discographic data.

** Requires a JPG viewer or editor (Windows Picture Viewer, QuickTime,     
   any version of Photoshop, etc.)

Visit the Mainspring Newsletter Page for news on forthcoming titles and research projects

Free Information for Collectors and Researchers

78-rpm Records • Cylinder Records • Phonographs • Recording Industry History

	Free Online Articles and Discographies
	The Mainspring Record Collectors' Blog

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