WHEN DID MARSH LABORATORIES BEGIN RECORDING ELECTRICALLY?

When Did Marsh Laboratories Begin to Make Electrical Recordings?

By Allan Sutton
(Updated August 30, 2007)

It has long been known that the Marsh Laboratories of Chicago was the first company to produce and issue electrical recordings on a regular commercial basis (see American Record Labels and Companies for a detailed history). However, the question of when Orlando Marsh first used his electrical system has long been subject to debate. The sound quality of Marsh's earliest records is highly variable. The sound quality is quite good on some of Marsh's earliest masters, made for several religious client labels. Debate has long raged as to whether these were electric or acoustic, with a consensus favoring the latter. But many other early Marsh recordings are of such nondescript technical quality that it is impossible to say for certain which process was used.

Marsh was granted two U.S. patents, one in 1921 and the other in 1930. The first does not suggest that Marsh was experimenting with anything out of the ordinary at the time. Filed on December 9, 1918, it covered some minor improvements to a standard acoustical reproducer, and was not approved until nearly two years after filing.

Marsh's 1921 patent on an improved acoustical reproducer
(U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

The date at which Marsh began his electrical experiments remains unknown, but a recent submission by Richard J. Johnson provides an important clue to the starting date of Marsh's commercial electrical recording activities. On January 13, 1923, The Billboard ran a photograph of a Marsh Labs session showing a sound-collecting device that does not resemble the standard acoustic recording horn. Although the quality of the photo makes it impossible to see the device clearly, it appears similar to other enclosures Marsh is known to have used as sound-collectors for his carbon microphone. The wording of the text also strongly suggests a departure from the standard acoustical recording process.

Marsh Laboratoriess session showing suspected electrical recording equipment

A Marsh recording session, from The Billboard (January 13, 1923)

Assuming a lead time of several weeks for this story, and assuming the device is indeed electrical, it now seems safe to assume that Marsh was making electrical recordings on a commercial basis by late 1922. Initially, these recordings appeared on client and custom labels, but Marsh finally introduced his own Autograph label in April 1924. It used electrical masters exclusively—a year before Victor or Columbia began doing so.

Orlando Marsh with Jesse Crawford at the Chicago Theater

Orlando Marsh and his electrical equipment onsite at the Chicago Theater (1924).
The organist is Jesse Crawford.

By early 1925, Marsh was promoting his new system aggressively, at a time when neither Victor nor Columbia had yet to release their first electrically recorded sides. Paramount researcher Alex van der Tuuk recently discovered in the Mills Music Library (University of Wisconsin) a report of a Marsh demonstration held at Chicago's at Trianon Ball Room on March 11, 1925. According to the Trianon Topics:

“The Autograph Record Recording Company [sic] will convert the Trianon stage into a recording studio for the evening to demonstrate the recording of voice and instrumental sounds by a new electrical method. This new invention was conceived by Orlando R. Marsh and uses electricity to convey the sound waves to the wax record upon which they are recorded instead of having the person sing, speak or play directly into a horn. By using electricity control over the sound can be regulated to the desired tone. The records made before the audience will be played back immediately to demonstrate just how phonograph records are made by this new system. The Trianon Orchestra will record at the recording Artists’ Ball as well as a number of celebrities who will attend.”

On the program were Mario Rubini, Madam Belle Forbes Cutter, Eyer and Chellman, Mrs. Sheldon and Polly, the Langdon Brothers, the Joe Thomas Sax-O-Tette, featuring comedian Archie Nicholson, comedian, accordionist Harold B. Stokes, guitarist and Jack Pennewell, “and a score of other prominent Autograph recording artists.” Every one attending the evening received a free Autograph record of Lampe’s Orchestra playing "Trianon-A New Dance" coupled with “Trianon Chicago Tango.”

The article also mentioned further cooperation between the Trianon and Autograph, and reported on Marsh’s development of mobile recording equipment.

Marsh's second patent, filed in 1929 and granted in 1930, shows him moving into other fields. The patent covered a swinging microphone, enclosed an an acoustic-style recording horn, designed to track moving actors in motion pictures.

Marsh's directional recording device, patented on April 15, 1930
(U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

For a listing of Marsh’s recordings, see the Marsh Laboratories Preliminary Discography. An ongoing project of Mainspring Press, the discography is regularly updated with new submissions from collectors and researchers around the world.

Our thanks to Alex van der Tuuk for locating and reporting the Trianon program.

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