LEEDS RECORDS - GOLD FOIL LABEL/#4163/HOLY CITY/H.BURR
$
40
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Description
LEEDS RECORDS NO. 4163
THIS IS A VERY OLD, BUT A WELL PRESERVED GOLD FOIL LABELED DISC, IT FEATURES: M. TALLY PERFORMING "HOLY CITY"
(H. BURR)
The most notable feature of early Leeds records are the labels at the center of the discs, some of the most elaborate and beautiful ever to grace phonograph records. The labels are coated in embossed gold foil in high relief, with a trio of angels flying in clouds beside "LEEDS TALK-O-PHONE RECORDS" in elaborate flowing lettering. The lower portion of the label shows the record number, song title, and artist, in much more plain type. The whole is surrounded by a floral border.
In the early 20th century, the quality of Leeds records improved. Leeds records were issued under the rare "Century" label, the "Sir Henri" label, the "Imperial" label, and many others. None of these labels credited Leeds as the manufacturer, likely as Leeds was usually in court for infringing some patent, trademark, etc. In 1905, Leeds was rumored to have begun plans for returning to producing cylinders, sending Edison investigaors scattering about. Leeds made its last known cylinders in 1903, in brown wax. Columbia made molded brown waxes at this time and introduced black waxes in 1903. This stopped Leeds cylinder production. If Leeds really did resume cylinder production in 1905, the cylinders would have to have been molded black waxes or they would not have survived on the market if they were brown. Columbia stopped brown wax molding in 1904, thus eliminating any niche competition for Leeds brown waxes. No supposed Leeds cylinders from ca. 1905 survive, nor do any Leeds cylinder catalogs.[2]
In April 1909 Victor triumphed in a lawsuit for patent infringement, and Leeds Records and Talk-O-Phone went out of business.
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