THE TWO GILBERTS Felix Kept On Walking / Night Time In Italy Regal G8092 78 EX+
£
20
$
26
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Description
ARCHIVE-GRADE 1920s MUSIC HALL NOVELTY & CINEMA HISTORY (1924)
The Two Gilberts (Comedians. With Orchestra)
A Exceptionally Well-Preserved, Near-Mint Century-Old Acoustic Pressing Celebrating Silent Cinema's First Cartoon Icon.
OVERVIEW:. Released on Columbia's budget-line Regal label in January 1924, this exceptional disc couples two major novelty anthems of the decade, performed by the legendary variety duo The Two Gilberts. This specific copy survives in an extraordinary state of preservation rarely seen in acoustic-era variety discs.
THE SIDES & PERFORMANCE CREDITS:
Side A: "FELIX KEPT ON WALKING"
Context & Composition: Composed by Hubert W. David and Ed E. Bryant (visible in file "1000028048.jpg") to cash in on the unprecedented global craze for Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer’s silent screen cartoon star, Felix the Cat.
The Performance: A rapid, syncopated music hall march detailing Felix's surreal global wanderings, delivered with bright unison vocals, impeccable comedy timing, and animated acoustic orchestral punctuation. Displays control code A 452 and the square Lawrence Wright publisher shield cleanly at the lower center (visible in file "1000028048.jpg").
Side B: "WHEN IT'S NIGHT-TIME IN ITALY, IT'S WEDNESDAY OVER HERE"
Context & Composition: A historic 1923 American surrealist non-sequitur novelty hit written by Carlton, Kendis, and Brown (visible in file "1000028050.jpg"), adapted here for the British variety stage.
The Performance: A brilliant exercise in pure Dadaist humor and rapid-fire nonsense verses, propelled by a jaunty, ragtime-style acoustic studio band. Displays control code A 430 and the matching Lawrence Wright copyright shield (visible in file "1000028050.jpg").
AUDIO FIDELITY RECORDING ADVISORY:
Please note that this item is currently listed without video to ensure immediate market availability. A high-fidelity, 58-second direct-to-stylus digital video clip demonstrating the tracking stability, surface audio profile, and clean acoustic clarity of this specific Regal pressing will be uploaded and attached directly to this listing shortly.
CONDITION REPORT:
Shellac / Grooves (Excellent+ - EX+): As documented in the full-disc views in file "1000028047.jpg" and file "1000028049.jpg", the 102-year-old shellac has been remarkably well-preserved, retaining a brilliant, mirror-like factory gloss that looks almost brand new. The playing surfaces are immaculately clean, showing no visible needle digs, harsh scuffs, or feelable scratches. The thick, early-1920s acoustic grooves are incredibly deep and crisp, entirely free of edge chips or rim damage.
Labels (Excellent - EX): The classic dark red and gold labels are beautifully crisp and vibrant. The gold lettering and central "REGAL" logo are sharp, unfaded, and fully legible (visible in file "1000028048.jpg") and file "1000028050.jpg"). The center spindle hole remains pristine, perfectly tight, and entirely free of the typical heavy widening or friction scuffing common to records of this vintage.
SHIPPING, PACKAGING & PROTECTION:
The disc is sandwiched between corrugated cardboard and wrapped in bubble wrap. This is then placed inside a double-skin box filled with packing void to prevent movement and provide maximum protection.
Carefully packed and promptly dispatched
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