VARSITY & ROYALE 78 RPM RECORDS (USRC) - HISTORY & DISCOGRAPHY 1939-1940

$

31

 OUT OF PRINT  /  MINT – SEALED COPY

ELI OBERSTEIN’S UNITED STATES RECORD CORPORATION
A History and Discography, 1939–1940
(Varsity and Royale Records)

By ALLAN SUTTON & THE RECORD RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

Mainspring Press (2014)

ISBN 978-0-9915279-3-9

276 pages / 7” x 10” quality softcover

Eli Oberstein, the man band-leader Artie Shaw once called “a horror” and “a pain in the ass,” has not been treated kindly by history. One of the most controversial record producers of the period, his business conduct was often unethical, and occasionally illegal. But Oberstein’s early accomplishments — building RCA’s Bluebird into a serious contender in the budget-label market, managing some of the swing era’s most successful bands, and producing many well-reviewed classical recordings on his Royale label — tend to be overlooked.

Beginning in 1939, Oberstein operated a string of short-lived and often under-funded record companies that drew fire from the press, the courts, and the musicians’ union. This volume covers the complete output of his first independent venture, the United States Record Corporation. The Royale and Varsity labels were hailed as promising new entries in the record field, and Oberstein managed to assemble a substantial catalog before USRC collapsed into bankruptcy (and Oberstein went missing) a year later.

Much of the early Varsity and Royale catalog comprised dubbed, pseudonymous reissues of 1930s recordings from Crown, Gennett, Paramount, Ultraphone, Edison Bell, and other defunct or struggling operations. Oberstein’s own recordings, which soon overtook the dubbed reissues, were the subject of widely varying reviews, some of the best of which are included in the discography.

The illustrated introduction traces the rise, fall, and aftermath of Oberstein’s first company, and explains the methodology used by members of the Record Research group to distinguish dubbed from original masters. The volume also includes title and artist indexes. Note: Oberstein’s late-1940s revival of Varsity and Royale, under the Wright Record Corporation name, is not covered in this volume.

ALLAN SUTTON is the author of numerous books on early recordings, including Race Records and the American Recording Industry, American Record Companies and Producers 1888–1950, A Phonograph in Every Home, Recording the ’Twenties, and multiple editions of Pseudonyms on American Records. He is the recipient of the Association for Recorded Sound Collections’ 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award.

THE RECORD RESEARCH ASSOCIATES, publishers of Record Research magazine, included Walter C. Allen, Len Kunstadt, Woody Backensto, Carl Kendziora, Perry Armagnac, and other well-known discographers and researchers. Their previously unpublished data and research notes, acquired by Mainspring Press in 2011, have formed the basis for many of Mainspring’s award-winning publications.

CONDITION: NEW — In original shrink-wrap

______________

CONDITION GRADING:

NEW    A brand-new, first-quality copy (in original shrink-wrap and/or dust jacket, if applicable).

LIKE NEW    A clean, crisp copy with no significant signs of use. Out of original shrink-wrap (if applicable), and may have barely noticeable scuffing on cover, dust jacket or spine, but otherwise indistinguishable from New.

EXCELLENT   As above, but with slightly more apparent signs of use. Covers may show very slight scuffing or traces of shelf wear.

VERY GOOD    A clean and tight copy overall, but with obvious signs of use. May have some scattered markings and unobtrusive dog-ears. Covers show light scuffing and shelf wear and/or other cosmetic defects (noted in the listing) that will not affect use or durability. No library markings, highlighting or heavy annotations, or serious cracking or sun-fade on spines, unless otherwise noted.

ACCEPTABLE   A “reading copy,” obviously well-used used but still serviceable. No missing. Bindings are still sound but may be somewhat loose, with heavy scuffing and/or shelf wear. Other defects (which will be noted in the listing) may include creasing and/or sun-fade on spines, dog-ears, edge bumps, library or other stampings, highlighting or annotations on pages (but not the point of obscuring the text), and/or light stains or discoloration.

RETURNS POLICY:

Returns are accepted if an item has been inaccurately graded, based upon the grading scale shown above; if we have failed to note a significant defect; or if the item was damaged in shipment. Returns for any other reason will not be accepted.

Qualified returns must be postmarked no later than 7 days from the package delivery date, as verified by the US Postal Service tracking data. Reimbursement for return shipping cost is limited to actual cost at USPS Media Mail rates. If a different return-shipping method is used, the sender is responsible for any cost in excess of the Media Mail rate. Refunds will be credited only to the account that was used to make the purchase.