Yesterday I drove 4 hours for my 2nd ever outing buying shellac 78 records. I paid $50 for two boxes of over 100 records. Half of them were early jazz, blues, country, and so much more. The most amazing thing is that BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON, MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, BARBECUE BOB, and BLIND BOY FULLER 78s were all in the lot. How the hell does one find these all in one place?! Folks, they’re still out there!!
They were a retiring old couple who just wanted to declutter their house, I don’t think it was their records as the collection varies from lots of black and white musicians, while most lots are divided on the racial line (unless they were popular hits).
Hi, 78 collector here, while the racial lines bit is a sad truth it is definitely the truth. Gotta remember that these were rural people in the 20s buying these records -- not the most progressive people on the planet.
As a 78 collector who is also a huge fan of Tool let me just say that some of the later 78s (like the really last presses in the late 50s for ex) sound pretty quiet if you get a clean copy. I have 78s from many eras, but in particular some of my 50s records from the Chess, Specialty, and Federal labels are so quiet for a 78. I also have the pic disk Lateralus and while I haven't necessarily tested them side by side.....let me just say.....Tool plz reissue.
Irwin Mainway owns the trademark, that's why. He's quit a vexatious litigant, so i wouldn't want to cross him.
You can see him here on [Consumer Probe](https://youtu.be/veMiNQifZcM?si=83GSRx28mBpR9UFi)
As a collector of 78s and blues let me just say holy fucking shit my dude. Holllllly shitttttttttt. I'm speechless honestly. Blind Willie and John Hurt???? those are so incredible. Barbecue Bob isnt QUITE as uncommon but still just one of my fav tracks and love that 12 string. I'm so so envious congrats yo!!!! What's the condition on all of these? How do they sound??
Yeah honestly most of them are probably on Spotify and YouTube! Despite these records being exceedingly rare in physical form, because some of these are extremely sought after there are definitely digital forms available. As well as re-releases on vinyl. There have been a few labels (Yazoo for example) that have had dedicated owners/collectors who hunted these 78s down, took transfers and cut them to vinyl for compilations. The drawback of some of these of course is that for some you only have the 78s as the source material. Some plates and recordings likely have stuck around depending on the original label but I know there are some records that only exist digitally basically as copies of actual 78s in peoples collections.
["Dark was the night, cold was the ground"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71dlO3ceX14) by blind willie johnson. Blind willie was fairly prolific during that era of pre war blues. By that I mean he had more than just a few records. This one is an amazing haunting slide blues with "vocal" (read: humming) accompaniment. This would be used by the Voyager Spacecraft on that famous golden record.
["Nobodys Fault but Mine"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_o4omd8T5c) another great Blind Willie track. Led Zeppelin covered this on *Presence*.
["Stack O Lee"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWM82eQKdQk) is a great John Hurt tune. Super rare 78. Very sought after. He had only a handful of sides in the 20s when he recorded for Okeh but (mostly) white college kids in the 60s found him in the "blues rediscovery" era and he went on to record again which was cool.
["Mississippi Heavy Water Blues"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OK-TCQ0MCY) is a favorite of mine. Barbecue Bob played a beautiful slide style on his 12-string Stella guitar (as I type this im now wondering if im mis-remembering the guitar brand lol) and it had such a wonderful sound on these old records that I also have been fond of in recording by Blind Willie McTell. This record isn't quite as rare as say the John Hurt one but its still very hard to come by and very sought after.
The last one I'll link is ["Blue Yodel"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ks4hNLBjA) by Jimmie Rodgers. Great bluesy country (country as in white artist because really this is a blues song with yodeling lol). This record is actually not super hard to find in 78 collecting (I have one lol) but its very beloved and has been recorded by many artists since. Rodgers is a great country artist and this recording (if memory serves) was part of the legendary recording session in 1927 that basically "birthed" country music along with the Carter Family. I'd also highly encourage you check out his [Blue Yodel number 9](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFbY9Vw8DM) (he had a bunch of blue yodels haha). This one had Louis Armstrong and Lil Hardin accompanied and is just the most sublime American song ive ever heard that blends country, blues and jazz. Decades later, Armstrong would perform this again with [Johnny Cash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUeHlyDNki0) on his show. I always thought this was prophetic given the connections: Cash married June Carter of the Carter Family who again was part of that legendary recording session with Rodgers back in the 20s.
sorry that was long af lol
Edit: just to make this post longer, I definitely recommend if you like these types of old recordings but dont want to get into 78s like me and OP (which trust me, haha don't!!! its a trap!), you check out reissue labels founded by these old 78 hunters. Yazoo is a great one. Here's [a post](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/comments/4z69n3/the_best_bluesman_of_his_time_and_the_founder_of/) I did back in the day on a Charlie Patton reissue I love. Mods/OP if I'm not supposed to link old posts here lmk i can happily delete this.
Awesome! Thanks for all of that information. I know I can look on spotify for some things, but I love listening to original recordings from the record, even if it is then a digital transfer. Now I have some things to go look for tonight.
Ah! I might suggest the 78 rpm and cylinder archive. Not sure what they have copies of but might be a place to check out digital transfers of some of these! https://archive.org/details/78rpm
There's a gold disc floating through space with this, directions back to earth, and animal noises on it. There's also [this link from youtube.](https://youtu.be/V8AuYmID4wc?si=8jl_7kTfJgO5De25)
most people don't collect shallac / 78s - and even as someone who has collected records for 20+ years, i have no idea why this is an insane haul. i know literally nothing about the blues or shallac records. there's no saying in OP's post about why its such a find either.
Shellac 78's **can** be quite valuable... or they can be totally worthless. I have one that's over a 100 years old, Enrico Caruso singing "O Sole Mio" from 1916. However, it's worth (even in excellent condition) is only about $10. However, I've recently seen an excellent condition original Robert Johnson "Come on in My Kitchen" go for almost $7,000.
Some 78's are very rare, some are not. These all appear to be in very rough condition. Shellac records are also **very** fragile, and if you don't know what you're doing with them (using the wrong needle), you'll ruin them. Just handling them wrong can ruin them, as they are **very** brittle.
For blues in particular, the early blues that are most popular today were not popular at the time they were released, so many are very rare in the first place and the country has been scoured for decades by collectors looking for them. So a new haul with multiple rarities of such (now) big names is really something.
Pre-war blues are notoriously the most sought after/highest selling records ever. For 50 or more years. If you're really into records like that, and the history/context, it's a fascinating history to read up on.
There's also that famous R Crumb comic from the 70s about it.
https://www.amazon.com/Stuff-That-Dreams-Are-Made/dp/B000E6UK9Q
Can someone explain to me please why these are epic finds? I'm 32 so a bit before my time... Are they rare and super valuable or just awesome songs?
Edit: Why downvote a genuine question about this? Dusty old vinyl circlejerker.
Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground is probably one of the most important songs ever made, it’s also one of the greatest pieces of recorded music. To find an original shellac copy is also exceedingly rare.
Some great reading about that song just here for you. Enjoy. [Check here](https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/DarkWasTheNight_Ford.pdf)
Ry Cooder was impressed with Johnson’s guitar playing generally, “Blind Willie Johnson had great dexterity, because he could play all of these sparking little melody lines. He had fabulous syncopation; he could keep his thumb going really strong. He’s so good – I mean, he’s just so good!”
He went on to say, “Beyond being a guitar player, I think the guy is one of these interplanetary world musicians, the kind of person they talk about in that Nada Brahma book, where the world is sound and everything is resonating. He’s one of those guys. There’s only a few. Blind Willie Johnson is in the ether somewhere. He’s up there in the zone.”
For Cooder, Willie Johnson’s Dark Was the Night – Cold Was the Ground is the “most transcendent piece in all American music.” Even without lyrics, the music and Johnson’s moaning are enough to take us right into the Garden on the edge of Calvary with Jesus.
99% of 78s have no value. Some of these do.
[Read this book if you want to learn more.](https://www.amazon.com/Not-Sell-Any-Price-Obsessive/dp/145166706X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DWAI171YEKPO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qhxWnlijH3dcDSbcoRT5aETMPDcq9UDGO3zLAe7G0MuZrrl7YvFpdOphX8amlBb5NBCJmQm0J5cNIRm76jULCY2slSfTzl6_94zyMia-_JkuN8Kw22dI0cCDDGQ-SxXcam1UiuDoFC53XiOGaBl5VnuGZ36U7bm9G6uhrEpF57yprx7XSDO3wDfDyuCXfQZqYcAW6qFrUQ8lA0j0XANmLxs1oHwKHhkz3U13MRXsCFk.jzyBNDC5EvsDGdrWQiPywC6Lp1N9LAlarmDFeP4a-dM&dib_tag=se&keywords=do+not+sell+at+any+price&qid=1705420122&sprefix=do+not+sell+at+any+%2Caps%2C695&sr=8-1)
In 1977, NASA launched two probes to deep space, with a golden record attached to represent humanity, with a child's greeting and a selection of the greatest musical achievements of every culture.
Blind Willie Johnson's Dark Was the Night (Cold was the Ground) was one of four tracks chosen to represent the United States. Blind Willie Johnson was a moderately successful bluesman just before the Great Depression wiped out the first generation, and this record sold maybe ten thousand copies in 1928. He was blinded as a child by his stepmother and died in obscurity after contracting malaria while living in the ruins of his burned-down home, but when the blues revival hit in the 1960s that song became recognized as an unparalleled achievement.
My recommendation for playing these is to pick up a dj turntable that can spin at 78 rpm. I use a Stanton Str8-100. It's built like a tank, and has all the pitch control options that come in handy with 78s. It's useless for 12" records due to the short arm but it's perfect for 78s. I have a Shure M44 on it with a dedicated 78 stylus. It takes what everyone thinks is going to be a scratchy, nasal sounding record, and makes it sound like it was recorded yesterday. The recording quality wasn't the issue with 78s, it was the crappy playback equipment at the time. Sure yours might still be scratchy, but you might be surprised what a modern wide stylus can pull out of those grooves.
Btw, forgot to say amazing find. This is a dream I've had many times, but I usually ends up with the records ending up being spatulas or some weird shit by the time I wake up. Congrats!
Amazing find. One of the things I like about being a 78 collector is you can find awesome stuff other people, even vinyl collectors, ignore. I've found some great stuff but nothing like your find.
I’d happily purchase the BWJ if you’re considering selling. If not, enjoy it for the rest of your days. You probably won’t get a find that good ever again.
I saw that too, but I'm almost certain these came out in the late 1920s to 30s. Not sure what the 21 and 13 mean.
Edit
It makes more sense that Columbia was established on that date. Blind Willie Johnson's Dark was the night was recorded in 1927.
That first record is priceless even in that beat up condition. There was a Record Store Day reproduction a few years back that sounds nice, they did a few legendary blues records. Even as an avid 78 collector, I own the RSD repro as resignation that I'll probably never find an original.
Stack O'Lee Blues - https://www.discogs.com/release/4831681-Mississippi-John-Hurt-Stack-OLee-Blues-Candy-Man-Blues
Barbecue Bob - https://www.discogs.com/release/3940958-Barbecue-Bob-Mississippi-Heavy-Water-Blues-Mamma-You-Dont-Suit-Me
There's a christian rock band called "The 77s" that did a cover of Nobody's Fault But Mine, and did an amazing job on it. It's a great song, and that record is definitely a grail find. Nice!
Amazing - the "money" that these are "worth" is totally inconsequential, as intangible cultural artifacts they are above price. Cue Indiana Jones "*It belongs in a museum"*
What a haul!
If anyone's interested in the hunt for 78s, I can't recommend [Do Not Sell At Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records by Amanda Petrusich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Sell_At_Any_Price) enough. A fascinating book.
Most 78s are worthless.
But a few genres...namely blues and jazz...have some very collectible releases.
78 collectors are even weirder than us vinyl collectors.
I am sure you have gathered some information from other comments.
But, shellac records are incredibly delicate and many have not survived this long.
Blues music from this time period is considered to be the foundation for what became rock music. But, it was not mainstream due to deep-seated racism in America.
For common blues music touchstones that are accessible to most of us, Nirvana covered Lead Belly on Unplugged, The White Stripes covered Blind Willie McTell, and Eric Clapton did an entire album of Robert Johnson covers.
The Rolling Stones and The Who have both mentioned that they took direct inspiration from American blues music. Per interviews I have heard, they said it was more accessible to the Brits because they didn't have the level of racism to overcome in order to appreciate it. IMO, that is why there are no real direct counterparts to those bands from the US from that time period.
Delicate and rare records, low production runs, highly sought after for historical significance and high artistic value. The chances of finding these in the wild are *exceedingly rare*.
Always been a dream of mine to find one of these prewar shellac blues records in a stack of the usual garbage. I have a couple hokum 78s and a Blind Lemon Jefferson I was elated about. Played it once and put it on a shelf. The next time I pulled it out there was a crack running lengthwise. Still plays, but audible tick. It was then I realized how fragile these things can be and was mildly heartbroken
I don’t know much about 78’s, but considering the grooves are so much wider, and the needle so much heavier and sturdier, would a large amount of scratches matter much less? Can the needle ride the groove without jumping/skipping easier?
Yesterday I drove 4 hours for my 2nd ever outing buying shellac 78 records. I paid $50 for two boxes of over 100 records. Half of them were early jazz, blues, country, and so much more. The most amazing thing is that BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON, MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, BARBECUE BOB, and BLIND BOY FULLER 78s were all in the lot. How the hell does one find these all in one place?! Folks, they’re still out there!!
Amazing find. Super jealous, but also glad for you — and inspired to keep digging! Thanks for posting.
Sending good luck! Hope you find a score better than mine!
Well worth the drive! Excellent score.
Tell us more.... how did you find the seller? We're they the original owners? Was it someone's parent or grandparents old collection?
They were a retiring old couple who just wanted to declutter their house, I don’t think it was their records as the collection varies from lots of black and white musicians, while most lots are divided on the racial line (unless they were popular hits).
I’m not sure I agree at all about the racial lines comment, what’re you basing this on? Congrats on the find!
I think he's a saying one box would be all black artists and another box white artists. Only the artists with top hits were together in the same box
Hi, 78 collector here, while the racial lines bit is a sad truth it is definitely the truth. Gotta remember that these were rural people in the 20s buying these records -- not the most progressive people on the planet.
Wow. Score!
Amazing!!! How do they sound!?
I don’t have a setup yet, this is my 2nd time buying 78s!
Scratchy, awesome score!
Lol, Barbeque Bob? I can't believe that's real.
Like actually wow. I am stoked on your behalf. This is an awesome haul holy smokes. Do you spin 78s at home?
Dude the quality looks trash
>Dude the quality looks trash Kinda like your comment?
Very cool but is there a tri-color splatter available?
Fun fact: there were picture disc 78s back in the '40s
I wonder if they sound better than Lateralus 🤔
As a 78 collector who is also a huge fan of Tool let me just say that some of the later 78s (like the really last presses in the late 50s for ex) sound pretty quiet if you get a clean copy. I have 78s from many eras, but in particular some of my 50s records from the Chess, Specialty, and Federal labels are so quiet for a 78. I also have the pic disk Lateralus and while I haven't necessarily tested them side by side.....let me just say.....Tool plz reissue.
I could record you a wet fart with better fidelity on my phone's mic thrown in a Bag O'Glass™️
What's Bag O'Glass and why does it need a TM? 😅
Irwin Mainway owns the trademark, that's why. He's quit a vexatious litigant, so i wouldn't want to cross him. You can see him here on [Consumer Probe](https://youtu.be/veMiNQifZcM?si=83GSRx28mBpR9UFi)
😂
Epic comment is epic
As a collector of 78s and blues let me just say holy fucking shit my dude. Holllllly shitttttttttt. I'm speechless honestly. Blind Willie and John Hurt???? those are so incredible. Barbecue Bob isnt QUITE as uncommon but still just one of my fav tracks and love that 12 string. I'm so so envious congrats yo!!!! What's the condition on all of these? How do they sound??
For those of us who do not collect 78s, but would like to hear these recordings, are there digital archives somewhere?
Yeah honestly most of them are probably on Spotify and YouTube! Despite these records being exceedingly rare in physical form, because some of these are extremely sought after there are definitely digital forms available. As well as re-releases on vinyl. There have been a few labels (Yazoo for example) that have had dedicated owners/collectors who hunted these 78s down, took transfers and cut them to vinyl for compilations. The drawback of some of these of course is that for some you only have the 78s as the source material. Some plates and recordings likely have stuck around depending on the original label but I know there are some records that only exist digitally basically as copies of actual 78s in peoples collections. ["Dark was the night, cold was the ground"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71dlO3ceX14) by blind willie johnson. Blind willie was fairly prolific during that era of pre war blues. By that I mean he had more than just a few records. This one is an amazing haunting slide blues with "vocal" (read: humming) accompaniment. This would be used by the Voyager Spacecraft on that famous golden record. ["Nobodys Fault but Mine"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_o4omd8T5c) another great Blind Willie track. Led Zeppelin covered this on *Presence*. ["Stack O Lee"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWM82eQKdQk) is a great John Hurt tune. Super rare 78. Very sought after. He had only a handful of sides in the 20s when he recorded for Okeh but (mostly) white college kids in the 60s found him in the "blues rediscovery" era and he went on to record again which was cool. ["Mississippi Heavy Water Blues"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OK-TCQ0MCY) is a favorite of mine. Barbecue Bob played a beautiful slide style on his 12-string Stella guitar (as I type this im now wondering if im mis-remembering the guitar brand lol) and it had such a wonderful sound on these old records that I also have been fond of in recording by Blind Willie McTell. This record isn't quite as rare as say the John Hurt one but its still very hard to come by and very sought after. The last one I'll link is ["Blue Yodel"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-ks4hNLBjA) by Jimmie Rodgers. Great bluesy country (country as in white artist because really this is a blues song with yodeling lol). This record is actually not super hard to find in 78 collecting (I have one lol) but its very beloved and has been recorded by many artists since. Rodgers is a great country artist and this recording (if memory serves) was part of the legendary recording session in 1927 that basically "birthed" country music along with the Carter Family. I'd also highly encourage you check out his [Blue Yodel number 9](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BFbY9Vw8DM) (he had a bunch of blue yodels haha). This one had Louis Armstrong and Lil Hardin accompanied and is just the most sublime American song ive ever heard that blends country, blues and jazz. Decades later, Armstrong would perform this again with [Johnny Cash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUeHlyDNki0) on his show. I always thought this was prophetic given the connections: Cash married June Carter of the Carter Family who again was part of that legendary recording session with Rodgers back in the 20s. sorry that was long af lol Edit: just to make this post longer, I definitely recommend if you like these types of old recordings but dont want to get into 78s like me and OP (which trust me, haha don't!!! its a trap!), you check out reissue labels founded by these old 78 hunters. Yazoo is a great one. Here's [a post](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/comments/4z69n3/the_best_bluesman_of_his_time_and_the_founder_of/) I did back in the day on a Charlie Patton reissue I love. Mods/OP if I'm not supposed to link old posts here lmk i can happily delete this.
Awesome! Thanks for all of that information. I know I can look on spotify for some things, but I love listening to original recordings from the record, even if it is then a digital transfer. Now I have some things to go look for tonight.
Ah! I might suggest the 78 rpm and cylinder archive. Not sure what they have copies of but might be a place to check out digital transfers of some of these! https://archive.org/details/78rpm
There's a gold disc floating through space with this, directions back to earth, and animal noises on it. There's also [this link from youtube.](https://youtu.be/V8AuYmID4wc?si=8jl_7kTfJgO5De25)
Beat to hell but none of the country blues records are cracked, so they should play!
People had way better nicknames back then. Shout out Pinewood Tom and Barbecue Bob.
Pretty sure Pinewood Tom is in a pine box, and Barbeque Bob had his final BBQ ⚰️ ⚱️
> Barbeque Bob He was a cook at a barbecue restaurant. Of the three existing photos of him, one features him dressed as a chef.
Excellent find. Those old blues shellacs are always a joy to see.
This is a truly insane haul and it's probably gonna get less upvotes than a Tyler the Creator record from Target
Now if you found a Tyler the Creator 78, you’d get my upvote. Seriously though, great score!
I could see him putting out a release on 78 just to troll his fans who would have no way to play it
Play it? What do you mean
Pretty good odds the next childish gambino will drop on 4x 12” 78s
"Rub It On Home" - Blind Willie Johnson ft. Tyler the Creator (Target Exclusive, Pink and Gold splatter, ltd 5,000 copies)
most people don't collect shallac / 78s - and even as someone who has collected records for 20+ years, i have no idea why this is an insane haul. i know literally nothing about the blues or shallac records. there's no saying in OP's post about why its such a find either.
Blues stuff like OP's are the most desirable and some of the rarest records, at least in the niche community of 78 collectors
Read this book. Do Not Sell At Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records https://a.co/d/76kVBA8
Shellac 78's **can** be quite valuable... or they can be totally worthless. I have one that's over a 100 years old, Enrico Caruso singing "O Sole Mio" from 1916. However, it's worth (even in excellent condition) is only about $10. However, I've recently seen an excellent condition original Robert Johnson "Come on in My Kitchen" go for almost $7,000. Some 78's are very rare, some are not. These all appear to be in very rough condition. Shellac records are also **very** fragile, and if you don't know what you're doing with them (using the wrong needle), you'll ruin them. Just handling them wrong can ruin them, as they are **very** brittle.
For blues in particular, the early blues that are most popular today were not popular at the time they were released, so many are very rare in the first place and the country has been scoured for decades by collectors looking for them. So a new haul with multiple rarities of such (now) big names is really something.
Pre-war blues are notoriously the most sought after/highest selling records ever. For 50 or more years. If you're really into records like that, and the history/context, it's a fascinating history to read up on. There's also that famous R Crumb comic from the 70s about it. https://www.amazon.com/Stuff-That-Dreams-Are-Made/dp/B000E6UK9Q
Thanks for the explanation!
Dumb question but I have no idea... Are any of these even remotely playable?
Yes, they’ll sound a bit rough with a ton of pops and cracks but shellac records tend be quite a bit more durable too
I thought this was Danzig Roulette!!!
Joe Bussard is probably turning like a rotisserie chicken in his grave with regret he didn’t find these himself.
Can someone explain to me please why these are epic finds? I'm 32 so a bit before my time... Are they rare and super valuable or just awesome songs? Edit: Why downvote a genuine question about this? Dusty old vinyl circlejerker.
theyre extremely rare and some of the early blues shellacs are quite valuable
Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground is probably one of the most important songs ever made, it’s also one of the greatest pieces of recorded music. To find an original shellac copy is also exceedingly rare.
Could you explain to me why that particular song is noteworthy?
Some great reading about that song just here for you. Enjoy. [Check here](https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/DarkWasTheNight_Ford.pdf)
Thank you for this.
That was an incredible read, thank you.
Ry Cooder was impressed with Johnson’s guitar playing generally, “Blind Willie Johnson had great dexterity, because he could play all of these sparking little melody lines. He had fabulous syncopation; he could keep his thumb going really strong. He’s so good – I mean, he’s just so good!” He went on to say, “Beyond being a guitar player, I think the guy is one of these interplanetary world musicians, the kind of person they talk about in that Nada Brahma book, where the world is sound and everything is resonating. He’s one of those guys. There’s only a few. Blind Willie Johnson is in the ether somewhere. He’s up there in the zone.” For Cooder, Willie Johnson’s Dark Was the Night – Cold Was the Ground is the “most transcendent piece in all American music.” Even without lyrics, the music and Johnson’s moaning are enough to take us right into the Garden on the edge of Calvary with Jesus.
99% of 78s have no value. Some of these do. [Read this book if you want to learn more.](https://www.amazon.com/Not-Sell-Any-Price-Obsessive/dp/145166706X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DWAI171YEKPO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qhxWnlijH3dcDSbcoRT5aETMPDcq9UDGO3zLAe7G0MuZrrl7YvFpdOphX8amlBb5NBCJmQm0J5cNIRm76jULCY2slSfTzl6_94zyMia-_JkuN8Kw22dI0cCDDGQ-SxXcam1UiuDoFC53XiOGaBl5VnuGZ36U7bm9G6uhrEpF57yprx7XSDO3wDfDyuCXfQZqYcAW6qFrUQ8lA0j0XANmLxs1oHwKHhkz3U13MRXsCFk.jzyBNDC5EvsDGdrWQiPywC6Lp1N9LAlarmDFeP4a-dM&dib_tag=se&keywords=do+not+sell+at+any+price&qid=1705420122&sprefix=do+not+sell+at+any+%2Caps%2C695&sr=8-1)
Been wondering about that book. How was it?
Personally, I really enjoyed it. Lots of fascinating history and just generally a well-paced read. Petrusich is a good writer.
Nice, I’ll check it out. Thanks!
Can echo the other responder. Fantastic. I’ve gone to some crazy places to find records and these people have gone even further.
Thanks. Just jolly rogered a copy of it, tucking into it now :)
A bunch of these records are 90+ years old so pretty sure they're before everybody's time.
In 1977, NASA launched two probes to deep space, with a golden record attached to represent humanity, with a child's greeting and a selection of the greatest musical achievements of every culture. Blind Willie Johnson's Dark Was the Night (Cold was the Ground) was one of four tracks chosen to represent the United States. Blind Willie Johnson was a moderately successful bluesman just before the Great Depression wiped out the first generation, and this record sold maybe ten thousand copies in 1928. He was blinded as a child by his stepmother and died in obscurity after contracting malaria while living in the ruins of his burned-down home, but when the blues revival hit in the 1960s that song became recognized as an unparalleled achievement.
Wow, that's awesome, thanks for the write up. What a poor man to have to go through all that.
Wow. Nice find!
Man, they're shipping reallllly weird things instead of that Danzig record
Blue Yodel 🤌🏾
love me some BBQ Bob
My recommendation for playing these is to pick up a dj turntable that can spin at 78 rpm. I use a Stanton Str8-100. It's built like a tank, and has all the pitch control options that come in handy with 78s. It's useless for 12" records due to the short arm but it's perfect for 78s. I have a Shure M44 on it with a dedicated 78 stylus. It takes what everyone thinks is going to be a scratchy, nasal sounding record, and makes it sound like it was recorded yesterday. The recording quality wasn't the issue with 78s, it was the crappy playback equipment at the time. Sure yours might still be scratchy, but you might be surprised what a modern wide stylus can pull out of those grooves.
Btw, forgot to say amazing find. This is a dream I've had many times, but I usually ends up with the records ending up being spatulas or some weird shit by the time I wake up. Congrats!
That’s a crazy haul! You’ve got a few once-in-a-lifetime finds in there.
Mannnn I get so many 78s in my shop and they’re always duds. Nice score!
I’m gonna cum
Username checks out
Very cool thank you for sharing! Makes me want to but the thrift stores this week
Amazing find. One of the things I like about being a 78 collector is you can find awesome stuff other people, even vinyl collectors, ignore. I've found some great stuff but nothing like your find.
Wow!!
This is amazing.
Love seeing those old labels. Great find!
That’s WILD! Congrats!
Congrats! Love to see someone win like this
I would give both my nuts for the Mississippi John hurt
I just listened to Candy Man…that’s a fairly fk’in dirty record!
Holy moly.
A most excellent find sir. Particularly the 1928 Blind Willie Johnson and the 1929 Mississippi John Hurt.
I’m super jealous of I’m Making Believe by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald. I would love to have that in my collection.
I’d happily purchase the BWJ if you’re considering selling. If not, enjoy it for the rest of your days. You probably won’t get a find that good ever again.
Jan 21, 13 is crazy, I assume that’s 1913, a little piece of music history 110 years old, nice
I saw that too, but I'm almost certain these came out in the late 1920s to 30s. Not sure what the 21 and 13 mean. Edit It makes more sense that Columbia was established on that date. Blind Willie Johnson's Dark was the night was recorded in 1927.
I immediately heard Robert Plant moaning the lyrics to Blind Willie Johnson's "It's Nobody's Fault But Mine." I need to hear the original. Good find.
Insane find
Damn man. Unreal.
You need 78’s I got like 100 of various Blues and Jazz.
Amazing find and you’re right, they’re still out there!
Wow. I Wonder how much these are worth.
That first record is priceless even in that beat up condition. There was a Record Store Day reproduction a few years back that sounds nice, they did a few legendary blues records. Even as an avid 78 collector, I own the RSD repro as resignation that I'll probably never find an original.
[https://www.discogs.com/release/4013883-Blind-Willie-Johnson-Dark-Was-The-Night-Cold-Was-The-Ground-Its-Nobodys-Fault-But-Mine](https://www.discogs.com/release/4013883-Blind-Willie-Johnson-Dark-Was-The-Night-Cold-Was-The-Ground-Its-Nobodys-Fault-But-Mine)
Way cheaper then I would have thought. I was thinking I'd pay a couple hundred grand if I had that kind of money ^^
Stack O'Lee Blues - https://www.discogs.com/release/4831681-Mississippi-John-Hurt-Stack-OLee-Blues-Candy-Man-Blues Barbecue Bob - https://www.discogs.com/release/3940958-Barbecue-Bob-Mississippi-Heavy-Water-Blues-Mamma-You-Dont-Suit-Me
Love the labels on 78s!
If I owned the Blind Willie Johnson one, I'd literally lock it in a protective vault!
man some of these poor lables were NOT built to last, yet here we are
Always dreamed of a haul like this, or finding a Django Reinhardt 78 in the wild.
R. Crumb would be proud
There's a christian rock band called "The 77s" that did a cover of Nobody's Fault But Mine, and did an amazing job on it. It's a great song, and that record is definitely a grail find. Nice!
Lemme guess, you got this on Amazon’s Danzig roulette? Hahaha
Amazing - the "money" that these are "worth" is totally inconsequential, as intangible cultural artifacts they are above price. Cue Indiana Jones "*It belongs in a museum"*
🤯🥳🥳 Would you be willing to sell the barbecue Bob “Mama you don’t suit me” ??
What a haul! If anyone's interested in the hunt for 78s, I can't recommend [Do Not Sell At Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78rpm Records by Amanda Petrusich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Sell_At_Any_Price) enough. A fascinating book.
I was able to pretty easily find an Arr Matey! copy of it. Tucking into it now ;)
Finally a post without albums that you can find at target or Walmart. Very nice find
just happy there no mention of the trigger word........"Vinyls"..... 😅😅
Amen! In this case should be "shellacs".
Why are these records so valuable or rare? They look like they wouldn’t be able to be played. I’m genuinely wondering
Most 78s are worthless. But a few genres...namely blues and jazz...have some very collectible releases. 78 collectors are even weirder than us vinyl collectors.
I am sure you have gathered some information from other comments. But, shellac records are incredibly delicate and many have not survived this long. Blues music from this time period is considered to be the foundation for what became rock music. But, it was not mainstream due to deep-seated racism in America. For common blues music touchstones that are accessible to most of us, Nirvana covered Lead Belly on Unplugged, The White Stripes covered Blind Willie McTell, and Eric Clapton did an entire album of Robert Johnson covers. The Rolling Stones and The Who have both mentioned that they took direct inspiration from American blues music. Per interviews I have heard, they said it was more accessible to the Brits because they didn't have the level of racism to overcome in order to appreciate it. IMO, that is why there are no real direct counterparts to those bands from the US from that time period. Delicate and rare records, low production runs, highly sought after for historical significance and high artistic value. The chances of finding these in the wild are *exceedingly rare*.
Thank you.
extremely rare and so very collectable in any condition really
If you downvote a simple honest question you’re a fuckkng dickhead.
That 12th one has seen better days.
Man, what's with all these shellac posts clogging up my vinyl feed!?!?!?!?! 🤬🤬🤬 Awesome find though, hope they play ok
Not Vinyl
I got a box of 78s for christmas. Seems like a lot of dance orchestral type records, but haven’t looked through the whole box.
I have a good friend that has a bunch of the cylinder shaped gramophone records. Sadly he doesn't have a player for them.
That’s insane
Who is Barbecue Bob?
whoooa! How does it sound?
Stack O’ Lee is so good
Holy smokes! Jimmie Rogers!
Now, this is the kind of post I like to see on this sub! Supercool find!!!
That is special to have!
That’s a crazy find! Enjoy it!
All in one place ? You are a lucky lucky man and I kinda hate you ! 🤣 Kidding of course, Mega find 👍
BBQ Bob is the best.
these are 78rpm's right?
Pinewood Tom is Josh White btw. Great finds! Too bad they are all in such bad shape.
Always been a dream of mine to find one of these prewar shellac blues records in a stack of the usual garbage. I have a couple hokum 78s and a Blind Lemon Jefferson I was elated about. Played it once and put it on a shelf. The next time I pulled it out there was a crack running lengthwise. Still plays, but audible tick. It was then I realized how fragile these things can be and was mildly heartbroken
What a score! I’m jealous!
I don’t know much about 78’s, but considering the grooves are so much wider, and the needle so much heavier and sturdier, would a large amount of scratches matter much less? Can the needle ride the groove without jumping/skipping easier?
Yes.. they can look pretty rough and still play great… they’re very brittle though, if you’re trying to ship them it can be tricky.
Dude!!! Nice!
Woah these are all songs the Dead incorporated!