Papers from the Jim Walsh Collection
Catalog Record: http://lccn.loc.gov/2008647469
General International Standard for Archival Description
Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Library of Congress Washington, D.C.
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Papers from the Jim Walsh Collection 1867-1987, and undated 1913-1985
Walsh, Jim, 1903-1990
Biographical History for: Papers from the Jim Walsh Collection 1867-1987, and undated 1913-1985
Biographical Note Journalist and collector Ulysses "Jim" Walsh (1903-1990) was born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 20, 1903. Best known for his "Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists" column that appeared in Hobbies magazine for over forty years, Walsh was recognized as one of the greatest collectors and authorities on popular acoustical-era recording artists and their recordings. Walsh took an early interest in records, amassing a sizable collection and encyclopedic knowledge by the time he was a teenager. He began writing for newspapers in the late 1920s and had articles published in specialty magazines about recording artists. In 1934 Walsh moved to Johnson City, Tennessee, to become a reporter for the Johnson City Press, a job he would hold for nine years. Ulysses Walsh acquired the nickname "Jim," which he went by for the rest of his life, while working for the Press. While living in Tennessee in 1939, Walsh began hosting a radio program on local station WJHL. His program Walsh's Wax Works showcased old recordings from his collection and gave him a forum to discuss the lives and accomplishments of the artists whose music he played. In 1942 Walsh began writing his column on early recording artists for Hobbies magazine. The column, originally called "The Coney Island Crowd," was soon renamed "Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists," the name under which it continued to be published through 1985. The column focused particularly on popular and vernacular recordings made before 1909, including jazz, humor, minstrel, and vaudeville; the focus was later broadened to include those artists who recorded before the dawn of electric recording techniques in 1925. In the following years, Walsh became well known among collectors as the authority on these early popular recordings. Although best known for his Hobbies columns, Walsh reached an even wider audience through his contributions to Variety and The New Yorker, among other publications. In 1943 Walsh moved to the town of Vinton, Virginia, adjacent to Roanoke, and joined the staff of the Roanoke World News. At the same time, he made connections with radio station WDBJ in Roanoke and resurrected his show Walsh’s Wax Works. After a short run, he moved the show to radio station WSLS, where it was broadcast through 1960. Walsh continued to collect recordings, playback equipment, and reference resources such as record catalogs, magazines, and advertisements. For many of his favorite artists, such as Billy Murray, Al Jolson, Harry Lauder, and Vernon Dalhart, he collected nearly every recording they had ever made. Walsh became a great correspondent, fostering relationships with recording artists, collectors, dealers, and his readers and listeners. In later years, he traveled to gatherings of early recording artists and collectors, meeting many of the artists he had idolized as a child. Walsh was a lifetime bachelor and had a deep devotion to his many cats. He gave updates on his "family of cats" in much of his correspondence and occasionally in his columns; he even arranged to have poems published under the name of his favorite cat: Professor Plum Duff Walsh, Ph.D. During the late 1970s and 1980s Walsh’s health declined, and he complained of memory loss. In May 1985 his last column was published in Hobbies. He died in 1990 after several years of residence in nursing homes. Walsh was posthumously awarded the first Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) in 1991.
Scope and Content Note Jim Walsh devoted his life to collecting, researching, and writing about early popular recordings and recording artists. These papers make up part of the much larger Jim Walsh Collection of early recordings, audio equipment, and related items donated by Walsh to the Library of Congress between 1965 and 1987. The complete collection consists of approximately 40,000 discs, 500 cylinders, and 23 early phonographs. Recordings in the collection are primarily of popular and vernacular music recorded during the acoustical era (pre-1926). It includes a nearly complete run of 5,000 to 6,000 Edison "Diamond Disc" recordings as well as many early Edison cylinders. This portion of the collection consists of documents and other paper records that relate to Walsh's career and collecting efforts. Included are letters with prominent artists and collectors, research notes, photographs of performers, scripts for Walsh’s radio shows, drafts of his columns and articles, clippings, bound journals, advertisements, and ephemera. The papers also hold a wealth of biographical information about Jim Walsh, including a diary, scrapbooks, photographs, and writings.
series
Series 1. Correspondence/Research Files, 1913-1987, and undated
Consists of correspondence, notes, copies of birth and death records, obituaries, and other materials collected by Walsh as he researched performers and recordings. The Correspondence subseries consists of Jim Walsh’s written communications with collectors, dealers, experts, record companies, readers, and listeners. Many of the letters consist of requests for information, responses to requests for information, discussions concerning equipment, inquiries about particular recordings or companies, and potential purchases or trades. Frequent correspondents include Duane Deakins, Allen Debus, Milford Fargo, Jim Martindale, and Quentin Riggs. Research files consist of information about individuals, recordings, and subjects. Many of the files concerning recording artists or personalities include correspondence with or about the performers, and this is complemented by a wealth of other biographical information. Resources include copies of birth and death records, newspaper and magazine clippings, record lists, obituaries, research notes, brief biographies written by Walsh, and other miscellaneous items. Researchers can find photographs of many of the individuals represented here in Series 5.
subseries
Correspondence
file
Brooks, Tim, 1968, 1975
Burt, Leah Brodbeck Stenzel, 1972-1979
Columbia Phonograph Co., 1929-1957
Crossett, Glenn "Curly," 1948-1958
Deakins, Duane D., 1953-1961
Debus, Allen, 1942-1985
Dethlefson, Ronald, 1981
Dorian, Frank, 1930-1934
Edison, Thomas A. Co., 1923-1975
Includes copies of correspondence from 1921 to 1922.
Fargo, Milford, 1957-1961
Fasset, Stephen, 1940-1948, and undated
Favia-Artsay, Aida, 1953-1962
Forman, Ed, 1954-1957
Gennet Records, 1929
Hansen, Barry (1941-) ("Dr. Demento"), 1976
Harrington, Fred, 1971
Hearne, Will Roy, 1951-1952
John Beiling Day Party, 1948
Johnston, Stanley, 1952, 1958
Kattenberg, Burns M., 1933
Library of Congress, 1963-1987
Lincoln, Thomas R., 1942-1952
MacNamara, Daniel I., 1953
Marks, Herbert, 1953
Martindale, Jim (James V.) (1894-1981), 1938-1980
Miller, Phillip, 1953-1954
Moran, Bill, 1944, 1955
Odell, L. Brevoort, 1948-1969, and undated
Operaphone Records, 1918
Riggs, Quentin, 1945-1985
Rust, Brian A. L., 1957-1959, 1969
Stevens, Lou, 1947-1949
Victor Talking Machine Co./RCA Victor Co., 1925-1931
Welch, Walter L. (Walter Leslie), 1942, 1973
Woodymay Record Co., 1941-1949, and undated
Miscellaneous collectors, 1935-1974, and undated
Miscellaneous publishers and editors, 1931-1957, and undated
Miscellaneous readers and listeners, 1929-1979
Miscellaneous requests for information, 1933-1978, and undated
Unidentified correspondents, 1948-1970
Research files
Alexander, George (Clifford A. Wiley), 1954-1956
Austin, Gene, 1956
Baker, Elsie (1886-1958), 1948-1975
Ball, Rae Eleanor, undated
Banta, Frank E. (1897-1969), 1956-1978
Barbour, Inez (Mrs. Henry Hadley), 1955
Belmont, Joseph (1876-1949), 1949
Benzler, Albert, 1953
Berlin, Irving (1888-1989), 1948-1958
Bieling, John H. (1869-1948), 1948
Brown, Albert Edmund, 1929-1955
Busch, Lou (Joe “Fingers" Carr), 1955
Byrd, Harry Flood (1887-1966) (Senator), 1975
Caesar, Irving (1895-1996), 1957, and undated
Cali, John, circa 1969-1970
Cameron, Grace, 1957
Campbell, Albert, 1942
Chalmers, Thomas, 1973-1974
Clarence, Edward, undated
Clark, Helen, 1957-1958
Collins, Arthur, 1942-1948
Cowles, Eugene (1860-1948), undated
Crumit, Frank (and Julia Sanderson), 1943-1975
Dadmun, Royal, 1975, and undated
Dalhart, Vernon (1883-1948), 1970-1977, and undated
D’Almaine, Charles (1871-1943), 1951-1957
Dann Trio, The, 1973-1977
Davis, Joe (1896-1978), 1977, and undated
Diero, Guido and Pietro, 1954
De Leath, Vaughn, 1934, 1943, and undated
Dickens, Charles (1812-1870), 1954-1957
Dudley, George, 1950-1956
Duncan Sisters, The, 1952-1955
Duprez, Fred, 1938-1952, and undated
Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva) (1847-1931), 1916-1924
Copies.
Elman, Mischa (1891-1967), 1958-1959
Fagan, Sibyl Sanderson, 1919-1927
Photocopies.
Farley, James, 1944
Fields, Arthur, 1949-1953
Freemantel, Frederic, 1923, 1940-1951
Gilbert, L. Wolfe (Louis Wolfe) (1886-1970), 1953-1963
Gillham, Art (1895-1961), 1957
Girard, Armand (Rounders Quintet), 1970
Photocopy.
Glenn, Wilfred, 1970-1972
Green, Lew (Green Brothers), 1959-1961
Greene, Gene, 1956-1957
Gruppe, Paulo M., 1977-1978
Hall, Arthur, 1948-1950, and undated
Hall, Wendell, 1952-1964
Handy, W. C. (William Christopher) (1873-1958), 1951-1956
Hare, Ernest See Jones, Billy
Harlan, Byron G., 1948-1951
Harrison, Charles, 1940-1957
Hart, Chas. (Charles), 1953-1964
Harvey, Morton, 1949-1955
Hatlo, Jimmy, 1941, 1959
Helena, Edith (1876-1956), 1948-1956
Hindermyer, Harvey W., 1947-1957
Hooley, William (1861-1918), 1949
Howard, Joseph E. (Joseph Edgar) (1878-1961), 1944, and undated
Hunting, Russell, 1944-1950
Irwin, May (1862-1938), 1939
James, Lewis, undated
Jaudas, Eugene, 1928
Jones, Ada, 1954
Jones, Billy (1889-1940) and Ernest Hare, 1931-1959
Jones, Spike (1911-1965), 1948-1951
Jordan, Mary, 1923-1958
José, Richard (1862-1941), 1915-1950
Kaiser, Marie, 1915
Kaufman, Irving (1890-1976), 1940-1967, and undated
Keefe, Andrew, 1976
Kelso, Mayme (Mary L. Bent), 1979
Kimmel, John, 1952-1953
Kline, Olive, 1959-1976
Kronold, Harris, 1922
Laska, Edward (1894-1959), 1951-1955, and undated
Lauder, Harry, Sir (1870-1950), 1924
Laurie, Joe (1893-1954), 1943-1954, and undated
Leachman, Silas, 1954-1955, and undated
Lloyd, Alice (1873-1949) (Alice Wood), 1949
Lucey, Leola, 1919-1921
Lulu Belle & Scotty, 1942
Luther, Frank, 1946-1953
MacDonough, Harry (1871-1931), 1931-1932, 1948
Madeira, Addison, 1975-1976
Manhattan Ladies Quartet of New York City, 1913
Mann, Estella Louise (1871-1947), 1951
Marimba/xylophone, 1970-1972
Marshall, Henry, 1952-1959
Meeker, Edward (1874-1937), 1933, 1944, and undated
Meyer, John A., 1971
Morse, Dolly, 1952
Morse, Theodore F. (1873-1924), 1952
Morton, Ed, 1951-1952, and undated
Murray, Billy, 1932-1975, and undated
Nealy, Arthur, 1967, and undated
Norworth, Jack, 1942-1959
Oakland, Will (1883-1956), 1940-1956, and undated
O’Connor, George (1874-1946), 1943-1946
O’Hara, Geoffrey, 1960-1965
Ossman, Vess L., 1948-1949
Parvis, Taurino (born 1879), 1955-1956
Person, Alice, undated
Preston, Walter (baritone), 1970
Quinn, Dan W., 1932-1937, and undated
Raymond, Maud, undated
Reser, Harry, 1947-1948
Rice, Gladys, 1973-1977
Robinson, Bill (1878-1949) (Bojangles), 1949
Robison, Carson, 1929-1955
Robyn, Alfred G. (Alfred George) (1860-1935), 1949
Romain, Manuel, 1946-1951
Rose, Eugene, 1947-1952, and undated
Sadler, Josie, undated
Sanderson, Julia See Crumit, Frank
Scanlan, Walter (Van Brunt, Walter), 1935-1954, and undated
Seltsam, William H., circa 1930-1935
Shaw, Elliott, 1954, 1973
Shilkret, Nathaniel (1895-), 1952, 1961
Silver, Monroe, 1940
Smalle, Ed, 1953-1955, and undated
Smeck, Roy, 1977
Smith, Whistling Jack, 1950, 1958
Spaeth, Sigmund Gottfried (1885-1965), 1949-1955, and undated
Spalding, Albert (1888-1953), 1953
Spencer, Elizabeth, 1951, and undated
Spencer, Grace (1872-1952), 1947-1957
Spencer, Len (1867-1914), 1937-1979, and undated
Stanley, Aileen (1893-1982), 1959, 1963
Stanley, Frank C. (1868-1910), 1945, and undated
Sterling, Louis, 1948
Stevenson, Elsie, 1978, and undated
Stewart, Cal, 1975
Sundelius, Marie, 1956
Talley, Harry L., 1952-1956, and undated
Tollefson Trio, 1912, 1963
Photocopies of 1912 and 1963 materials.
Thomas, John Charles (1891-1960), 1971
Trix, Helen, 1950-1951, and undated
Tucker, Sophie (1884-1966), 1953-1966
Van Eps, Fred (1878-1960), 1950-1958, and undated
Vance, Clarice, undated
Walker, Ray, 1944-1960, and undated
Biographical information.
Watawaso, Princess, 1969
Photocopies of 1969 materials.
Wheeler, Dan, 1957
Wheeler, Fred, 1948, 1950
White, Edna (born 1892), 1957-1980, and undated
White, Joseph M. ("The Silvermasked Tenor"), 1953-1954
Whitehouse, Fred, 1951-1953, and undated
Whitlock, Billy, 1949-1950, and undated
Whitney, Edwin M., 1951-1960
Wiedoeft, Rudy, 1964-1977
Wilder, Marshall, undated
Wills, Nat M., 1916, and undated
Mostly photocopies of 1916 material.
Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville) (1881-1975), 1975
Wood, De, 1952-1953
“Wreck of the Old 97," 1951
Young, Victor (1889-1968) and Young, Helen (Davis), 1952, and undated
Miscellaneous collection documentation, undated
Miscellaneous notes on recording artists, undated
Series 2. Writings, circa 1942-circa 1975, and undated
This collection of Jim Walsh’s writings dates from approximately 1942 through 1975, but the majority are undated. Most of the items found in this series are drafts of articles or columns Walsh wrote for Hobbies, Variety, or The New Yorker, but several bear no indication of their intended publisher. The articles relate primarily to the history of recording and more specifically address subjects such as Edison’s inventions, songs on particular themes, recording artist biographies, and record collecting in general. One folder of writings on miscellaneous topics is included. Copies of indexes to Walsh’s Hobbies column "Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists" can also be found here.
Edison, Thomas A. (Thomas Alva) (1847-1931), undated
History of recording, undated
Holiday songs, undated
Indexes to "Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists" in Hobbies, undated
Political songs, undated
Record collecting and collectors, undated
Recording artists (biographical), undated
Miscellaneous, undated
Series 3. Radio Scripts, 1943-1954, and undated
Series 3 includes scripts for Walsh’s regular broadcasts on radio stations WDBJ and WSLS in Roanoke, Virginia. The majority of the scripts found here date from 1943 through 1949 and are for Walsh’s Wax Works; many of the scripts include separate playlists. Walsh’s shows usually focused on particular themes (for example, songs about girls named Sue), early comedians, early Edison cylinders, or holiday songs. Many of the shows showcased a particular recording artist or composer; an index to these shows is available in the Recorded Sound Reference Center at the Library of Congress. The few scripts available for Walsh’s Sunlight and Shadows show date from 1947 and 1948. A folder of unidentified and partial scripts is included at the end of the series.
Sunlight and Shadows radio scripts, 1947-1948
Walsh’s Wax Works radio scripts, 1943 May-1946 December
Walsh’s Wax Works radio scripts, 1947 January-1949 August
Miscellaneous and unidentified broadcasts, 1948, 1954, and undated
Series 4. Ephemera, 1915-1972, and undated
Included in this series are advertisements for equipment and recordings, newspaper and magazine clippings, newsletters, record catalogs and price lists, and a few miscellaneous items. Researchers are advised to see Series 6 for oversized ephemera.
Advertisements, 1915-1972
Clippings, 1936, 1952, and undated
See also Oversized Materials.
Newsletters, 1951, 1972
Programs, 1920, 1923
Photocopies of 1920 and 1923 programs.
Record catalogs and lists, 1900-1901
Photocopies of 1900-1901 catalogs.
Miscellaneous, 1958, and undated
Series 5. Photographs, 1867-circa 1985, and undated
Series 5 consists of approximately 610 photographs of artists and personalities from the early days of recording. Most of the photographs are black and white, but some modern color photographs are included. Many of the photographs are copies (mostly of poor quality) made from earlier prints, books, albums, or posters. Many of the photographs here were used by Walsh to illustrate his columns in Hobbies. Oversized photographs are filed in Series 6.
Alexander, George (Clifford A. Wiley), 1907
Copy from 1907 poster.
American Quartet, 1910
Copy of 1910 photograph.
American Singers, 1929-1930
Annand, H. H., 1964
Arden, Cecil, undated
"Arkie" - The Arkansas Woodchopper, undated
ASCAP, 1939
Atwood, George, undated
Atwood, Harriet, circa 1965-1967
Baer, Frederic, undated
Copy.
Baker, Elsie (1886-1958), 1948
Banta, Frank E. (1897-1969), undated
Barbour, Inez, undated
Bard, Wilkie, undated
Barrere Trio, undated
Bayes, Nora (1880-1928), undated
Bell, Digby, undated
Belmont, Joseph (1876-1949), 1948
Benoist, André (1879-1953), undated
Benzler, Albert, undated
Bergy, Ray, undated
Berlin, Irving (1888-1989), undated
Bieling, John H. (1869-1948), undated
Bowman, Charlie, circa 1920-1929
Branscombe, Maud, undated
Brown, Albert Edmund, undated
Brown, Harry C., undated
Bubbles (in blackface), 1930
Bubbles and Ramona, 1950
Bueno, Vincent, undated
Burleigh, Harry T., 1939
Burr, Henry (Irving Gillette, Harry McClasky), circa 1930-1940
Burt, Leah Brodbeck Stenzel, undated
Busch, Lou (Joe “Fingers” Carr), undated
Caesar, Irving (1895-1996), undated
Cameron, Grace, undated
Campbell, Albert and Jack Kaufman, 1926, and undated
Caruso, Enrico, 1909
Copy from 1909 photograph.
Case, Anna (1888-1984), undated
Chalmers, Thomas, 1915, 1958
Ciccolini, Guido, 1920
Clarke, Herbert L. (Herbert Lincoln) (1867-1945), undated
Clough, Arthur, undated
Collins and Harlan, 1922, and undated
Most are copies.
Columbia Stellar Quartette, undated
Connolly, Dolly (Mrs. Percy Wenrich), 1911-1921
Cox, Ray, undated
Crazy-Elmer, undated
Crecent Trio, 1921
Copy from 1921 photograph.
Cross, Hugh, undated
Crumit, Frank with Julia Sanderson, undated
Dadum, Royal, undated
Dalhart, Vernon (1883-1948), 1921, 1923
Copies of 1921 and 1923 photographs.
D'Almaine, Charles (1871-1943), 1900
Copy of 1900 photograph.
Davenport, Edgar L. (1862-1918), undated
Davis, Helen, undated
Dawson, Peter (1882-1961), undated
Dean, Julia (circa 1878-1952), undated
De Cisneros, Eleonora, 1912
De Leath, Vaughn, 1939
Denny, Will F. (1860-1908), undated
Doherty, James (Jay Clay), undated
Doreen, Lilian, undated
Dudley, Audley F. and George N., 1913, undated
Dudley, S. H., undated
Dupree, William, undated
Duprez, Fred, undated
Eames, Emma (1865-1952), undated
Edison Co. staff, equipment, etc., 1890-1919
Copies of 1890-1919 photographs.
Edison Group artists, undated
Edwards, Gus, 1939
Elliott, G. H.(1882-1962), undated
Halftone copy.
Elman, Mischa (1891-1967), 1958, undated
One image is a copy.
Emerson, Walter, undated
Eveready Male Chorus, circa 1927
Eveready Mixed Quartet, circa 1927
Fargo, Milford, undated
Farley, James A., undated
Farrar, Geraldine (1882-1967), undated
Favor, Edward M. (1856-1936), undated
Fields, Arthur, circa 1917, 1952
One image is a copy of a 1917 photograph.
Fields, Gracie, undated
Forman, E. C., undated
Biographical History for: Forman, E. C., undated
RCA sales manager.
Formby, George and Luisa Tetrazzini, undated
Forsyth, Henry, undated
Gambarelli, Maria, undated
Gialdini, Guido, undated
Girard, Gilbert, 1913
Copy of a 1913 photograph.
Glenn, Ella Wrenn, undated
Glenn, Wilfred, 1927
Copy of a 1927 photograph.
Greaves, John, 1950
Biographical History for: Greaves, John, 1950
Actor.
Greaves, John, undated
Biographical History for: Greaves, John, undated
Dickens scholar.
Green, Abel (1900-1973), undated
Greene, Gene, 1912, and undated
Gruppe, Paulo M., 1976, undated
Hadley, Henry, undated
Haydn Quartet (Edison Quartet), undated
Hager, Frederick W. (1874-1958), undated
Hall, Arthur, undated
Hall, Wendell, 1962, undated
Handy, W.C. (William Christopher) (1873-1958), undated
Harrington, Fred, 1974
Hart, Chas. (Charles), 1917-1921, 1953, and undated
Harvey, Morton, undated
Hatfield, Lansing, 1941
Hauk, Minnie (as Carmen), undated
Hayes, Bill, undated
Helf, Sadie, undated
Hemus, Percy, 1918
Copy of a 1918 photograph.
Henry, Thomas W., undated
Hess, Troy, undated
Hindermyer, Harvey, 1957
Homer, Louise (1871-1947), undated
Hooley, William F. (1861-1918), undated
Howard, Joe F., undated
Hurtado Brothers Marimba Band, 1940-1941, 1950
James, Lewis, circa 1930
Janis, Elsie (1889-1956), 1938
Jaudas, Eugene, undated
John Bieling Days, 1947, 1950
Johnson, Eldridge R., undated
Photograph of a painting.
Johnson, George Washington, undated
Jolson, Al (d. 1950), circa 1928, and undated
Jones, Ada, undated
Jones, Ada and the Shannon Four, 1918 April
Jones, Billy (1889-1940) and Ernest Hare, 1925, 1936, and undated
Jones, Isham, 1953
Jones, Spike (1911-1965), undated
Jordan, Mary (as Aida), undated
José, Richard (1862-1941), undated
Kaiser, Marie, undated
Karle, Theo, undated
Kaufman, Irving (1890-1976), 1958, and undated
Kaufman, Jack See Campbell, Albert
Kelso, Maym (Mary L. Bent), undated
Kimmel, John J., 1917
Copy of a 1917 photograph.
King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, undated
Kirkby, Stanley, undated
Kirkwood, Jack, 1945
Kline, Olive, 1948, and undated
Kronold, Hans, undated
Lange, Henry, undated
Lashanska, Hulda, undated
Laska, Edward (1894-1959), 1954
Laurie, Joe, Jr., 1952
Lazzari, Carolina (1891-1946), undated
Leavitt, Donald L., undated
Lennox, Elizabeth,
Lennox, Ethel, 1942, 1951
Levy, Jules (1838-1903), undated
Lewis, Ted (1892-1971), undated
Libbey, J. Aldrich, undated
Little Tich (1867-1928), undated
Lloyd, Edward (1845-1927), undated
Lulu Belle and Scotty, undated
Luther, Frank, 1953
Macdonough, Harry (1871-1931), undated
Madeira, Addison, undated
Mann, Estella Louise (1871-1947), undated
Marks, Herb, undated
Martin, Frederic, undated
Martin, Riccardo, undated
Martindale, Jim (James V.) (1894-1981), undated
Martinelli, Giovanni (1885-1969), 1954
Mayo, Harry, undated
Meader, George Farnham, undated
Meeker, Edward (1874-1937), circa 1906
Copies from circa 1906 photographs.
Melton, James (1904-1961), undated
Menefee, Bob, undated
Merson, Billy, undated
Miller, Christine, undated
Miller, Reed (1880-1923) and Frederick Wheeler, 1917
Morgan, Corinne, undated
Morphy, Bert, undated
Morris, Elida, 1960, and undated
Morrisey, Marie, undated
Morse, Theodore F. (1873-1924), circa 1910-1924
Morton, Ed, undated
Munn, Frank, undated
Murray, Billy, undated
Murray, Pete, undated
Myers, J. W., 1894
Photocopy of an 1894 photograph.
National Barn Dance (NBC), circa 1939
National Male Quartet, undated
Norton, John L., Sr. and Jr. (Woodymay Record Co.), undated
Norworth, Jack, undated
Oakland, Will (1883-1956), 1931, and undated
One image is a copy of a 1931 photograph.
O’Connor, George (1874-1946), 1943
O’Hara, Geoffrey (1882-1967), 1939, and undated
One copy of a halftone.
Ossman, Vess L., 1923, and undated
Parker, Frank, undated
Parvis, Taurino (b. 1879), 1907, circa 1910-1919
Copies from 1907 and circa 1910-1919 photographs.
Peerless Quartet, 1919, 1923
Copies of 1919 and 1923 photographs.
Phillips, Joseph, undated
Phonographs and phonograph dealers, 1910-1912, 1950, and undated
Three copies of 1910-1912 photographs and two vintage photographs.
Piastro, Mishel (1891-1970), undated
Polk Miller’s Old South Quartet, undated
Pons, Lily (1898-1976), undated
Porter, Gene Stratton, circa 1924
Powell, John, 1930
Power, Stella, undated
Rea, Virginia, undated
Revelers, The, 1928
Copy of a 1928 photograph.
Rice, Gladys, 1931, and undated
Riggs, Quentin, 1966, undated
Ring, Blanche, undated
Roberts, Bob (1879-1930), undated
Robey, George (1869-1954), undated
Robinson, Carson, undated
Robyn, Willie, undated
Rodgers, Richard, undated
Rogers, Walter, undated
Photograph of advertisement.
Rollickers, The, circa 1929
Copy of a circa 1929 photograph.
Romain, Manuel, circa 1915
Copies of circa 1915 photographs.
Roosevelt, Theodore (1858-1919), 1912
Copy of a 1912 photograph.
Rose, Eugene, 1949
Rowell, Glenn, undated
Santley, Charles, Sir (1834-1922), undated
Photocopy of a magazine page.
Scanlan, Walter (Walter Van Brunt), undated
Scribner, Jimmy, undated
Seltzer, Frank R., undated
Clipping from booklet.
Shannon Four, The, circa 1919
Shaw, Elliott, circa 1915-1920, and undated
Some items are copies.
Shilkret, Nathaniel (1889-1982), 1952
Short, Thomas V. (Thomas Vowler) (1856-1931), undated
Simon, Robert, 1945
Smalle, Ed, 1955
Smeck, Roy, undated
Spalding, Albert (1888-1953), 1916, 1952
Spencer, Harry, undated
Spencer, Len (1867-1914), 1867, 1958, and undated
Includes a silhouette.
Stanley, Aileen (1893-1982) and Bill Murray, undated
Photograph of a 1926 program.
Steele, Dora (Dowdy), undated
Copy negative from a 1948 photograph.
Stevens, Ernest L., undated
Photograph of an advertisement.
Sundelius, Marie, undated
Superba Musical Comedy Co., undated
Talking Machine Jobbers, National Association, 1914, 1922, and undated
One image is a copy of a 1914 photograph.
Taylor, Deems (1885-1966), undated
"Thanks to the Yanks" program (WABC-CBS), undated
Thompson, William H., undated
Tierney, Harry (1890-1965), 1939
Tilley, Vesta, 1906
Tiny Tim with Jim Walsh, 1969
Tollefsen Trio, 1916
Copies of 1916 photographs.
Trix, Helen, 1907
Copies of 1907 photographs.
Turner, Eva, Dame (1892-1990), undated
Ukranian National Chorus, undated
Urlus, Jacques, 1912
Van, Gus (1887-1968), undated
Van Eps, Fred (1878-1960), 1955, and undated
Van Eps Quartet, 1920
Copy of a 1920 photograph.
Van Eps Trio, circa 1919
Victor Orchestra, circa 1907
Copy of a circa 1907 photograph.
Victor Talking Machine Co., 1901, 1919, and undated
Some images are copies of 1901 and 1919 photographs.
Victor recording artists dinner, New York, 1917
Voorhees, Donald, 1964, and undated
Walker, Ray, 1950
Walsh, Arthur, 1944
Walsh, Jim (1903-1990), circa 1939-circa 1985
Walsh's Wax Works, (WDBJ, Roanoke, Virginia), circa 1944-circa 1949
Watahwaso, Princess, 1921
Wenrich, Percy (1887-1952), 1939
Wheeler, Elizabeth and William, circa 1913, 1966
Wheeler, Fred (James F. Harrison), undated
See also Miller, Reed.
White, Edna (b. 1892), 1912, 1922, 1949, 1974, 1978, and undated
Three images are copies of 1912 and 1922 photographs.
Whitehouse, Fred, undated
Whiteman, Paul (1890-1967), undated
Whiting, Richard A. (1891-1938), undated
Whitney, Edwin M., undated
Wiedoeft, Rudy, 1918-1932
Williams, Bert (1874-1922), undated
Williams, Billy, undated
Williams, Emlyn (1905-1987), 1952
Wills, Nat M., undated
WJHL staff, 1940
Woodymay Record Co., 1945, and undated
Wreck of the Old 97, 1952, and undated
Landscape, survivor, etc.
WSLS-FM community sing, undated
Youmans, Vincent (1898-1946), 1939
Young, John (Harry Anthony), undated
Young, Victor (1889-1968), undated
Miscellaneous recording artists: groups and composites, circa 1940-circa 1960, and undated
Unidentified individuals, undated
Series 6. Oversized Materials, 1914-1953, and undated
Oversized materials consist of advertisements, newspaper and magazine clippings, scrapbook photocopies, a record sleeve, miscellaneous artwork, photographs, and a poster. A series of stand-up cardboard advertising figures is included; personalities depicted are Victor Herbert, Irene Bordoni, Georgie Price, Fannie Brice, Will Rogers, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Tito Schipa, Luisa Tetrazzini, and Titta Ruffo. Artwork consists of a cartoon panel signed by Jimmy Hatlo, a (poor) reproduction of the painting The Firstborn by Fagan, and a drawing of Mostar, Bosnia, by Josh Newman. A record sleeve from a Theodore Roosevelt address recorded in 1913 can also be found in this series. Oversized photocopies of a scrapbook with clippings on Charley Case are in the final folder. One oversized poster entitled Some Columbia Talent, features photographs of various recording artists.
Oversized poster in map case is stored separately. Advance notice is required for viewing; contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.
Advertisements, 1914, 1925, and undated
Advertising figures, undated
Artwork, miscellaneous, 1953, and undated
Clippings, 1890, 1914-1916, 1961
Includes photocopies.
Photographs of individuals
Baker, Elsie (1886-1958), undated
Caruso and Ruffo, undated
Dewey, Thomas E. (Thomas Edmund) (1902-1971), 1948
Merman, Ethel, undated
Magazine portrait.
Oakland, Will, undated
Billboard advertisement for Hunter Island Inn.
Unidentified woman, undated
Photographs: Victor Talking Machine Printed Artist
Photographs (with album lists).
Bori, Lucrezia, 1924-1925
Chemet, Renée, 1925
Flonzaley Quartet, 1925
Gogorza, Emilio de, 1925
Marsh, Lucy Isabelle, 1925
McCormack, John, 1924
Photographs: groups and composites
The Victor Male Chorus, 1926
Edison dealers' banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria, undated
The Friar’s Frolic, 1916
Red Cross benefit concert, 1948
Songwriters, artists, and composers. Copy.
Miscellaneous, unidentified, undated
Record sleeve: "A Message by Theodore Roosevelt in His Own Voice," circa 1937
Reeves Sound Studio; original dictated in 1913.
Scrapbook pages: copies of clippings related to Charley Case, 1906-1916
Poster: Some Columbia talent, circa 1900-circa 1910
Series 7. Scrapbooks, 1892-1939, and undated
Recording index, undated
From binder.
Scrapbook: Newspaper and magazine clippings on artists and recordings, circa 1920-circa 1939
Scrapbook: Newspaper and magazine clippings on artists and recordings, circa 1915-circa 1939
Scrapbook: Newspaper and magazine clippings and advertisements, 1892-1925
Scrapbooks: Correspondence between Charles W. Carson and Columbia Phonograph Co. concerning his recordings in Mexico, China, and Japan, 1904-1907
Scrapbook: "Descriptive Catalogue ... Wonder Double Bell Talking Machine" and several Talk-o-Phone advertisements, undated
Series 8. Bound Publications, 1901-1977, and undated
This series consists of bound journals, columns, pamphlets, and a diary. Many of the publications in the series include Walsh’s notes and handwritten indices.
The publications have been placed unboxed on shelves, adjacent to the boxed portion of the Walsh papers.
The Columbia Record, 1904-1907
Includes Walsh’s notes.
"Dave Garraway’s Today Program, Thursday, May 15, 1958," 1958
Bound scrapbook of photographs, clippings, and correspondence documenting Walsh’s appearance on the television show.
Jim Walsh diary, 1977
Handwritten. Consists mostly of personal notes and includes a few clippings and photographs.
"Edison and Pathé Pamphlets," undated
Miscellaneous pamphlets bound together.
Edison Diamond Points (1915-1917) bound with Phonographianna (1956) and Along Broadway (1917-1922), 1915-1922, 1956
Edison Phonograph Monthly and Edison Amberola Monthly, 1903-1921
"Edison Tone Test Clippings / Victor Cut-Out Lists," 1915-1917, and undated
Clippings and theater illustrations mounted on heavy cardstock and housed in a large pamphlet box.
"Elide Morris: Her Life and Letters," 1961-1971
Bound scrapbook of correspondence, photographs, articles, and copies of clippings, dated 1910-1914.
"Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists," 1942-1975
Walsh’s Hobbies columns, some with additional notes and miscellaneous items.
"Jim Walsh in Hobbies," 1935-1974
Photocopies of Jim Walsh’s Hobbies columns.
"Magazine Articles by and about Jim Walsh," 1929-1969
Bound scrapbook of newspaper and magazine clippings.
Numerical List of Victor Records, 1912, 1914-1915
"Phonograph Advertising: Literary Digest and Other Magazines," 1902-1931, and undated
Scrapbook of advertisements from magazines and newspapers.
"Pioneer Phonograph Advertising," 1901-1932, and undated
Bound scrapbook of advertisements from magazines and newspapers.
Sound Wave and Talking Machine Record, 1909-1910
Bound periodical.
Talking Machine News, 1903-1936
Voice of the Victor, 1907-1926
Includes notes.
"Woodymay Recording Company: Compendium," circa 1940-1948, and undated
Bound scrapbook with Edison signature, collector signatures, letterhead, photographs, clippings, cards, and other illustrations.