Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d.

Sonora Vertical-Cut RecordsA Preliminary Discography

Data Compiled byWILLIAM R. BRYANT

Edited and Annotated byALLAN SUTTON

ContributorsGeorge Blacker, Glenn Longwell,

Mark McDaniel, and Steven Nordhougen

Mainspring PressFree edition for personal, non-commercial use only

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d.

© 2020 by Mainspring Press LLC. All rights are reserved.

Exclusive publication rights controlled by Mainspring Press LLC.

This publication is protected under U.S. copyright law as a work of original scholarship. It may be downloaded free of charge for personal, non-commercial use only.

This work may not be duplicated, altered, sold, or distributed in any form or by any means — printed, digital, or otherwise — including (but not limited to) conversion to digital databases or e-books, and distribution via the Internet or other public or private networks. Sale or other commercial use of this work, or any portion thereof, is prohibited. Unauthorized use, whether or not for monetary gain, will be addressed under applicable laws.

For information on licensing this work, or for reproduction permissions for excerpts exceeding customary fair-use standards, please contact the publisher.

Mainspring Press LLCPO Box 631277Littleton CO 80163-1277

www.mainspringpress.com / publisher@mainspringpress.com

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d.

A SONORA TIMELINEBy Allan Sutton

Adapted from American Record Companies and Producers, 1888–1950 (Mainspring Press, 2018)

December 1907 • The Sonora Chime Company announces plans to manufacture a disc phonograph and is almost immediately enjoined by the Victor Talking Machine Company. Sonora Chime’s officers include William E. Hoschke. He is also associated with the Hawthorne & Sheble Manufacturing Company (the manufacturer of Star phonographs), to which he assigns several patents that attempt to skirt Victor’s Berliner patent on lateral-cut recording. Earlier, Hoschke was associated with Paillard, a Swiss manufacturer of music boxes and phonograph parts.

January – May 1908 • Sonora is enjoined from producing phonographs that infringe Victor’s patents. Declaring he is “satisfied” with the ruling, Hoschke vows to abandon the manufacturing venture, but within several months he begins marketing imported Paillard phonographs under the Sonora brand. Sonora’s trademark applications consistently cite May 1908 as the date the Sonora brand and “Clear as a Bell” slogan were first used on phonographs.

December 1908 • The Sonora Chime Company is reorganized as Sonora Phonograph Company. It is incorporated in Yonkers, New York, on December 17, 1908, by Hoschke, in partnership with Harry F. Menten, and Charles E. Lauton. The company markets Swiss-made Paillard phonographs, equipped with universal (lateral/vertical) reproducers and feed-screw drives, under the Sonora brand. The feed-screw is thought to skirt Victor’s Berliner patent, but Victor attorneys disagree.

January 1909 • The reorganized Sonora Phonograph Company makes an initial stock offering of $150,000, and Charles Brightson assumes the presidency. The company moves from Cedar Street in New York to 78 Reade Street in June.

September 1909 • Sonora leases the former American Record Company (Hawthorne, Sheble & Prescott) studio, under George Cheney’s management, in preparation for recording its own masters. The records will employ the vertical cut and are meant to be played with a sapphire ball, like those of Pathé in France, making Sonora the first American producer of such discs. Unfortunately for Sonora, no market yet exists for vertical-cut discs in the United States.

April 1910 • The Talking Machine World confirms that Sonora is operating a “fully equipped and carefully manned laboratory for the making of master records.” Initially, Sonora plans to produce records in both vertical- and lateral-cut formats, under the Sonora (vertical) and Crown (lateral) labels. Samples of both labels appear in TMW, but plans for Crown are abandoned before any are known to have reached the market.

May 1910 • Sonora reportedly issues its first record catalog, a copy of which has yet to be located by modern researchers. George Cheney resigns from Sonora on May 14, 1910, to take a position with the newly formed Boston Talking Machine Company (Phono-Cut).

August 1910 • The Victor Talking Machine Company sues officers of Sonora for infringement of its Berliner patent (Victor Talking Machine Co. v. Hoschke et al., 180 F. 777).

November 1910 • Sonora lists forty-eight titles as December releases in The Talking Machine World, although many probably had already been issued by then. It is the company’s first and only appearance in TMW’s advance-release bulletins.

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. December 1910 • In a Talking Machine World interview, William Hoschke alludes to personnel changes at the Sonora studio that seem to hint of instability within the company.

December 1910 – February 1911• In Victor Talking Machine Co. v. Hoschke et al., the court rules in favor of Victor on December 12, 1910. Attorney Horace Pettit announces that Victor will “vigorously enjoin all infringing acts,” only to have the verdict reversed on appeal on February 25, 1911. Another Victor suit against Hoschke is vacated three days later. However, the costs of Sonora’s ongoing legal defense, combined with apparently negligible sales, prove to be financially disastrous for the company.

January 1911 • The Talking Machine World reports that the newly formed Sapphire Record & Talking Machine Company’s Princess records are “ready to come into the market.” The company records its own masters, under the supervision of the Indestructible Phonographic Record Company’s Frederick W. Matthews, but also acquires rights to the Sonora masters at some point in 1911. Some are reissued on Princess.

November 1911 • On November 16, an involuntary petition in bankruptcy is filed against the Sonora Phonograph Company. Among the creditors are president Brightson, who claims an unpaid salary of $5,729. Assets at the time are listed at $54,870, and liabilities at $17,653. The company is formally adjudged bankrupt on November 29.

1913 • The Sonora Phonograph Company is reorganized as the Sonora Phonograph Corporation under new ownership and management, the first of many such changes that will occur over the next three decades (see American Record Companies and Producers for details). Sonora goes on to become a major manufacturer of high-priced phonographs, but it abandons the record business. Attempts to re-enter the record field in 1916, 1920–1921, and 1927 are jettisoned before any records are produced.

1938 • The newly formed Sonora Radio & Television Corporation is launched, having no corporate connection to the previous Sonora operation other than rights to the Sonora name and “Clear as a Bell” trademark. In 1942, it begins producing its own, unrelated version of the long-dormant Sonora label.

Selected References

“A Prominent and Successful Figure in the Industry.” Talking Machine World (Dec 15, 1920), p. 81.“An Important Decision” (re: First Victor suit against Hoschke). Talking Machine World (Jan 1909), p. 33.“Bankruptcy Notices.” New York Times (Dec 18, 1911), p. 18.“Bradley with Sonora Company.” Talking Machine World (Dec 1907), p. 68.“Business Troubles.” New York Tribune (Nov 17, 1911), p. 13.“Geo. K. Cheney to Boston.” Talking Machine World (May 15, 1910), p. 14.“Incorporated” (re: 1913 reorganization). Music Trade Review (Feb 1, 1913), p. 48.Pettit, Horace. Untitled notice (re: Ruling in Victor lawsuit). Franklin, PA News-Herald (Jan 4, 1911), p. 4.“Recent Incorporations” (re: 1908 incorporation). Talking Machine World (Jan 15, 1909), p. 58Sonora Phonograph Company. “To the Talking Machine Trade” (legal notice). New York Times (Mar 12, 1911), p. 8.“Sonora Phonograph Co.’s Double Side Record List.” Talking Machine World (Nov 15, 1910), p. 5.“Sonora—The Instrument of Quality” (ad.). Talking Machine World (Apr 1910), pp. 12–13.“To Make Records and Machines” (re: Sapphire Record & Talking Machine Co.). Talking Machine World (Jan 15,

1911), p. 61.“Trade Notes.” Piano, Organ & Musical Instrument Workers’ Official Journal (Dec 1911), p. 3.Untitled notice (re: American Record Co. studio lease). Talking Machine World (Sep 15, 1909), p. 26.Victor Talking Machine Co. v. Sonora Phonograph Co. Circuit Court, S.D. New York. Aug 15, 1910. 180 F. 777.Victor Talking Machine Co. et al. v. Sonora Phonograph Co. Circuit Court, S.D. New York. Dec 12, 1910. 183 F. 849.Victor Talking Machine Co. et al. v. Sonora Phonograph Co. Circuit Court, S.D. New York. Feb 25, 1911. 188 F. 330.

191 F. 988.

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d.

April 1910 advertisement showing Sonora (vertical-cut) and Crown (lateral-cut) records

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d.

SONORA VERTICAL-CUT RECORDS A Preliminary Discography

Data Compiled by William R. Bryant, et al.

Edited and Annotated by Allan Sutton

This is a preliminary exploration only. We will be updating the discography as needed, and encourage collectors to submit additions and corrections based upon first-hand inspection of the original discs or catalogs, preferably with supporting photos or scans, to: publisher@mainspringpress.com. Please do not submit material from anecdotal or secondary sources (auction lists, old discographies, etc.).

Recording were made in New York in 1910, with instrumental ensembles and accompaniments possibly directed by Frederic D. Wood. Each side bears a separate catalog number, with the reverse-side number indicated “c/w” in the text. Sonora reportedly issued its first record catalog in May 1910. Thus far, a copy has not been located, and its contents are unknown. Forty-eight random Sonora records, ranging from numbers 5001 through 5062, were listed in the November 1910 Talking Machine World as December 1910 releases, although it seems likely that many had already been released by them.

5001 c/w 5022Asleep in the Deep (Petrie)Frank C. Stanley Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1001.

5002 c/w 5004Everything Depends on Money (Van Alstyne; “Hamlet on Broadway”)Fred Lambert Acc: Orchestra

5003 c/w 5008Uncle Josh at the Photographer’s (Stewart)Cal Stewart Speech, unaccompanied

5004 c/w 5002On Lalawanna’s Shore (Johnson; “A South Sea Island Love Story”)Albert Campbell (as Al Campbell) Acc: Orchestra

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5005 c/w 5009Uncle Josh in a Department Store (Stewart)Cal Stewart Speech, unaccompanied

5006 c/w 5026Good Night, Good Night (Ball)Henry Burr Acc: Orchestra

5007 c/w 5010Uncle Josh and the Sailor (Stewart)Cal Stewart Speech, unaccompanied The same title and artist appear on Princess S1020. They have not been compared aurally (see

note at 5010).

5008 c/w 5003Uncle Josh in a Chinese Laundry (Stewart)Cal Stewart Speech, unaccompanied

5009 c/w 5005Uncle Josh’s Second Visit to New York (Stewart)Cal Stewart Speech, unaccompanied

5010 c/w 5007Uncle Josh at the Dentist’s (Stewart)Cal Stewart & [George?] Alexander Speech, unaccompanied This title also appears on Princess S1020, but credited to Cal Stewart & Len Spencer, with authorship

credited to Stewart & Alexander. It has not been compared aurally with the Sonora version.

5011Untraced

5012 c/w 5015Amoureuse — Valse Lente (Berger)Sonora Symphony Orchestra

5013 c/w 5045Hearts and Flowers — Intermezzo (Tobani)Sonora Symphony Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1013(SonoraSymphonyOrchestra).

5014Untraced

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5015 c/w 5012Le Caid: Overture (Thomas)Sonora Symphony Orchestra

5016 (mx. 127) c/w 5032Carmen — Selection (Bizet)Sonora Symphony Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1016(SonoraSymphonyOrchestra).

5017 (mx. 176) c/w 5040Minnehaha (Barnard)Briglio&Jahn(flute,clarinet)Acc:Orchestra

5018Untraced

5019Untraced

5020 c/w 5044Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet (Murphy - Wenrich)Frank C. Stanley Acc: Orchestra

5021 c/w 5025Robin Hood: Brown October Ale (De Koven)Frank C. Stanley Acc: Orchestra

5022 c/w 5001When the Bell in the Lighthouse Rings Ding-Dong (Lamb - Solman)Frank C. Stanley Acc: Orchestra Note: Inspected label as “Bell in the Light House.” The same title and artist appear on Princess

S1022, but it has not been determined if that is the same recording.

5023 c/w 5054To the End of the World with You (Ball)Henry Burr Acc: Orchestra

5024 c/w 5030Good Night, Little Girl, Good Night (Macy)Henry Burr Acc: Orchestra

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5025 c/w 5021Dreamy Serenade (Heiser - Dailey)Henry Burr Acc: Orchestra

5026 c/w 5006Beautiful Isle of Somewhere (Fearis)Percy Hemus Acc: Orchestra

5027Untraced

5028Untraced

5029 c/w 5053Humoresque (Dvorak)Leo Schermann (violin) Acc: Piano

5030 c/w 5024Sinnbild — Waltz (Lincke)Sonora Orchestra

5031 c/w 5036Under Arms — March (Hays)Sonora Military Band

5032 (mx. 83) c/w 5016The Gondoliers — Waltz (Roerer)Sonora Military Band Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1032(PrincessMilitaryBand,samemx.number).

5033 c/w 5038The Blue Danube — Waltz (Strauss)Sonora Military Band

5034 (mx. 85) c/w 5048La Gioconda: Dance of the Hours (Ponchielli) Note: Also reported on Princess 1012 (Princess Military Band – F. D. Wood, conductor), but it has

not been determined if that is the same recording.

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5035 c/w 5041Kerry Mills’ Barn Dance (Mills)Sonora Military Band Note: Same title appears on Princess S1035 (Princess Military Band), but it has not been determined

if that is the same recording.

5036 c/w 5031Cocoanut Dance (Hermann)Sonora Military Band

5037 c/w 5039Medley of Lauder Hits (Lauder)Sonora Military Band Note: Also reported on Princess 1009 and S1009 (both as “Medley of Harry Lauder Hits,” by

Princess Military Band), but it has not been determined if those are the same recording.

5038 c/w 5033Golden Gate MarchSonora Military Band

5039 c/w 5037El Vaston — March Militaire (Wood)Sonora Military Band Note: Also reported on Princess 1009 and S1009 (both as Princess Military Band), but it has not

been determined if those are the same recording.

5040 (mx. 92) c/w 5017The Coming Debutante — March (Briglio)

5041 (mx. 93) c/w 5035The Crack Regiment — Patrol (Tobani)Sonora Military Band Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1041(PrincessMilitaryBand).

5042 (mx. 172) c/wCurly Head (Gumble)Frank C. Stanley Acc: Baritone Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1042(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5043 c/w 5060Nora Malone (A. Von Tilzer)Frank C. Stanley Acc: Orchestra

5044 c/w 5020I’ve Got the Time, I’ve Got the Place, But It’s Hard to Find the Girl (Stern, as Henry)Henry Burr Acc: Orchestra

5045 c/w 5013Thais: Meditation (Massenet)Leo Schermann (violin) Acc: Piano Note: The same title appears on Princess S1045, as an anonymous violin solo. It has not been

determined if that is the same recording.

5046Untraced

5047Untraced

5048 (mx. 163) c/w 5034Dinah from Carolina (A. Von Tilzer)Arthur Collins Acc: Orchestra Note: Same title and artist appear on Princess 1014, which is not the same recording (mx. 377).

5049 c/w 5056Shaky Eyes (Clark)Arthur Collins Acc: Orchestra Note: Same title and artist appear on Princess 1014, which probably is not the same recording

(mx. 378, out of Sonora’s known numerical range).

5050 (mx. 167) c/w 5056Play That Barber Shop Chord (Tracey - Muir)Arthur Collins Acc: Orchestra Note:Inspectedlabelas“TheBarberShopChord.”AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1050(samemx.).

5051 c/w 5055The Grizzly Bear (Botsford)Arthur Collins Acc: Orchestra Note: TMW listing as “Grizzley Bear” (sic); a copy of the disc has not been inspected. The same

title and artist appear on Princess 1011, which probably is not the same recording (mx. 376, out of Sonora’s known numerical range).

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5052 (mx. 168) c/w 5050Temptation Rag (Lodge)Arthur Collins Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1052(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).

5053 c/w 5029Serenade (Drdla)Leo Schermann (violin) Acc: Piano

5054 (mx. 77) c/w 5023 Garden of Roses (Schmid)Henry Burr Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1054(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).Thesametitle

and artist appear on Princess S1011, but it has not been determined if that is the same recording.

5055 c/w 5051Any Little Girl, That’s a Nice Little Girl, Is the Right Little Girl for Me (Fischer)Joe Brown Acc: Orchestra

5056 c/w 5049In Our Baseball Family (Morse)Joe Brown Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1056.

5057 (mx. 130) c/w 5058Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon (Berlin)Joe Brown Acc: Orchestra Note:Also confirmedonPrincessS1057 (partialmx. number 30appears under the label on

inspected copy).

5058 (mx. 131) c/w 5057I Won’t Be Back Till August (Gumble)Joe Brown Acc: Orchestra Note:Also confirmedonPrincessS1058 (partialmx. number 13appears under the label on

inspected copy).

5059 (mx. 177) c/w Sweet Italian Love (Berlin - Snyder)Bob Roberts Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoreportedbutnotconfirmedonPrincessS1059.

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d. 5060 c/w 5043That’s the Fellow I Want to Get (Bryan - Meyer)Bob Roberts Acc: Orchestra

5061 (mx. 180) c/w 5062Who’s Lonely Now? (Zittel)Bob Roberts Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1061(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).

5062 (mx. 183) c/w 5061That Opera Rag (Berlin - Snyder)Bob Roberts Acc: Orchestra Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1062(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).

5063 (mx. 207) c/w 5066The Whitewash Man — Medley (Roberts, et al.; Schwartz on label)Fred Van Eps (banjo) Acc: Piano Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1063(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).

5064 (mx. 212) c/w 5063The Smiler (Wenrich)Fred Van Eps (banjo) Acc: Piano Note:AlsoconfirmedonPrincessS1064(samemx.numberoninspectedcopy).

5065 (mx. 210) c/w 5064American Favorites — Medley (arr. by Van Eps)Fred Van Eps (banjo) Acc: Piano

5066 (mx. 211) c/w 5064Yankee Land — Two-Step (Hoffman)Fred Van Eps (banjo) Acc: Piano

Crown Records (Lateral Cut)

Sonora advertised its lateral-cut Crown record in The Talking Machine World for April 15, 1910. A sample label was pictured, with the credits shown below. However, no evidence has been found that Sonora’s Crown records, if produced, were ever placed on sale.

Crown 3015 (probably unissued)Mignon: Io son Titania (as Titania—Aria. Mignon) (Thomas)Soprano Acc: Orchestra

Bry

ant,

Sutto

n, e

t al.

• Son

ora

Vert

ical

-Cut

Rec

ords

© 2

020

Mai

nspr

ing

Pre

ss L

LC. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

. Sal

e or

oth

er u

naut

horiz

ed u

se o

r dis

tribu

tion

is p

rohi

bite

d.

About the Authors

William R. Bryant was a well-known researcher and discographer who made significant contributions to The Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings, Ethnic Music on Records, The Columbia Master Book Discography, and other major works. As heir to the Record Research group’s extensive archive, he had many discographical projects under way at the time of his premature death in 1995. They are being completed and published by Mainspring Press, which acquired his papers in 2011.

Allan Sutton received the Association for Recorded Sound Collections' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013, and is the author of numerous books on early sound recordings, including American Record Companies and Producers (1888–1950), Race Records and the American Recording Industry, Recording the 'Twenties, A Phonograph in Every Home, and multiple editions of Pseudonyms on American Records. A native of Baltimore and graduate of Towson University, he lives in Colorado with his wife Jill and their three golden retrievers.