Transcription Mystery Disc # 57

This one came with the disc from "Studio d'Enrigistrement."It has even less information and in it's own way poses a greater mystery. It's in somewhat better condition but is engineered differently making it not possible to date one with the other with any certainty.

This disc is one-sided, and playback is center start. The blank is made by Radiodiffusion Francais. There are front and rear labels but both are damaged and at least the remaining label is blank. the recording is wholly in English and the presumably American interviewer Beth is asking Danielle about acting. Danielle is from Paris and the interview gives the impression she is not yet very accomplished.
The audio is very good, but there were no clues in the content. Only the maimed label tells me anything. Radiodiffusion Française (RDF) was the French public radio and Television Broadcasting from 1945 to 1949. After 1949 it was called "Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française" (RTF.) This makes the manufacture date of the blank to that 4-year time frame. But as well all know a blank can be recorded on decades after it's made. But generally the wear and palmitic discoloration makes me believe it's as old as it seems.

Transcription Mystery Disc #88

There was a cardboard box on a door laid across two sawhorses at a fleamarket. In the box was a 4 disc set of Edith Piaf 78s and two transcription recordings. At the time I didn't connect them I just bought the box. Now upon hearing them, and hearing that they are in french I am considering the possibility that Mrs. Piaf is somehow connected to this. She lived until 1963 so it's entirely possible, if not improbable.

The disc appears to be of French make: It's labeling is as follows: "Studio d'Enrigistrement." "Palais de la radio et du disque. Pour l'audition de ce disque l'emploi d'une aiguille speciale est absolument indispensible. I don't speak French but with a little work I make that out to mean "To hear this disc a special needle is absolutely indispensable" Studio d'Enrigistrement just means "Recording Studio. " That doesn't sound too specific but it's got a serial number: 85011. I wish it had a date.

On side 1 The narrator identifies himself as Art Ford and he directly addresses a man he calls Maurice Hart. There were radio hosts on 1130 WNEW-AM by those two names in the early 1950s. That cannot be a coincidence. they're plugging a movie called "Arc de Triomphe" which came out in 1948 approximately dating the recording. Side 2 is a voice test by some woman speaking in French. Maybe some skilled bilingual cal explain the gist of that to me.

SIDE ONE:
SIDE TWO: