Columbia Phonograph (Grafonola Model 450) and Shellac Record of "Tales of Hoffman" Film Soundtrack

Columbia Viva-tonal Grafonola Model 450 and "Tales of Hoffman" Film Soundtrack on Shellac 78 RPM Record (1951) Antique phonograph / gramophone produced by the Columbia Graphophone Company in the late 1920s. It is a beautiful and fully functioning piece of history! The wooden cabinet is made of hardwood and has a distinctive Gothic revival architectural design on its front wooden grille. Behind the five Gothic pointed arches is a fabric acoustic speaker cloth to mask the internal horn assembly. This series was specifically designed to handle the deeper acoustic response of the new electrically recorded 78 RPM records introduced after 1925. It plays and comes with one 78 RPM shellac record manufactured by Victor of Japan Ltd., Yokohama, bearing the catalog number SD-3901 (JAS-262-1/2, AR 15870, CA DAR158701). The record features selections from the soundtrack of the 1951 London Films production 'The Tales of Hoffmann,' with music by Jacques Offenbach. The recording came from the Decca Recordings used in the film, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Sadler's Wells Chorus, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. The soundtrack was recorded at Shepperton Studios between May and September 1950, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. Decca obtained permission from London Films to release the soundtrack album. In response, Beecham sued, as he had not approved the release because the soundtrack did not truly represent his interpretation of the opera because of the changes made for the film. On 20 March 1951, he failed to obtain a high court injunction to prevent the release but received assurances that the album would be clearly labelled as having been taken from the soundtrack. The label is printed in both English and Japanese, indicating its issue for the Japanese market, and the matrix numbers are clearly visible in the runout area. The record's provenance as a Japanese pressing of a British film soundtrack adds a layer of international interest, particularly for collectors of film music, classical recordings, or Japanese pressings. $350 cash only