Offered here is a rare early 78rpm shellac SAMPLE RECORD, issued by The Gramophone Co., Ltd. (UK), the predecessor of His Master’s Voice (HMV).

This is not a commercial release, but a Sample Record / Not for Sale copy produced for internal review and approval prior to public issue.

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Record Details

• Company: The Gramophone Co., Ltd.

• Country: United Kingdom

• Manufactured at: Hayes, Middlesex, England

• Date: November 30, 1911 (clearly printed on label)

• Speed: 78 rpm

• Material: Shellac

• Type: SAMPLE RECORD – NOT FOR SALE

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Music Content

• Title: “Merci, diletti amici”

• From Verdi’s opera I Vespri Siciliani (The Sicilian Vespers)

• Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

• Performer: Selma Kurz, soprano

• Language: Italian

• Era: Acoustic recording period (pre-electrical)

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Why This Record Is Special

• Clearly marked “SAMPLE RECORD – NOT FOR SALE”

• Issued for internal evaluation / approval, not retail distribution

• Dated 1911, from the acoustic recording era

• Produced by The Gramophone Co., before the HMV brand was fully established

• Surviving sample records from this period are exceptionally scarce

The reverse side features an unlabelled embossed Gramophone trademark disc, typical of early sample or test pressings.

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Condition

• No cracks or edge chips

• Original label intact and legible

• Handwritten annotations and approval markings remain visible

• Surface shows expected signs of age consistent with a 110+ year-old record