An Extremely Rare 5" E. Berliner Record - Long, Long Ago No.56

With original printed label verso and title etched into the record on the front, Long, Long Ago is an English folk song dealing with nostalgia. It was composed in 1833 by Thomas Haynes Bayly. Originally named The Long Ago, its name was apparently changed by the editor Rufus Wilmot Griswold when it was first published, posthumously, in a Philadelphia magazine, along with a collection of other songs and poems by Bayly. The song was well received, and became one of the most popular songs in the United States in 1844.

Berliner 5" disc's are the earliest record made. The original song label on the reverse is in lovely condition, and has the 1887 and 1888 patent dates on it. The earliest 5" Berliner records pre-dated the 7" type that was introduced around 1895, and were made from a material called gutta-percha. The records were made for German toy maker Kammer & Reinhardt from 1889 till 1892.

Provenance: London Private Collection