$189.00
1 in stock
This is an original Columbia 5‑Inch Concert Cylinder, one of the most impressive and sought‑after formats produced during the peak years of large‑scale acoustic recording. Titled “Speech on Love” and performed by Harry Spencer, this oversized Concert cylinder delivers the bold presence, clarity, and projection that made Columbia’s Concert series the premier choice for parlors, exhibitions, and early public demonstrations.
This example is in very good condition, with no chips, cracks, or mold, and retains a clean, stable playing surface. It plays well with good sound, offering the warm, resonant vocal delivery that collectors expect from Spencer’s spoken and character pieces. The larger 5‑inch format — with its deeper grooves and commanding physical scale — was engineered specifically for Columbia’s upper‑tier Concert machines, making surviving examples both visually striking and musically powerful. “Speech on Love” is a charming period piece, blending humor, sentiment, and early vaudeville‑style delivery. Recordings like this capture the personality and performance style of turn‑of‑the‑century entertainers in a way that standard cylinders rarely match. For collectors, it represents not just a recording, but a window into the culture, humor, and public entertainment of the 1890s–1905 era. A strong choice for anyone building a Concert‑format collection, restoring a Columbia Grand machine, or seeking historically meaningful cylinders with excellent condition and reliable playability. Its combination of preservation, performance quality, and period charm makes it a desirable, display‑worthy piece in any advanced collection.
