The Gramophone Company, Ltd., July 1907, Bengalee Catalogue Cover

The Gramophone Company, Ltd.’s Chief Recording Experts, Theodor Heinrich Max Hampe and Arthur Spottiswoode Clarke in India and Asia: 1910-1915

• Source: ARSC Journal Vol. 54:2 (Fall 2023) p.198-213. 16p.
• Author(s): KINNEAR, MICHAEL

• • Overview
    This article gives a brief history of the Gramophone Company, Ltd.’s chief recording experts, Theodor Heinrich Max Hampe and Arthur Spottiswoode Clarke in India between 1910and 1915. The duties of the chief recording expert included record taking not only in India, but also other Asian countries, Burma, Ceylon, Siam, The Malay States, Singapore and Macao and the Dutch East Indies. The information on the recording experts in India has been compiled from a variety of sources, including original documents and communications between The Gramophone Company, Ltd. in London and their Branch Office in Calcutta, from the archival holdings of materials in the EMI Archives, London and The Gramophone Company, Ltd.’s Indian offices at Dum Dum. These documents have provided essential information about the setup and development of the sound recording industry in India and the activities of the companies concerned. (The old geographical place names used at the time in the documents have been maintained in this article.).
  • Copyright of ARSC Journal is the property of Association for Recorded Sound Collections.

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A few examples of letters from the article ENDNOTES

Unpublished Sources: Unpublished internal company documents: Dillnutt, G.W. Personal letters to Head Office, 1908-1911 and responses; MT.H. Hampe, Gaisberg W. from the (EMI Archive Trust, London England)

Endnote No. 12.
The Gramophone Co. Ltd. London.Laboratory Dept. (Number-stamped 1793) Typed Letter to George Dillnutt, Bombay Office dated 12th January 1911, signed W.G. [Will Gaisberg].  Page 1.  (EMI Archive Trust)

Endnote 13:
Grand Hotel, Java letterhead. (Number stamped 4070). Handwritten letter from Max Hampe to Will Gaisberg in London office dated 23rd December 1910 regarding Beka. (EMI Archive Trust)

Endnote No. 17
Bombay to London, (Number-stamped 6187). George Dillnutt handwritten letter to Will Gaisberg dated 21st January 1911. (EMI Archive Trust)

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Endnote No. 16
Sealdah to London (Number-stamped 24509). Handwritten letter Max Hampe to Will Gaisberg, London, dated 11th June 1911.