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Franklin Mint Record Society

A

ampegdan

Super Member
Hi all-
Went garage saling on the way home from work today. Found four volumes of a set I've never seen before-"The 100 Greatest Recordings Of All Time" by the Franklin Mint Record Society. Being from Philly I can't pass up anything that says Franklin on it anyway.
It's all classical, which is OK by me. The records are red vinyl with a fancy-schmantzy black and gold label; fairly thick red vinyl at that. Copyright is 1979. One is Horowitz playing piano milestones, another is Beecham doing Beethoven, etc.etc. All came in box sets, 2-3 records per, with stuff to read and nice thick hardback covers. Going to put one on now and try it out- anybody else come across any of these? I mean, hell, I paid a whopping buck each for them, they can't be THAT bad....same people had some nice Angel and RCA stuff that were a quarter each and I grabbed seven or eight of those too. I'd given up buying box sets because of the space considerations but these were just too nice to pass up.
Dan
 
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I HAVE THAT SET!!!!!! ALL OF IT!!!!!!

well, all 26 LP's that I know of, anyways. Red vinyl. It's what got me into classical music!

I have treated that set nice since I was a baby.

Should be 4 records per, 26 total LP's, a booklet with each one........
 
I had a call from a fellow about a year ago, looking to sell me records. I went to his house, where he had 10 box sets of red vinyl Franklin Mint records. They were a 'best hits of the Fifties' type of compilation, I don't remember the exact title. They were in pristine condition, with some still sealed.

I looked them over and saw they were mostly common Pop titles from the era, stuff I either already had on original releases or music I just didn't care for. The seller was very proud of the records and he had paid a lot of bucks for them way back when. I could see that he had visions of big dollars dancing in his head, so I politely declined and suggested he put them up on EBAY.
 
cactuscowboy said:
I looked them over and saw they were mostly common Pop titles from the era, stuff I either already had on original releases or music I just didn't care for. The seller was very proud of the records and he had paid a lot of bucks for them way back when. I could see that he had visions of big dollars dancing in his head, so I politely declined and suggested he put them up on EBAY.
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I saw an old national Geographic with an ad for the classical set, and it was like $10 per LP... a LOT back in the day. :yes:
 
I have that set too. And I'm from Philly!!! What a coincidence! Hard to sell on ebay because of the weight, even with media mail.
 
Listening to the Horowitz set right now. Finished with the Schumann record and am on the Chopin now. Excellent recordings as far as I can tell. Each set here has two records in it. Weird thing is that there is an extra copy of #11, the Schumann record, in the jacket. Appears to be previously released material, some stereo, some mono, licensed from CBS, EMI, Decca, and Angel. The jacket for the Beethoven set, #'s 7 and 8, is dark blue, the rest are green.
I left one behind because it was opera and I can't stand opera. Can't remember which one at the moment but I'm not gonna use the gas to go get it. Hmmmm...vinyl being a petroleum product maybe I can rig up a car that runs on Welk and Mantovani records. No shortages there.
Have to keep an eye out for these sets in the future. I actually probably have some of the original recordings anyway but what the hell.
 
I have the complete collection. It is 100 LPs -mine came in Library Bindings 2 LPs per box.
Most are great performances selected by an impressive collection of musical experts. The sound quality ranges from superb to historic, but it's the performances that are the selling point. I got them on a monthly subscription $23.98 (including P&P) per box ( 2 LPs) in the 80's.

Highly recommended!!

Ray
 
There is also a "Swing Bands" set. I have two boxes of that one - excellent recordings, same red vinyl, great condition. Nice find!
 
I have 6 boxes of Grammy Winners. Each box has 4 red vinyl lps with the books and letter and the whole shot. Good stuff.
 
Was at a thrift yesterday and found two boxes of "The Greatest Recordings of the Big Band Era" by the Franklin Mint. Each contain 4 LPs, a booklet, and a letter to the subscriber. They had cuts by Claude Thornhill, Tony Pastor, Louis Prema, Mitchell Ayres, Casa Loma Orchestra, and Jimmie Lunceford. They are in like new condition and $4 a box. Going back today to if they had morn in the back room.
 
I have 5 boxes of 20 (two discs per box) of Franklin Mint's Greatest recordings of the Big Band Era. heavy pressings on that oh so sexy blood red vinyl

I really would like to complete that set
 
As mentioned, the Franklin classical set was 100 LPs in 50 boxes.

The market price for a NM or sealed complete set is about $100-150. There are a lot of sets available relative to demand.
 
ampegdan said:
The records are red vinyl with a fancy-schmantzy black and gold label; fairly thick red vinyl at that.
Click to expand...

If memory serves me correctly, these recordings were marketed as having been pressed in "clean rooms" (i.e., dust-free) and on special vinyl to produce superior sound. The pitch was that these were the best available interpretations, recorded on the best available LP media.

They ran some ads in "National Geographic," and I seem to recall that there was an engineer in a white lab coat, examining the grooves under a microscope . . .

I have all the National Geographic issues on CD-ROM. If I can find the as, I'll post it for you.
 
LarryYaremko said:
If memory serves me correctly, these recordings were marketed as having been pressed in "clean rooms" (i.e., dust-free) and on special vinyl to produce superior sound. The pitch was that these were the best available interpretations, recorded on the best available LP media.

They ran some ads in "National Geographic," and I seem to recall that there was an engineer in a white lab coat, examining the grooves under a microscope . . .

I have all the National Geographic issues on CD-ROM. If I can find the as, I'll post it for you.
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If I ever find my copy, I'll scan it........they did say all that in the ad.
 
juncers said:
I have the complete collection. It is 100 LPs -mine came in Library Bindings 2 LPs per box.
Most are great performances selected by an impressive collection of musical experts. The sound quality ranges from superb to historic, but it's the performances that are the selling point. I got them on a monthly subscription $23.98 (including P&P) per box ( 2 LPs) in the 80's.

Highly recommended!!

Ray
Click to expand...

100 LP's?

Never heard about that.....I have 2 sets from them and they are each 4 per box, 24 LP's total.......both sets are in the same type packaging, just different color boxes.

My father said that both collections were complete and that he subscribed for the entire set.......:scratch2:
 
vinyldavid said:
100 LP's?

Never heard about that.....I have 2 sets from them and they are each 4 per box, 24 LP's total.......both sets are in the same type packaging, just different color boxes.

My father said that both collections were complete and that he subscribed for the entire set.......:scratch2:
Click to expand...

The Classical Collection was definitely 50 box sets with 2 LPs in each.
Ray
 
juncers said:
The Classical Collection was definitely 50 box sets with 2 LPs in each.
Ray
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Mine's Called "The One Hundred Greatest Recordings of All Time" and it's all classical........I forgot what the broadway one was called....

I'll see about getting some pix up.
 
That's weird. David, maybe you've got a prototype run or a different year? Mine are definitely 2 lp's each, except for that one with the freak duplicate record...They sound great to my ol' battered ears.
 
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