LIFE

14/11/1903 MYZ (ZIB = Zeitschrift für Instrumenten-Bau): Registration of INTERNATIONALE TALKING MACHINE COMPANY GmbH into Berlin Trade Register. Kaufmann Frederick M. Prescott, Richard Seligsohn and Carl Max Goldstein.


1904, 1905, 1906 recorder ODEON

For a long time little was known about an ODEON recorder called "Goldstein", except that he was a Polish jew and a fugitive from military service. By mid-1906 Goldstein was apparently thinking of leaving ODEON and had applied for a job at THE GRAMOPHONE COMPANY....
Recently (July 2014) a more complete picture of the man has arisen...


1/6/1906 : Letter from R/Le (Rodkinson/Leo B. Cohn of DGAG Berlin) to Theo. B. Birnbaum (London):
(Le = Leo B. Cohn ??? (was not with DGAG in 1906 !!!))

New expert - I am very much inclined to agree to the view expressed by Gaisberg and would suggest one of the ODEON men. The best man the ODEON has, is young [Hans] Glötzner who I understand is at present in South-America. Their man [Edwin] Pancoast has also done some fine recording. I think it would be very difficult to get one of the Glötzners, but Pancoast might be approached in London. The entire [recording] staff of the ODEON is American with the exception of Goldstein who is not worth considering. Of the other recorders in Germany all are Germans. The best man in my opinion is [Otto] Multhaupt, the expert of the FAVORITE who superseded [Otto] Birkhahn and who is a trained engineer with an academical education. I think he could be had and if you desire it, I can have him sounded.

Otto Multhaupt left FAVORITE on 10 January 1907, but did not join The Gramophone Company. He went to work for JANUS MINERVA.


On 12 September1906 William Sinkler Darby (Berlin) sent a telegram to Rodkinson (London):

"Goldstein's [ODEON expert] records are very good. Recommend taking him on."

On that same day (12/9/1906) William Sinkler Darby (DGAG Berlin) wrote a letter to T. B. Birnbaum (London):

About 10 days ago I saw Goldstein, recording expert for the ODEON Company.
During our conversation I found out that he is dissatisfied with his position and I asked him how he would like to work for us and what salary he would want.
He said he would like very much to get with our Company and what he asks for is a salary of £ 10 per week and a 3 year's contract.
I think that it is an offer which would certainly be greatly to our advantage to accept, as we will not only be getting the ODEON's process for a 3 yrs contract amounting in money to £ 1560, but we will have a man who can start practical work for us right away.
We are badly in need of another expert. The rapid increase of the ZONO. business is making more work than we can properly attend to.
Furthermore the ODEON Co. have been doing some very fine recording and I consider their process of recording in certain respects superior to ours. Therefore if we got nothing more than their process it would certainly be worth the sum of £ 1560.
The dozen records which Goldstein gave me as his sample work are very good.

14 September 1906 : Letter from B/G (Birnbaum/Gaisberg, G & T Ltd. London) to N. M. Rodkinson (Berlin):

Goldstein : Confirming our conversation with reference to Mr. Goldstein, will you please ascertain, immediately on your arrival in Berlin, whether Mr. Goldstein has given Darby any other proof of his ability to make records beyond the samples which he [= Goldstein] submitted to him.
I am under no circumstances satisfied with any other proof than actual demonstration in the presence of Darby, though I am not quite clear as to how this is to be secured.
Goldstein no doubt, will have his own sound-boxes and could presumably demonstrate on one of our recording machines. Something of this kind will certainly have to be done before the question of his engagement can be seriously discussed.
It would be necessary to bind him down with the utmost rigour, as he is a man in whom I have not the slightest confidence. However, this question can be deferred until you have reported on the records submitted, and as to whether Goldstein is prepared to accede to the above suggestions.
Wil you please forward to Mr. Fassett the Goldstein records, which have been shewn to Mr. Darby, as Mr. Williams [A.C. Redshawe Williams or Edmund Trevor Lloyd Williams] is personally desirous of inspecting them and forming an opinion as to their value.

17/9/1906 : Letter from F/F (Fassett (G&T Ltd.) to W. Sinkler Darby (Berlin):

Mr. Birnbaum desires me to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 12th inst., re Goldstein, and to inform you that he has discussed this matter with Mr. Rodkinson.
Mr. Birnbaum feels that he could under no circumstances seriously consider the question of Goldstein's engagement without definite proof of his ability to make good records, by actual demonstration in your presence. This would perhaps be difficult to arrange, but Goldstein, no doubt, has his own sound-boxes and could probably demonstrate on one of our Recording Machines.
Mr. Rodkinson will undoubtedly discuss with you as to whether it will be possible to arrange such a test of Goldstein's recording."

19 September 1906 : Letter from R/Le [= N. M. Rodkinson/Leo B. Cohn, DGAG Berlin] to Birnbaum (London):

I am in receipt of yours of the 14th inst.
Goldstein - I have had a pretty plain talk with this man and while I am not prepared to say that we have been doing him any injustice, it may be that we have judged him too harshly. He submitted to me 2 letters written to him by Mr. [F. M.] Prescott which tend to show that he had absolutely no intention of applying for a position with us, in order to act as spy for Mr. Prescott. I am sending you the letters in original and you can form your own opinion.
As for his having made the records which he submitted to Darby, there can be no question, as he has proved conclusively that he was the only Expert sent to Austria, Hungary and Bohemia and most of the records made there are his work. Nevertheless I have asked him to make some records in Darby's presence and this he has declared himself willing to do. He is making arrangements with Darby accordingly, and I shall let you know the result as soon as his records are ready.
At any rate, in view of the fact that we are badly in need of an Expert and that he is the only available good man, I cannot but urge his engagement. Will you therefore upon receipt of this and upon cosideration of the circumstances send me a wire authorising his engagement on the condition that his records prove satisfactory. He can no doubt free himself about October 1st, but naturally would like to know sometime in advance whether his engagement by us is assured. I have therefore promised to let him know by Monday.
Kindly return Prescott's letters and in case you agree to his engagement, have Mr. Broad draw up his contract into German, French and Italian dating them respectively: London, Berlin, Paris and Milan. Goldstein cannot go to Russia as it seems that he is a fugitive from military service, being born Pole and of jewish faith. He particularly informed me that his going to Russia would be out of the question.

Here the correspondence on Goldstein ends....
Apparently recording engineer Goldstein did not make the switch and remained with ODEON at least until 1914, in view of the fact that the name “Goldstein” occurs as late as March 1914 in the Fonotipia ledgers.
If not as a recorder, Goldstein may have ended up as a member of ODEON’s technical staff in Berlin.

Charles M. Goldstein appointed Director of FONOTIPIA (Milan) (PhZ 8/37/1004: 12 Sept 1907)

In view of the picture made in Egypt on 16/2/1908, showing three persons (Hermann Blumenthal, a Mr. Goldstein and some Waffiz?/Haffiz?, we may suppose that Goldstein still was with Odeon in February 1908, unless this was another person called Goldstein...

The name Goldstein's name occurs several times (without a first name) in the FONOTIPIA ledgers Fonotipia Recordings. A Centennial Survey by Michael E. Henstock: on page 239 (note), 665 (24 September 1908) and 240 (note 667) (28 September 1908).
Henstock suggests "Carl" as his first name. It looks as if Henstock assumed correctly that this was Carl/Charles Max Goldstein, one-time deputy manager of the INTERNATIONAL TALKING MACHINE COMPANY, later director of FONOTIPIA (Milan) in 1907, and replaced by Kenneth Muir in 1909.
In August or September 1909 Kenneth Muir (1867-1922) replaced C. M. Goldstein as manager in Italy.
In 1910 Muir went on a business trip to the USA. On 26 October 1910 he boarded the SS “Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse” in Southampton and arrived in New York on 1 November 1910.



Carl Max GOLDSTEIN (42y; married) engineer
SS "ROTTERDAM"
dep.: 1 Oct 1910, Rotterdam, THE NETHERLANDS
arr.: 10 Oct 1910, New York, USA
residence: Mrs S. GOLDSTEIN, Kaiserstrasse, Berlin


Goldstein (German Patent Department) p. 29 of Lindström-report (Jan. 1912).
Goldstein (deputy manager International Talking Machine Company - ODEON) p. 1 of Lindström-report (Jan. 1912) in handwriting.


C. [Carl/Charles]. M. [Max] GOLDSTEIN, MARTIN CITRON and MAX GUTTMANN (Societé Française des Phonographes "ARION", Paris) Berlin-Weissensee, Lehderstr. 20. Appl. 21/10/1912 - Regrd. 11/2/1913


Trademark registration "PHRYNIS" (14/2. 1914 - 24/7. 1914): Compagnie Française des Disques et Machines "ODEON" et d'Instruments de Musique, Ancienne Maison Ch. & J. Ullmann, Paris.; Vertr.: C. M. Goldstein.



Carl Max GOLDSTEIN (46y; married) engineer
SS "BREMEN"
dep.: 20 June 1914, Bremen, GERMANY
arr.: 2 July 1914, New York, USA
residence: Mrs. GOLDSTEIN, Esmarchstrasse 27/1, Berlin
(ELLIS ISLAND: images #0357/0358)



Hedwig GOLDSTEIN (44y)
+ Jeannette GOLDSTEIN (11y)
+ Caroline BLUME (76y)
SS "FREDERIK VIII"
Dep.: 17 Aug 1916, Copenhagen
Arr.: 29 Aug 1916, New York
residence: Berlin, GERMANY

1920 CENSUS (Manhattan, 1920):
Charles GOLDSTEIN (52y; b. 1868, Germany) Engineer / Patent Factory
Hedwig (47y; 67y is NOT correct)
- Jeannett(e) (14y)
= Karolina BLUME (79y) mother-in-law
Immigration year: 1914.

The US Passport Application for Carl Max GOLDSTEIN is dated Dec, 9, 1920.
Some info. from the 1920 passport application (typewritten), re. Carl Max GOLDSTEIN:
- born May 23, 1868, Rixdorf, Germany
- immigrated to the U.S. 1914
- had lived in the U.S. (15 West 107th St., Manhattan) for 6 years at time of application
- naturalized as a citizen Nov. 23, 1920 in NY
- occupation: mechanical engineer
- purpose of travel to Europe is to procure and close commercial contracts in the interest of the International Trading Corporation
- intends to leave the US on Dec. 16 1920 on board the MONGOLIA and return to the US in 3 months


Lived outside the US from Dec. 1920 to Mar. 1921 in Switzerland and Germany.



Carl M. GOLDSTEIN (52y)
SS "SUSQUEHANNA"
dep.: 31 Mar 1921, Bremen
arr.: 12 Apr 1921, Boston


An amended/extension of the US Passport Application is dated Sept. 15, 1922.
Some additional info. from the 1922 passport application (handwritten), re. Carl Max GOLDSTEIN:
- father: Adolf GOLDSTEIN, deceased
- lived outside the US from Dec. 1920 to Mar. 1921 in Switzerland and Germany
- permanent address: 116 West 39th St., NY City
- occupation: consulting engineer
- purpose of travel to Europe is for commercial business for General Phonograph Corp. of ??, NY
- intends to leave Sept. 19, 1922 and return within 2 years (no ship name listed)
- this passport extension is good for 12 months


Publication number: US1705663 A
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: Mar 19, 1929
Filing date: Jun 9, 1924
Priority date: Nov 10, 1923
Inventors: Goldstein Carl Max
Original Assignee: Carl Lindstrom Ag



Carl M. GOLDSTEIN (57y)
SS "RIJNDAM"
dep.: 16 Aug 1925, Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS
arr.: 5 Sep 1925, New York
residence: 25 W 45th str., NY (c/o Sam Blomberg)



Carl M. GOLDSTEIN (58y)
SS "GEORGE WASHINGTON"
dep.: 18 Aug 1926, Bremen, GERMANY
arr.: 27 Aug 1926, New York



Carl M. GOLDSTEIN (59y)
SS "LEVIATHAN"
dep.: 31 May 1927, Bremen, GERMANY
arr.: 6 June 1927, New York
address: COLUMBIA PHONOGRAPH CO. INC., 1819 Broadway, New York, NY



Carl GOLDSTEIN (60y)
SS "GEORGE WASHINGTON"
dep.: 8 Aug 1928, Bremen, GERMANY
arr.: 17 Aug 1928, New York
address: 1819 Broadway, Room 2005, New York, NY (= COLUMBIA PHONOGRAPH CO. INC.)



Carl GOLDSTEIN (62y)
SS "HAMBURG"
dep.: 6 June 1930, Hamburg, GERMANY
arr.: 14 June 1930, New York
address: 1819 Broadway, New York, NY (= COLUMBIA PHONOGRAPH CO. INC.)
(878 Berlin 6/2/30 (= 2 June 1930))



Carl M. GOLDSTEIN (64y)
SS "MAJESTIC"
dep.: 15 June 1932, Cherbourg, FRANCE
arr.: 21 June1932, New York
residence: 5th Ave, NY



Carl M. GOLDSTEIN (64y)
+ Hedwig GOLDSTEIN (60y; b. 1873)
+ Jeanette JACOBY (28y) (name struck out: treansferred to Sheet C12, line 5))
SS "OLYMPIC"
dep.: 3 May 1933, Cherbourg, FRANCE
arr.: 10 May 1933, New York
c/o Joffe, 111 Broadway, New York, NY
Supreme Court New York, 23 Nov 1920 (useful for identification on other passenger lists)


Christian Zwarg in e-mail:

I've got news for you: The "two Goldsteins" you have documented on your website are indeed the same person: Carl Max Goldstein
Your assumption that Carl (sorry I cannot now find any document actually calling him "Charles") was just a manager and the recordist must therefore be another person is not born out by the evidence.
I have perused the Berlin "Adressbücher" of the period, and among half-a-page of Goldsteins - most of them bankers, jewellers, salesmen and other stereotypically Jewish professions - is only one that could be our recording expert, namely (cited from the 1907 edition of the Berlin "Adressbücher", p.672):
Carl Max Goldstein, Techniker, NO.18, Bardelebenstr. 1, Berlin
That's not too far from the Odeon factory at Lehderstraße (the address does not exist today as the whole block was bombed out in 1945 and rebuilt in a different layout), and he is the only "Techniker" with this surname - there's one "engineer" Paul Goldstein, but next to his name there is a cross reference to a company "Ludwig Cassirer & Co." so he cannot have been the Odeon employee.
Googling the full name, I come to this: http://www.google.com/patents/US1705663
So in 1924, in a US-American document, he still calls himself "Carl Max", not "Charles M.", and it is no less than a patent about technical details of a gramophone filed on behalf of the Carl Lindström AG in Berlin, not just an administrative document. Maybe he did fill manager duties in his later career, but there can be little doubt it's the very same man they engaged as a recording engineer in 1904. Another small puzzle piece put into place....
(Christian Zwarg in e-mail)

Kenneth Muir’s contract with FONOTIPIA ended late 1911 according to a letter of 27 June 1911 written by Alfred Clark to the Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, NJ.:

“We had a visit from Mr. Kenneth Muir, formerly our Italian Manager, who two years ago left us to join the Fonotipia force on a contract which expires in a few months and which has not been renewed.”

And in a letter of 30 March 1911 to Frank L. Dyer, President of the National Phonograph Co., Orange, New Jersey, Kenneth Muir writes:

“… but I had signed my contract with the FONOTIPIA and so nothing could be done until this contract expired, i.e. at the end of this year [= 1911].”

In his turn Muir was succeeded by Mr. Fuselli.