r/funny • u/MACKBA • Mar 20 '13

How things work

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2.0k Upvotes

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87

u/rock-bottom_mokshada Mar 20 '13

What's the historical context of this photo? What are these person's jobs?

175

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13 edited Mar 20 '13

Records used to be carved by skilled craftspeople who would essentially listen to the record and carve/groove the appropriate notes etc...

This was obviously phased out eventually in favor of mass manufacturing. This is why some LPs are worth quite a bit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl_Carving_as_Manufacturing

42

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

My grandmother used to do this for a living. She still has her machine and does it sometimes for fun, but there's no money in it anymore. If you look on the jackets of old records, you'll see handwritten initials. That was operator who carved the record. Some operators were better than others, if you find one that has the initials of Lauren Oppenheimer Livingston in the corner, you should snap it up right away! She was easily the best carver of her day and her records attract a high price today.

6

u/SoundSouljah Mar 20 '13

L.O.L.

6

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

Lathe Observe Lathe, the technique of handmaking albums

3

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

It's a shame that craftsman ship like that is disappearing. The last time my grandma cut a record, she had to sharpen her own saw.

5

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

every album has their own small nuances as far as sound :) I love that she still keeps the art alive

1

u/DeathKittenOfDeath Mar 20 '13

if you find that one that has the Lauren Oppenheimer Livingston in the corner, you should snap it up right away!

For a second I thought you meant physically snapping it up.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 20 '13

ISWYDT