Aretino Records
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, phonograph records |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Arthur J. O'Neill |
| Defunct | 1914 |
| Fate | Discontinued operations; phonograph interests absorbed into Consolidated Talking Machine Company in 1916 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Phonograph records, phonographs |
Aretino was an American record label active approximately from 1907 until 1914. Established by Arthur J. O'Neill, who was connected to various record and phonograph enterprises in the Chicago region, the label took its name from the 11th-century Italian monk Guido Aretino, credited with creating the musical scale. Aretino became distinguished for its exceptionally large 3-inch spindle hole, the biggest ever produced commercially.
The company’s strategy centered on marketing an affordable phonograph designed exclusively to play Aretino records due to their oversized spindle hole. Meanwhile, adapters were available that enabled these discs to be compatible with standard machines or Busy Bee phonographs—another of O’Neill’s ventures. This approach was intended to secure customer loyalty within the Aretino product line.
Rather than producing original recordings, Aretino leased masters from other manufacturers. Its earliest releases were single-sided records marked with an A-prefix, sourced from Leeds & Catlin, who also issued a rare double-sided series labeled with a D-prefix. When Leeds & Catlin ceased operations following patent infringement issues, production temporarily moved to Hawthorne & Sheble and Zonophone, maintaining the single-sided A-prefix records. The collaboration between O’Neill and Universal Talking Machine (Zonophone’s parent company) ended under pressure from Eldridge Johnson of Victor, who aimed to shield Victor’s premium brand reputation from being linked with budget labels such as Aretino.
Further legal conflicts involving Victor and Hawthorne & Sheble added complexity to the situation. Eventually, Columbia became the exclusive manufacturer for Aretino, producing the most prevalent D-prefix double-sided discs exceeding 500 titles, along with an A-prefix series and a 12-inch double-sided format. In 1910, O’Neill consolidated Busy Bee and Aretino operations but continued exclusively with the Aretino brand. The label discontinued its activities in 1914; by 1916, O’Neill’s remaining phonograph interests were incorporated into the Consolidated Talking Machine Company.
Among notable performers featured on Aretino releases were Henry Burr, William F. Denny, Byron G. Harlan, Ada Jones, Billy Murray, Vess Ossman, Steve Porter, Cal Stewart, and Bert Williams.
See also
- Unusual types of gramophone records
- United Records (1910s)
- Standard Talking Machine Company
- List of record labels