Presto (4)

Presto cutting lathes allowed making recordings direct to thin aluminum discs coated with cellulose nitrate lacquer, with generic labels that could be filled in by hand. The record blanks manufactured by Presto are thus acetates made one at a time by individuals (usually at radio stations).

See also homage label Presto (7).

The original Presto Products Company, est. 1915, marketed lathes for radio and home studios. It went out of business in 1932 and reorganized as Duall Company. In 1933 it became Presto Recording Corporation and focused more on marketing its products to the military and radio industry. In January 1956, the company merged with David Bogen Co., which was bought by Unitronics Corporation later that year. Bogen and Presto merged, but Bogen kept the Presto line going until 1965.