Attractive mixed lot of 16 original UK 78rpm shellac records spanning the golden age of British and international popular orchestral music. Highlights include Jack Hylton’s ambitious Rachmaninoff preludes, early Mantovani concert orchestra sides, Paul Whiteman’s jazz-symphonic Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and prestige recordings by Ambrose, André Kostelanetz, and others. The selection blends classical crossover, dance band medleys, film music, light orchestral novelties, and ballroom favourites, mostly on HMV, Columbia, and Decca. A strong, characterful group ideal for collectors of inter-war orchestral and dance-band 78s. Jack Hylton and His Orchestra – Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 3 No. 2 / Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23 No. 5 (Rachmaninoff) – HMV C 1864 – UK – c.1932. Monumental and brooding, these orchestral versions of Rachmaninoff’s most famous preludes transform solo piano thunder into full symphonic drama. With organ adding weight and atmosphere, Hylton presents classical romanticism on a scale designed to impress both concert-hall aspirants and gramophone audiences alike. Mantovani and His Concert Orchestra – The Dream of Olwen / Skyscraper Fantasy – Decca K 1911 – UK – c.1939. A striking glimpse of Mantovani on the brink of fame: one side tender and elegiac, the other modern and metropolitan. Piano-led lyricism meets shimmering orchestral textures, hinting at the lush string sound that would soon make him a household name. André Kostelanetz and His Orchestra – Mexicana / Malagueña – Columbia DX 1527 – UK – c.1936. Colourful, exotic, and unapologetically cinematic, these performances revel in stylised Latin atmosphere. Castanets, sweeping strings, and bold orchestration reflect Kostelanetz’s gift for turning “exotic” themes into polished concert spectacle. Paul Whiteman and His Concert Orchestra – Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Parts 1 & 2) – HMV C 2884 – UK – c.1927. Jazz meets ballet in this dramatic, narrative-driven recording of Rodgers & Hart’s score. Whiteman’s orchestra moves seamlessly between menace, lyricism, and rhythmic urgency, capturing one of the era’s most ambitious jazz-symphonic works. Ambrose and His Orchestra – Ambrose’s Jubilee Cavalcade (Parts 1 & 2) – Decca K 750 – UK – c.1935. A confident victory lap: Ambrose revisits his greatest successes in a sweeping medley that showcases his orchestra’s elegance, precision, and star soloists. Designed as both celebration and statement, it epitomises mid-1930s British dance-band prestige. Jack Hylton and His Orchestra – Early Ragtime Memories (1st Record) – HMV C 1653 – UK – c.1928. A nostalgic journey back to the syncopated roots of popular music, presented with affectionate polish rather than raw edge. Ragtime is reframed here as refined entertainment for modern living rooms. Jack Hylton and His Orchestra – Early Ragtime Memories (2nd Record) – HMV C 1653 – UK – c.1928. Continuing the retrospective, this companion disc deepens the sense of affectionate remembrance, blending jaunty rhythms with orchestral sheen and gentle humour. Jack Hylton and His Orchestra – Good Old Songs (1st Record) – HMV C 1592 – UK – c.1928. Music-hall favourites and well-loved popular tunes are given new life through smooth arrangements and a warm, inclusive tone, clearly intended for family listening and sing-along enjoyment. Jack Hylton and His Orchestra – Good Old Songs (2nd Record) – HMV C 1592 – UK – c.1928. More nostalgia, more charm: a continuation that reinforces Hylton’s role as both entertainer and curator of popular memory. New Mayfair Orchestra – Twenty Million Sweethearts (Selection) / Evergreen (Selection) – HMV C 2681 – UK – c.1934. A glossy slice of cinema culture, condensing popular film scores into flowing medleys. Romantic melodies and lush orchestration mirror the escapist glamour of early-1930s musical films. Columbia Vocal Gem Company – Twenty-Five Years of Popular Song (Parts 1 & 2) – Columbia DX 684 – UK – c.1935. A carefully constructed musical time capsule, charting the evolution of popular song across a quarter-century. Its seamless progression makes it as educational as it is entertaining. Harry Davidson and His Orchestra – Old Time Excuse Me Dances (Parts 3 & 4) – Columbia DX 1303 – UK – c.1929. Designed squarely for the ballroom, these brisk selections revive older dance styles with crisp tempos and unfussy arrangements, keeping nostalgia firmly danceable. Harry Davidson and His Orchestra – The Merry Widow Waltz / Donella Tango – Columbia DX 1505 – UK – c.1934. Romance and rhythm meet: Lehár’s operetta elegance on one side, sultry continental tango on the other, reflecting the era’s enduring fascination with European dance forms. Debroy Somers Band – Stealing Thro’ the Classics No. 1 (Parts 1 & 2) – Columbia DX 237 – UK – c.1933. Light-hearted and inventive, this medley playfully borrows from the classical canon, transforming familiar themes into swinging, crowd-pleasing entertainment. International Concert Orchestra – The Skaters (Waltz) / Estudiantina (Waltz) – HMV C 1326 – UK – c.1925. Graceful, melodic, and reassuringly traditional, these waltzes embody early gramophone respectability and the enduring appeal of light classical repertoire. New Light Symphony Orchestra – In a Clock Store / A Hunt in the Black Forest – HMV C 1308 – UK – c.1929. Whimsy and sentiment share the disc: ticking clocks and yodelling horns conjure vivid musical pictures, offering listeners escapism through sound and imagination.