Who: David Bartholomew, 71, of Sycamore Township, a former (“Don't refer to me as retired!”) photographer, cinematographer and animation artist who is an admitted audiophile.

        On display: His collection of about 3,000 78 RPM records of classic jazz, hot dance music and personalities of the 1920s and '30s.

        Where: In what used to be the family room of the home he shares with Billie, his wife of 46 years.

        Just a young'un: “I started buying records in 1940 when I was 11 years old,” Mr. Bartholomew explains. “That's when I got my first record player. All of the people in my family had one of those, he says pointing to a console Victrola.”

        “Some of my first jazz records came from the war effort during World War II,” he says sheepishly. “They had a big scrap drive asking for old records, and I snagged a few from the pile.”

        Who knew? “78 RPM's are made from shellac and wax,” he explains. “That's where the term "stack of shellacs' comes from. Each record company had a different formula. During the war they chopped them up and melted them down because this wax was perfect for waterproofing percussion caps on ammunition.

        “Imagine,” he muses, “All those wonderful records that went up in smoke.”

        Lucky find: Mr. Bartholomew started collecting seriously in 1968, when he happened to see an original Gennett record lying in an antique store window. Since then, he has become what he calls a “junker,” visiting yard sales, flea markets and record shows.

        Ah-choo! “I don't go to auctions,” he quips. “I'm afraid I'll sneeze and end up having to buy something I can't afford.”

        Historical perspective: “It's an American art form,” he says, “And I think that these people ought to be remembered. But, you can't properly enjoy something like this unless you share it with other people.”

        Which he has been doing.

        Disc jockey: For the past three years Mr. Bartholomew has been doing a show called Friction for Maple Knoll Village's radio station WMKV (89.3 FM). It focuses on the music of the '20s and early '30s and allows him to share his encyclopedic knowledge.

        Interestingly enough, Mr. Bartholomew is not a musician.

        “I took lessons,” he says with a laugh. “But when somebody asks what instrument I play, I say the Victrola.”

        What are your prize possessions? Show them off, by writing to Marsie Hall Newbold, c/o Tempo, Prize Possessions, The Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., 45202 or e-mail marsolete@aol.com.

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