1905 Improved Edison Phonograph ad - query

[sumanth]

Hi - I'm writing to find out if any of you can identify the musicians (or actors, etc.) depicted in the top portion of an advertisement from 1905 (shown below) for the Improved Edison Phonograph. The one on the bottom left is John Philip Sousa; at the top left, this person looks like an opera singer; at the top right, an African-American and/or minstrel-style singer, and at the bottom right, a clown or comedian of some kind. I assume that these were all artists who recorded for Edison, since Sousa was known for having done so. Thanks for your help!

[sumanth]

I'm thinking that the opera singer is Florencio Constantino, either doing a number from Aida ("Celeste Aida") or from Rigoletto ("La donna è mobile").

[timohovenkamp]

Hello Sumanth,

Maybe the comedian at the bottom right is Uncle Josh?
I think the minstrel singer on the right represents the coon song genre, maybe a singer like Arthur Collins or Bob Roberts, who often performed that sort of songs.

Timo Hovenkamp

[lucius1958]

Definitely not Uncle Josh; looks more like one of the "Dutch" comics.

BillS

Update: It's most likely Weber, of the vaudeville team Weber & Fields:

[sumanth]

Thanks to you both for responding! Timo: I agree on the minstrel singers—my guess is that it's probably Arthur Collins, whose big hit "The Preacher and the Bear" appeared in 1905, the year of the ad. Bill: many thanks for the tip on Weber!

Best,
Sumanth