This Diamond Disc features the voice of the American actor and comedian Carl Stewart (1856 – 1919). On the disc, Stewart performs two humorous monologues entitled "Uncle Josh's Birthday" and "Ragtime at Pumpkin Center". In the recording, Stewart plays a character Uncle Josh, a resident of a mythical New England farming town called Pumpkin Center. Stewart was a pioneer in vaudeville and early sound recordings. Around 1897, Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931) hired Stewart to do several recordings of his famous speeches and songs which were well received by the public, and launched an entire series of recordings based on the Uncle Josh character.

Between 1912 and 1929, Diamond Disc were manufactured by Thomas A. Edison, Inc. to be used with the Edison Disc Phonograph, or record player. Diamond Discs have a thickness of ¼ inch, a diameter of 10 inches, and weigh close to 1 pound. The name Diamond Disc originated from its association with the Edison Disc Phonograph, which featured a permanent conical stylus made of diamond. The stylus, or needle, is responsible for making contact with the disc and transmitting the vibrations produced by the record’s grooves. The diamond stylus made the phonograph unique, while other phonographs used steel styluses which required regular replacement, the Edison Disc Phonograph used a durable and long-lasting diamond stylus. However, this unique feature made Diamond Discs incompatible with phonographs that used steel styluses because a steel stylus had the potential to damage the Diamond Discs while providing low sound quality. Diamond Discs experienced commercial success during the mid-1910s and into the early 1920s.