HMV | HMV Records | HMV Label | The HMV Record Label History HMV or 'His Master's Voice' has for long been a very important name in the music industry and used to be a large record label. The name 'His Master's Voice' originates from the label's logo which is a terrier dog listening to a gramophone recording of his master's voice. The logo is a painting of the dog Nipper and it was bought, along with the UK rights to it, by the Gramophone Company in 1899. The Gramophone Company didn't use the logo on their records until 1909. Until then, the image had only been used in the USA by the 'Victor Talking Machine Company' on their records. They continued to use it and so did their successor RCA which bought Victor in 1929 along with their shares in the Gramophone Company. EMI was created in 1931 and ultimately ended owning the Gramophone Company which was eventuallu called HMV. RCA owned shares in EMI until 1939 when it sold them but kept hold of the name 'His Master's Voice' in the USA.

EMI kept distributing RCA records until 1957 when their collaboration was interrupted. With the arrival of the CD, EMI eventually dropped the 'His Master's Voice' trademark and replaced it with 'EMI Classics', a name which could be used all around the globe. The HMV trademark is now owned by the HMV retail company in Britain which owns over 400 shops around the globe. They have no current ties to EMI having sold all the shops to the HMV group in 1998. The first HMV shop opened in London in 1921 and they still use a modified version of the Nipper painting as their logo. Classification of HMV records (English Pressings) HMV records, same as Columbia and Decca , come in mono and stereo. Mono records come in the series ALP, BLP, CLP and DLP, while stereo records come in the series ASD and SAN, also known as the Angel series. Earlier records from these series have 3 digits after their corresponding prefix and later records have 4. The earlier ones, with three digits, are the most valuable and collectible ones.

All mono records have four digits and tend to be generally less valuable, exceptions are records by artists such as De Vito. Mono LPs - ALP Series HMV released its first mono LP in 1952, much later than its rivals Decca and Columbia . Its ALP monos have a red label and present the Nipper logo in a semi-circle. Around the semi-circle we can see the words 'His Master's Voice' indicationg the name of the label. This record belongs to the HMV ALP series and can be recognized by the semi-circle Nipper logo with the words 'His Master's Voice' sorounding it. It as a red label with white and dark red lettering. This record belongs to the HMV ALP series and can be recognized by the semi-circle Nipper logo with the words 'His Master's Voice' sorounding it. It as a red label with gold lettering. Stereo LPs - ASD and SAN (Angel) series HMV records belonging to the ASD series come in 6 different labels and vary greatly in value accordingly. As said previously, generally records with 3 digits after the prefix are more valuable than ones with 4.

The first label is the most valuable and runs from ASD251 to ASD575. The second label runs from ASD576 to ASD2480. The third label runs up to ASD2800, the fourth one runs up to about ASD3850, the fifth one runs up to ASD4000. The sixth label, most recent one, was introduced in the 1980s and unfortunately is of lower sound quality than its predecessors. This record belongs to the HMV ASD first series. It can be easily recognized by its white label with gold edges and red writing. This record belongs to the HMV second series. It can be easily recognised by its semi-circle Nipper logo and red label. This record belongs to the HMV ASD third series. It can be easily recognized by its red label with dark red and white writing. It also has the colour Nipper logo in a box with white edges and the name 'His Master's Voice' at the bottom of the box. This record belongs to the HMV ASD fourth series. It can be easily recognised by its red label and black and white Nipper logo. This record belongs to the HMV ASD fifth series.

It is the first series recorded digitally. This series can be recognised by the 'Digital' logo on top of the Nipper logo box. HMV ASDsixth series. It recognisable by its semi-circle logo with the words 'His Master's Voice' written inside the semi-circle (often pressed in Germany). Stereo LPs - Angel (SAN) series The HMV Angel series contains records that came out around the same time as the ASD series. The difference is that Angel series records have an angel logo on their label. These records are sometimes collectible, especially the earlier ones. Angel series records have a serial that starts withe the prefix SAN which is followed by 3 digits. This is an example of an HMVrecord belonging to the Angel series. This is part of the first Angel series label collection and it can be recognised by its gold label with a white angel logo. Items with this label are very collectible. This HMV record belongs to the 2nd Angel series and can be recognized by its coloured Nipper logo. It also displays an EMI logo at the bottom of the label.

Page 13 Record Labels :Howard Friedman MusicWeb-International "His Masterï¿½s Voice" Trademark In February 1909 the Gramophone Company finally replaced the "Recording Angel" trademark used on labels since as early as February 1899 with the "His Masterï¿½s Voice" trademark which William Barry Owen had purchased from the painter Francis Barraud in that same year, and which the Victor Talking Machine Company had been using as its trademark since January 1902. The original painting is shown above. It may be noted here that the Gramophone Company had been using the HMV trademark on its tins of gramophone needles since as early as February 1904 (see the February 1904 Catalogue cover shown above). Moreover, John Bennett states that the HMV trademark had appeared on supplements as early as January 1900.

HMV record labels used during the acoustical recording era fall into four major categories: 1) Gramophone Co., Ltd., with the Dog trademark; 2) His Master's Voice, large and small trademarks; 3) HMV B, C, D, and E series; and 4) HMV DA, DB, and other International Celebrity series. Labels were printed in different colors to identify price categories. In addition, a dark green label was used for lesser recording lights, for both 10- and 12-inch discs, from as early as 1909 to 1921 or later. As noted above, Russian labels never bore the HMV trademark. During the first period described above labels with the same general format were used in various countries in Europe, particularly in Spain. The only words in English on these labels were the designation above the trademark, the language, the vocal range or instrument and the accompaniment. During this period the label showed two catalog numbers placed at 5 and 7 oï¿½clock on the label. This format has been seen on issues as late as December 27, 1911.

Sometime during this period the double catalog numbers were replaced by a single number, which continued through about February 1918, when quadrants were placed in the lower half of the label (see below under Double-Sided Issues) From February 1909 to August 1910 the HMV label consisted of an unframed trademark occupying most of the upper half of the label, above which was the lettering GRAMOPHONE CONCERT RECORD or GRAMOPHONE MONARCH RECORD. Directly beneath the trademark was the company designation, as Manufactured by The Gramophone Co., Ltd., (and Sister Companies). These are generally known as HMV Monarch or Dog Monarch for 12-inch discs and as HMV Concert or Dog Concert for 10-inch discs, respectively. The lower company designation was used in 1912. Figure IV.A.1.a. pink, large font Figure IV.A.1.a. pink, small font The following four labels were issued during the early HMV period from February 1909 through August 1910, for both 10- and 12-inch recordings.

At that time the Angel still appeared in smaller form on various label styles, generally at the lower center of the label. February 1909 IV.B.1.a. Feb 1908 ï¿½ Dec 1909 IV.B.1.b. early 1909 to 1917 Company Name Variations In August 1910 the designation HIS MASTERï¿½S VOICE appeared on both 10- and 12-inch records in an arc above the unframed trademark. The new design included the company designation under the trademark, as Manufactured by THE GRAMOPHONE CO., LTD., Hayes, Middlesex, England, as seen in the foregoing illustrations. The first HMV labels introduced in December 1910 were black or pink (Bennett called this color violet-red, and it appeared so frequently), followed two years later by the double-sided "B" and "C" series with plum labels. These are discussed in greater detail below. They were followed by the "D" and "E" series, introduced in February 1918, both with black labels.

These were replaced by red labels in October 1932, and continued until the end of the 78 rpm recording era, around 1950. The violet label was apparently dropped after March 1920. Plum may be defined as a dark purple to deep reddish purple color. December 27, 1911 History of the Recording Industry LIBRARY Beginnings: 1890-1900 The story of the sound recording industry is mostly a story of musical entertainment on phonograph discs for the whole period from the invention of the phonograph in 1877 to about the 1950s, when new technologies emerged. The major players in the industry were Victor, Columbia and HMV (which originally stood for His Master's Voice) until the end of World War II, and are still important today. These three companies all got their start in the 1890s, when the phonograph was still young. Thomas Edison's 1877 invention of the phonograph was followed by many imitators, most notably the "graphophone," which became the basis of the Columbia company. Both inventions used a cylinder record which captured sound in a groove.

Just as the graphophone of 1887 borrowed many ideas from Edison, so too did Edison's "improved phonograph" of 1888 borrow back from the graphophone. Soon both machines were for sale or lease to the public. The primary market was intended to be businessman, lawyers, court reporters, and others who currently used stenography to capture important thoughts or compose letters. Although the sound recorder as a business machine has its own history, it is the entertainment uses of sound recording that made the biggest impact. 78s-THE LABELS Compagnia Generale Del Disco. Recorded in Italy. Pressed in Australia. Not liisted by anyone I could find. Note details on the label. My supposition is that these are Italian recordings made for the Italian communities "all over the world" and pressed by generic record pressing companies for a local label to promote the music. THE ï¿½CHAPPELL' RECORD Chappell & Co. Ltd., 50 New Bond Street, London. The only information I have is on this one record label in the collection.

MANY CHILDREN'S RECORDS The children's record labels illustrated here are of small size (less than 10-inch), have limited details and are generally not listed separately, hence the dearth of information provided. CLIFFORD Clifford Industries Ltd. Made in Australia. According to Miller [M]: Clifford Industries produced many labels, including Angelus, Paraamount, Electron, Embassy, Gracelon, Melotone, Orpheus, Plaza, Regent, Starr, Sterling, Worth, Grand Pree, and Golden Tonque - all the space of three years from 1928 to 1931. Many masters were pressed onto multiple labels, under various pseudenoyms. (That must have been most frustrating for buyers who find they have a ï¿½duplicate' record when they get home and have a listen). CLOVER The Nutmeg Record Corporation. The company was one of the Edison Consolidated group companies, in the USA. The catalog consisted of mainly dance and popular vocal items, and light instrumental performances. Rust [R] notes that the surfaces of the recordings are inclined to be gritty and not very durable, and give the recording a somewhat dull shrill.

Miller [M] does not include it with his list of British labels so we can assume there were no British releases. Period: Mid 1920s, apparently for only a brief period. COMMODORE Commodore Record Co., NY, USA. From Rust [R]: The Commodore Music Shop of 136 East 42nd Street, New York City, entered the record business in the spring of 1938 when its owner, Milt Gabler, issued the first red label items for the jazz connoisseur. The ten-inch records were numbered 500 upwards, with ï¿½a handful' of 12-inch issues numbered 1500 upwards. The recordings of the first issues were done by the American Record Corporation COLISEUM Coliseum, London, manufactured by Cooper Brothers Ltd., of 45 and 63 City Road, and 17 Clerkenwell Road, London. COAST Coast Record Manufacturing Co., Los Angeles. Not listed by Rust [R} (surprisingly perhaps as it is a Los Angeles label). Mentioned by Miller [M] with: From the U.S.

contemporary label, and notes thus Australian releases from late 1949/ early 1950, catalog CST001 to CST0012. (I have no ï¿½made in Australia' pressings). I should qualify that the ï¿½Coast' label as shown is the same as the Austraalian label listed by Miller [M]. COLUMBIA (MANY LABELS) The Columbia Phonograph Company was established in Washington, DC, USA, in 1888, as an agency of the North American Phonograph Co., to market Edison Phonographs and Bell-Tainter Graphophones. It became a subsidiary of the North American Phonograph Company the following year. The initial product was the cylinder record, Columbia issueing their first cylinder catalog in 1891. The North American Phonograph Co., was liquidated in 1894, but the subsidiary Columbia Phonograph Company remained intact, obtained ï¿½territorial rights' to marketing, and joined up with the American Graphophone Company to form the Columbia Phonograph Company, General.

Two years later, 1896, the trademark ï¿½Columbia' was used, as applied to its playing machines. CORAL Made in Australia by Festival Records Pty Ltd. Miller [M] simply lists as being around in the 1950s. They appear not to have recorded any jazz as the label is not listed in Miller [J]. I can remember them as being predominantly, maybe only, into ï¿½popular' music. Hence the labels listed. COSMO Manufactured by Cosmopolitan Records, Inc. New York, U.S.A. Rust [R] does not list this label, nor can I find any other reference. CROWN Made in England by the Crystalate Gramophone Record Manufacturing Company Limited of Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Rust [R] notes that there were three ï¿½Crown' labels issued in the USA and UK. Longwell [L] shows two additional labels (with no details). Field [F] does not list any. DANCELAND Danceland Records, 34 Exeter St, WC2, (London).

Not listed by any of my references, not even Longwell [L] nor Field [F] who have the most extensive list of British labels on the internet. DECCA (MANY LABELS) (a) The Decca Record Co. Ltd. Manufactured in England. (b) Decca Records, New York. (c) Made in Australia by Columbia Graphophone (Aust) Pty Ltd. The Decca Record Company Ltd, in the UK, was formed in 1929 by stockbroker Edward Lewis, later Sir Edward. Rust [R] continues: For five years during the worst of the great trde sslump on the early 1930s, the company went from strenmgth to strength acquiring rights to various Amerercian labels - Brunsiwck, Melotone, and Amercian Record Corporation. In January 1933, Decca bought Edison Bell; earlier it had bought English Vocalion. Decca was launched in the USA in 1934. In March 1937 it added Rex and (USA) Vocalion. DELIUS The Delius Society. Recorded by Columbia Graphophone Co. Ltd., London.Artistic Director Sir Thomas Beecham.

DISQUE Apparently French, but otherwise I have no information. DOMINION Dominion Gramophone Records Limited, Luton Beds, England. First released ï¿½with panache' in October 1928 from their head office in Great Marlborough Street, London. Numbering began at A.1 and continued to at least A.267 in April 1930. Early issues came from Cameo and Perfect in America; Dominion's own recordings began at 1001, in August 1928, lasting till number 1726. Labels: There was also a blue label for their ï¿½Classic' series, and a red label. Dominion ceased trading mid 1930. DOMINO Domino Record Company, New York. The first ï¿½Domino' were seven-inch records issued around 1917. The ten-inch pressings existed between 1924 and 1933; Domino Records was a subsidiary of Plaza Music. Many of their releasses were exactly the same as, and released at the same time as those of Banner, Regal and others under Plaza's control.

Aryists under Banner would sometimes appear on Domino under pseudonyms. DUOPHONE The Duophone. British Manufacture. The ï¿½duophone' label was named after a record player made by the Duophone Syndicate Ltd., of London; the uniqueness of the player was its double soundbox (pickup head), to increase volume. This was in the mid 1920's. In October 1925, it released its first The Duophone pressing, based on a competition for people to suggest what music would be best released. DURIUM Manufactured by Durium Products (G.B.) Ltd. This was Britain's answer to America's Hit of the Week', a record sold cheaply for a few pence at news stands, with a new issue each week. They were unlike normal shellac records in that tghey were thin, flexible, and made of pliable cellulose with a coating of cellulose scetate on just the one side to take the grooves. The grooves were compressed so that even though the record played on only one side, two performances were presented.

Rust [R] (from where I obtained this information), states that the recording quality is excellent and although it was hard to ï¿½break' a Durium record, it could be destroyed by using a too-heavy stylus - or simply tearing it in two. ECLIPSE Made in England for Woolworths stores. . Eight-inch record. Ther red label is the standard record whilst the blue, with catalog prefixed SC, is a ï¿½celebrity series' issue - Field [F] suggests that the SC may have stood for ï¿½sacred' as there were a number of popular hymns on the label, but doubts it, as he, like myself, have releases which are certainly not sacred. EDISON BELL (MANY LABELS including THE WINNER) Edison Bell. J.E.Hough Ltd, Peckham, London. The first Edison Bell recordings were on cylinders. The discs appeared in September 1909, manufactured by J.E.Hough Ltd, of Peckham, London. According to Rust [R], they were 10½ inch, numbered from 1 to 490 when the label ended in November 1912.

Note however the green label, catalog number 1154. Perhaps I have interpreted something incorrectly. ELECTRECORD Italian? EDISON DIAMOND DISC (SEVERAL LABELS) Thomas Edison released the Diamond Disc in 1913 after three years of development. It is a quarter of an inch thick, vertically cut (recorded hill-and-dale as against lateral), and rotated at 80rpm. The early records had no paper labelss - the details were etched into the record and near impossible to read unless held at the right angle to the light. In 1920, a plain black text on white label was introduced. The strobe-like markings on the perimeter of some labels was not, in fact, a strobe card. The last Edison recording session took place on 19 October 1929, in New York. Rust [R] writes of these final discs:,"They were greeted with accolades in the press, barely justified. ELECTROLA Electrola Gesellschaft m.b. H. Berlin. A German label, into classical and jazz. ELECTRON Electron Record Company. Made in Australia.

According to Miller [M], these were pressed by Clifford Industries for Coles stores, and were the forerunner of the Embassy label. The masters came from Cameo, Romeo and Gennett. As it is not listed in Miller [J], there appears to have been no jazz records pressed under this label. The trademark ï¿½C' within a laurel wreath is a Coles trademark - I can remember it on other products as a child in the fifties. THE NEW EMBASSY Made in Australia, for the Coles chain of variety stores. Initially they were pressed by Vocalion Foreign with masters from, mainly, Plaza/ARC. These were the 8000 series, 8000-8114 pressed in 1929/30. The 9000 series, specifically 9130-9330 were pressed by Clifford Industries, the company having dropped the Electron label (probably at the instigation of Coles). In 1931, the label was pressed by Brunswick Australia, numbers 100 to 155. . EMERSON (TWO MORE LABELS) Emerson Phonograph Company, New York.

Victor H. Emerson worked for Columbia Graphophone in the 1980s till 1916, when he founded his own company bearing his name. His first records were just 5½ inches, then nine inch, and finally ten inch in 1919, and twelve inch for classical pressings in the same year. ESQUIRE (a) Made in England. (b) Esquire Record Company Pty Ltd, Box 432 GPO Sydney. The English label provides no details of its source. Obviously, they released old jazz masters, as per the Sidney Bechet Quartet shown here. There is also an Esquire Mercury label, ï¿½Manufactured and sold by Radio Corporation Pty Ltd for Esquire Records Pty Ltd'. I have no idea if there is a connection. (See this label under Mercury). EVANS Evans Medical Supplies Ltd. 31 Queen Street, Melbourne, C1 Record manufactured by Pythian Sound Recording Company, Melbourne. EXCELOPHONE (a) Pressed in Germany. (b) Made in England. Miller [M] indicates: Produced in Germany (later Invica Record Co.

In the United Kingdon), from 1913-c1915, for John G. Murdoch & Co., London, for sale in Australia via Macrow's. Some were also stick-over labels on Guardsman. There were several series - 1--, 2000, 5000, and 8000. FAVORITE Reproduced in Linden. Bukarest. Listed by Field [F] but no useful information. There is no indication that these two labels are related and from the same record company - however....Field [F] writes, when considering the designb of F003, of "punched out shaped holes that appear in some Favorite labels". I see no such punched holes on F003, but there are such holes in the label of F041. This is a significant clue I would think. FESTIVAL Original recording in America by Decca Records Inc, New York. See also Coral label. The label was created in October 1952 with the following catalog series: Festival included many American jazz artists from the Decca stable, and also recorded many Australian jazz and popular groups, including Graeme Bell.

They also released the ï¿½first' rock and roll record, Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock, in 1956. I was in first form at Princes Hill Central School at the time. FIDELITY Fidelity Radio Pty Ltd, Sydney. Miller {m} writes: (The label was) introduced circa August 1951 by Fidelity Radio Pty Ltd of Sydney. The company started in 1938 selling transcription records to radio stations. The label lasted from 1951 to 1956 with catalog raange 1001 to 1078. The bulk of the recordings featured Bobby Limb, his wife Dawn Lake or associate Johnny O'Connor. Miller [J] does not list the Fidelity label and thus presumably does not regard Bobby Limb and his Band as jazz (refer A040 below). The TV presenter is however recorded, on tenor sax, with Alan Nash and His Orchestra. FLAG Recorded in England. Reproduced in Prussia. Field [F] lists it but with no information. FLAMINGO Flamingo Recording Co. Recorded at B.E.A.

I have found no reference to this label, nor to the Flamingo Recording Co., or B.E.A. FONIT (a) The Starr Piano Co, Richmiond, Indiana. (b) Gennett Records, Richmons, Indiana. The Starr Piano Company was in the instrument business for many years before it launched into the recor business in 1917. The label was named aafter the Gennett brothers - Harry, Clarence and Fred who were the principle officers of the company at the time. GOODSON Goodson Record Company Limited, 12 Old Burlington Street, London. Stamped ï¿½Factory Pressing Not For Sale'. Flexible record, double sided. No label as such - the data was printed, four times, in blue on thin white vinyl. They were ten-inch, although there was also an early 7-inch release. The Goodson Record was a British label, flexible and unbreakable, made of a material called ï¿½rhodoid', and appeared in the northern autumn of 1928. It lasted only till 1931.

The advice on the record - "Fit A Used Needle - Greater Purity of Tone is Thus Obtained", seems odd but it was sound advice indeed. If a new needle was used, it would grind into the groove leaving a white talcum-powder like residue that rendered the record virtually unplayable from then on. GLOBE Recorded in England. Reproduced in Prussia. Rust [R] lists a ï¿½Globe' label in the USA. It is not listed in Longwell [L], nor Field [F]. The British label as shown has no resemblance to the two American labels listed by Rust, even though they all have a stylised image of the globe, obviously. Miller [M] sheds some light on the label. He lists this with the note: A pre WW1 contract pressing from Homophon gmbh (Germany), for export to Australia. Both Beka and Favorite masters were used. GOOD TIME JAZZ Made in England by Vogue Records Ltd. Listed by Longwell [L] but no information. Not listed by Field [F] nor Staunton [S].

See Tempo label, record J12-03, which has a label notation as Tempo Record Society, 9 Piccadilly Arcade, London, SW1. Recored by Good Time Jazz. There is probably no connection. GRAMMAVOX The Sound Recording Company, Ltd., London. Made entirely in England throughout all Processes. Not listed by Staunton [S] nor Longwell [L] - I have no information. Considering the label design, I can only suggest that they are within the first two decades of the 20th century. GRAMOPHONE MONACH, GRAMOPHONE CONCERT. All we know from the label is that it is a British Manufacture. GREY GULL Grey Gull Records, 693 Tremont Street, Boston, USA. (Later 295 Huntington Avenue, Boston). The company was inovative in developing a combination vertical and lateral cut record which, apparently, resulted in a ï¿½narrower' groove, giving about five and a hald minutes of music to each side.

According to Rust [R] the company seems to have started in May 1919, with ï¿½The Queer New Record That Plays So Long; being released in July 1920. They didn't last long - just on a year, perhaps because of their high one dollar price, or because they were ï¿½too advanced', whatever that meant. GUARDSMAN This delightful, and very British, label commenced in 1914, and was a successor to the British Invicta label; the catalog numbers followed those of Invicta which had started with number one in 1911. The initial recordingson the Guardsman label from 1914 to 1920 were all British, then in April 1920 the first titles from the Gennett catalog in America were released, all vocals, starting at catalog number 996. The label continued till the end of 1927 or beginning 1928, with the catalog number over 2100.

HIS MASTER'S VOICE (INCLUDES GRAMOPHONE - MANY LABELS) The US Gramophone Company was founded in Washington (USA) in 1893, its president Emile Berliner who ï¿½invented' the 10-inch disc, its objective to market the discs and other Berliner patents. The first discs were released in 1894, and in that year Berliner also established the Berliner Gramophone Co. In 1896 the National Gramophone Company, formed by Frank Seaman, was given rights to distribute Gramophone machines and discs, but in a legal battle which can only be described as a double-cross by Seaman over Berliner, Berliner was prohibited from distribuiting his own inventions in the USA, so he looked to England. In 1897 The Gramophone Company was founded in London. IMPERIAL Crystalate Gramophone Record Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Tonbridge, Kent, and London. Commenced producing the label in 1920, although before this manufactured other labels. Until the summer of 1923, Imperial issues were all of British recordings, with a few European items.

The gold on blue label; as shown existed till 1926. The last Imperial record was issued in February 1934. JAZZ ART Obtainable ï¿½only at' Clements Musical Services, 31 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. No idea who0 they were pressed by. The catalog numbers ranged from 1 to 62, and were prodiced from 1948 to 1952. Miller [M] lists records of Len Barnard's Jazz Band, and Don ï¿½Slpinter' Reeves (tenor sax) and his Splintet (corney!). The most prolific recording artist appears to be Frank Johnson, with the leader on trumpet. JAZZ COLLECTOR Jazz Selection, 100 Charing Cross Rd, London, WC2, and Released by Jazz Art Society, 65 Bramber Road, W.Kenssington, London. Apparently selected and manufactured by British jaxzzz enthusiasts based on master pressings of old jazz classics from the USA. JAZZ MAN (a) Released by Tom Cundall, London. (b) Jazz Man Record Shop, Hollywood.

Appears to be releases produced by a private jazz enthusiasts. The recordings may be original for ï¿½Jazz Man' group but more likely are from manufacturers pressings. This would certainly apply to J039, released in London. JLCO RECORD Label includes notation, ï¿½Pressed Abroad'. That's not exactly helpful. JOHN MYSTERY'S According to Miller [M], John Mystery was aWoolworth's identity and writer of children's stories. (Not sure what a ï¿½Woolworth's identity' means, but maybe on the management level). The records were apparentoly selected by this mystery man, and pressed by Recording Centre Pty Ltd in Sydney. No doubt because of his authorship interests, the label included childrens records, as well as jazz and ï¿½pops'. It appears that a series of record postacrads were also released. The period is 1949, 1950. JUMBO Made in England. By whom? Listed by Field [F] but image only, no details. KALOPHONE Agent in Australia: Beale & Co. Ltd. Sole Agents. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth.

London. Hamburg. LA CIGALE Made on Canada - and thats all I know of this label. LINCOLN The Lincoln Record Corporation, N.Y. [USA] Lincoln was a subsidiary of the Cameo Record Corporation of New York (qv). They were first released in January 1924. Numbering started from 2000 and reached 3400 before the formation of the American Record Company linked Banner, Cameo, Pathe and their subsidiaries and affiliates, the company deciding that Lincoln was expendable, in 1930. Many Cameo titles were issued also on Lincoln under many pseudonyms. From Rust [R], ï¿½The label aimed mainly at the market that was not interested in who was playing or singing as long as the all-important tune was theere and it could be danced to, or listened to without inexpensive pleasure. The records costs 50 cents. LINDEX Six-inch record. To be played at 90 rpm. Made in England. LITTLE WONDER Record is 5 5/8th diameter. One sided. Reverse has US patent list, embossed. Label is pressed into record material.

Rust [R] lists a five and a a half inch record of this name produced by a Henry Waterson between 1911 and 1919. The recordings were by Columbia who also did the pressing. The catalog is Columbia's, but the artists listed on the Little Wonder label were annonymous. There is no paper label - the details are embossed on the record. LONDON Not listed in Rust [R] even though a USA label, but apparently did not release any jazz. Also manufactured in Australia. A late arrival on the record scene, no doubt early 1950s, featuring pop music, including Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Pat Boone, Fats Domino, Everley Brothers. These artists made their name with the introduction of the 45rpm and 33 rpm microgroove records in 1949 and 1954 respectively. LYRE EDITIONS DE L'OISEAU-LYRE Fabrique en France. LYRIC - USA Lyraphone Co. of America. New York, N.Y. The first Lyric label records were vertical cut and were manufactured by the Lyraphone Co. of America.

New York, N.Y., during World War 1 (or immediately after). Rust [R] lists as differerent label to the one shown, and describes two labels which are not the one shown. LYRIC - AUSTRALIA Miller [M] lists two Lyric labels; and there is a USA label also. This label, ï¿½Picks up Angelus 3000 series after the demise of Clifford Industries from late 1931, commencing with catalog 3357, and running till 3446, in late 1932. There was also aa short-run S-series from 1000 to 1006. They were pressed by the Klippel Record Company. Mitchell [J] lists a number of Australian jazz recordings on the Lyric label, but these were done in the 1920s and were on a paste-over label on Winner, for Winkworth stores, Sydney. MACQUARIE BOSWELL Manufactured by Australian Record Co., Sydney, NSW. Compare the label with that of the British Bosworth, and the resemblance is obvious, so we can link the two labels.

The British Bosworth is issued by Bosworth & Co. Limited, 8 Heddon Street, London. MELODIANA All I know is that it is an Australian label. It is not listed in Miller [M]. Also not listed in Miller [J] hence no Austraalian jazz recorded on the label. MELODISC Melodisc. Made in England. Not listed in Field [F], nor Staunton [S], yet it is not an un-common label. Longwell [L] shows a blue label. Seems to cater for the jazz and blues enthusiast, based in USA recordings. MELOTO The Meloto Co. Ltd, London. The label emerged in 1922 and lasted till about 1927. The company was making piano riolls from just after World War 1 right up to the late 1930s. In the five years of its operation, Meloto released some 600 records, beginning at catalog number S-100. Its stable came from the Aco label - not indication why, but probably because Meloto Co became a subsidiary of Vocalion, as Aco was.

There was also some releases that came from the Gennett catalog. Artists were released under pseudonyms, and the music of ï¿½pedestrian fare', with dance music containing very little of interest to the jazz enthusiast. MERCURY Manufactured and sold by Radio Corporation Pty Ltd for Esquire Records Pty Ltd Miller [M] just states that ï¿½The US label was pressed in both Australia and New Zealand', in the 1950s. The example shown V048 has no indication that it was ï¿½made in Australia' and thus is probably a USA label. Longwell [L] illustrates twelve Mercury labelsbut with no information. The label contained a considerable number of modern vocal items, plus dance and orchestral music and a few jazz items. METROPOLE Metropole Gramophone Co. Ltd. Made in England. The first Metropole records appeared on the British market in April 1928, and cost three shillings. They were well made, electrically recorded (some of the first), and of a high standard.

But from a marketing viewpoint all was not well when it was realised by the record-buying public that the same music could be bought on the Picadilly label at half the price; strange marketing here as Picadilly was a Metropole label, released as a budget record. The USA pressings came from the grey Gull label which were also offered to Picadilly. Original Bririsg records were recorded at the Highbury Athenaeum, a ballroom, in North London. M-G-M The M-G-M label started in the USA in 1947 and generally featured items from the film company's own movie musical productions, as well as middle-of-the-road pop tunes. In England the label was controlled by E.M.I. Ltd. In Australia it was E.M.I. (Aust) Lty Ltd. MIMOSA

Question: The record label and music company name HMV stood for what?
Answer: His Master's Voice