The H.M.V. Record Label.

As it appears on the British ‘B’ series, 1912 – 1958.

Introduction. In 2000, the City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society published the impressive ‘Catalogue of HMV “B” Series Records’, by Frank Andrews and (the late) Ernie Bayly. (-1) This remarkable work, many years in the compiling, gives great detail on each of the approximately 9,400(!) discs in the series, the great majority of which were, of course, for the British market. In additions, the authors described the various designs of labels used. They listed 17 types, and indeed the book has colour reproductions of eleven of them, ten of which were supplied by George Woolford. In April 2005, by way of a small tribute to Frank and Ernie, I decided to try to compile a set of these 17 types for this website. Together with help from Han Enderman (The Netherlands), Dr. Rainer Lotz (Germany) and Mike Thomas, progress was rapidly made, except for two types, one of which was, seemingly, only in use for one month in 1933. However, it also became clear that it was difficult to confine the label design just to seventeen broad types. After some discussion, Han Enderman proposed a new classification based on Andrews & Bayly. Further, he kindly undertook to develop such a system. Han’s proposals are, accordingly, set out below. A picture of each label accompanies the description. To see a larger, more detailed picture, simply click on the small one. Andrews and Bayly give a date range and catalogue number range for each of their 17 types. I have interpolated these in square brackets into Han’s text against the most appropriate label in his new classification.

Classification of HMV labels used in the “B” series.

by Han Enderman.

HMV variable features [at 5 = at 5 o'clock position, &c]:

1. Position of the catalogue number.

a. in center, in rectangle below spindle hole

b. at 5

c. at 3; prefix (B) followed by dot

2. Size of trademark (dog + gramophone in half-circle) [= Nipper trademark]

a. large (i.e. spindle hole within tmk); text "TRADE MARK REGD" around spindle hole

b. small (i.e. spindle hole below tmk); text "TRADE MARK REGD" above spindle hole

3. Colour of trademark

a. in colour; background light

b. in colour; background dark

c. monochrome

d. dog + gramophone in outline (not a chronological type)

4. Lower margin text about manufacturer

a. absent (text - as in b - is shown below trademark)

b. "Record manufactured by THE GRAMOPHONE CO., LTD., Hayes, Middlesex, England."

c. text reduced to: "THE GRAMOPHONE CO., LTD."

5. Typefaces of cat. no., tune title, mx. no.

a. characteristic early typeface

b. sanserif typeface

6. Presence of 2 quadrants, in the lower part of the label at 4-5 & 7-8 o'clock positions, containing information (performance, mx. no. & cat. no.).

a. white, gold-lined quadrants

b. quadrants not white but in same colour as the remaining part of the label

7. Position of mx. no.

a. at 6

b. at 7

c. at 9

8. Statement SPEED 78

a. SPEED 78 (underlined) in right quadrant at 4

b. SPEED 78 (not underlined) at 4

c. SPEED 78 at 9

d. only 78 at 9 (after mx. no.)

9. Side indication (A/B) at 7

10. Made in England on later issues at 3

a. in small letters in italics

b. in capitals

11. Performance details (dance orchestra, &c).

a. at 8

b. at 9

c. omitted

Minor features not used to distinguish label types are:

- Small variations within the trademark (like shape of dog, horizontal line) - The picture of the dog is slightly different in the various label types, but it is not known if this is a diagnostic feature.

- Minor colour variations in the trademark and in the cat. no. panel in type #A

- Size of typefaces

- Mx. no. between brackets or not

- The use of capitals or small letters for composers and performance details.

Though these variations can be described, they seem not useful for a further subdivision, especially since they seem to vary at random.

LABEL TYPES

3 major label types (A-C) are distinguished here, based on the position of the cat. no.

The 22 label types (#A1-5, B1-8, C1-9) in chronological order are:

#A1 [B-101 - B186; 1912 to May 1913]

FULL DESCRIPTION

Cat. nr in rectangle below spindle hole, on yellow or cream background.

Tmk large (with text "TRADE MARK REGD" around spindle hole), in colour.

Background in tmk mainly yellow.

Tmk not bounded by a golden border.

Text "Record manufactured by THE GRAMOPHONE CO., LTD., Hayes, Middlesex, England." below tmk.

Characteristic early typeface.

Tune title in capitals, composer not in capitals [not known if this is characteristic for type #1].

Performance description next to rectangle with cat.nr.

Mx.nr at 6 [= at 6 o'clock position], not between brackets.

#A2 [B-187 - ca. B-688]; May 1913 to September 1916]

Background in tmk dark.

Tune title not in capitals; composer in capitals.

#A3 [B-689 - B-751; September 1916 to January 1917]

Tmk gold-lined and with dark background. Dog & Gramophone outlined with yellowish-green tint.

Wide rim outside circular borderline. (N.B. This type A3, seemingly fairly rare, is here illustrated from a C series (12” (30cm) disc); when a 10” (25cm) B series example is available, it will appear here. NF.)

#A4 [B-752 - B-808; January 1917 to July 1917]

As #A3, except more details in dark background (floor visible).

#A5 [B-809 - B-881; July 1917 to February 1918]

Tmk monochrome.

Cat.nr in rectangle against white background.

#B1 [B-882 - B-1044; February 1918 to September 1919]

Cat.nr at 5.

Text about manufacturer along lower margin.

Two white, gold-lined quadrants in the lower part of the label, at 7-8 & 4-5 o'clock positions, containing information (performance, mx.nr & cat.nr)

Performance details at 8.

Mx.nr at 7 (between brackets).

#B2 [B-1045 - B-1930; September 1919 to February 1925]

Tmk in colour. Dog in slightly different position.

#B3 [B-1931 - B-2283; February 1925 to April 1926]

Quadrants (gold-lined) not white, but in the basic colour of the label.

NOTE: This also applies to, for example, the HMV D & E series, which have a different basic colour.

#B4

Title & cat. no. in a new, larger, bold, sanserif typeface.

Title in capitals.

#B5 [B-2284 - B-2332; May 1926 to September 1926]

Text SPEED 78 (underlined) in right quadrant at 4.

#B6 [B-2333 - B-4256; September 1926 to October 1932]

Lines bordering the quadrants absent.

SPEED 78 not underlined.

There seem to have been experiments with various slightly different typefaces. Some labels use a larger, elongated font for title & cat.nr.

The other information (artist, composer, performance, mx, &c) also in sanserif typeface.

The performance description may be in capitals or in small letters.

#B7

Side indication (A/B) at 7.

#B8

Text along upper margin: "This Copyright, Patented Record may not be sold below price fixed by the Patentee, nor publicly performed."

Side indication (A/B) omitted.

Mx.nos. between brackets or not.

NOTE that this is the first upper margin copyright text. An earlier text listed by Andrews & Bayly (“This Copyright Record must not be Sold below Price fixed by the Patentee nor Publicly Performed.”) must be an error.

#C1

Cat.nr at 3. Prefix (B) followed by dot.

Cat.nr printed below tmk and not extending beyond tmk.

Performance description (if present) and speed at 9.

Mx.nr at 6, but at 7 if there is insufficient space; between brackets or not.

Tune title in smaller typeface (always in capitals).

#C2 [B-8253 - B-8884; January 1935 to April 1939]

Tmk small (spindle hole outside the tmk and text "TRADE MARK REGD." above the hole).

Upper margin text: "This Patented Copyright Record must not be sold below price fixed by Patentee, nor publicly performed."

#C3

Upper margin text: "Copyright Patented Record. Not to be publicly performed without licence nor sold below price fixed by Patentees."

At present the latest issue reported with this margin text (including the word "nor") is B-8636.

Cat.nr usually extending beyond the lower border of the tmk, and thus nearer to the right label margin.

Mx.nr not between brackets.

#C4

Same upper margin text as before, except "or sold" instead of "nor sold" (It seems that the letter n was usually merely removed, resulting in additional space before the word "or".)

#C5 [B-8885 - B-9473; May 1939 to May 1946]