78 record label scans world wide

Scans of world-wide 78 rpm record labels.

There are unlikely to be many scans posted here, as of course these labels will be well covered by enthusiasts in their own countries.

Black Swan 2019 We couldn’t help including this rather battered label, as the design is so nice. It’s an American label of course, and the side is from Alberta Hunter’s second session in May 1921, and accompanied by a Fletcher Henderson small unit. By courtesy of Dave Parsons).

Black Swan 2043 Here’s another, which in spite of the labelling, is nothing to do with Fletcher Henderson!

Bingola 1005 American, mid 1920s. From the type face & name ‘Wabash Trio’ it looks like a Grey Gull product. By courtesy of Mike Jones. Steven C. Barr has confirmed that these records were in association with the American distribution of the tin-plate gramophones manufactured in Germany by the Bing concern. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt commented: BINGOLA. Sutton & Nauck say that the series ran up to No. 1011 and seems to span the period 1926 - ca 1927. They feel the records, which came from Grey Gull, may have been 'give aways' by the Bing Corporation, an American offshoot of Gerbruder Bing A.G., of Nuremberg.

Bluebird 10280 This Venuti-Lang side is here, along with the Victor, which appears below, plus the 1950s HMV 45 rpm EP, which also appears in its due place. This is just because Venuti, Lang & Signorelli recorded 3 takes of each title, ‘Doin’ Things’ & ‘Wild Cat’, and in order to have all 6 sides, you need these 3 discs!

Bluebird 11115 Here’s a humble 35¢ Bluebird that has been promoted to the noble status of a Victor record. This happened because it was imported to the U.K., and HMV had to establish their provenance over it.

Brunswick 80064 The common ‘Collectors Series’ of reissue Brunswicks of the 1940s. Many of them are now quite common, which is really great, because some of them are master pressings on quite good quality material; Jimmie Noones &c. Alas, this is not one of them; but it is still the only decent source of this previously unissued side.

Cameo 996 This is a mouth-watering record to look at. But the Sam Lanin Orchestra, which is who recorded it, were in purely ‘functional mode’ on this session. So they just ‘walk through’ the written arrangement. I don’t believe there is one note of Jazz on it. But it’s still a jolly nice record to have.

Columbia 0524 An Australian Columbia.

Columbia DZ-544 In spite of the utilitarian appearance of the label, this – and other – issues on later 1940s/early 1950s Swiss Columbia are of the utmost value, as som give us laminated master pressings of otherwise excessively rare sides, such as these Louis Armstrong OKehs from early 1926.

Columbia FB-40309 An Indian Columbia by Reuben Solomon and his Jive Boys, a group that was recently discussed on the 78-list. By Courtesy of David Parsons.

Commodore 501 Wherever would we be without the priceless legacy bequeathed to us by the Commodore label? Was this the first-ever label where Jazzmen could turn up and record exactly what they pleased?

Disco Grammofono R-14042 There are some extremely exotic American Jazz issues on the 1920s Italian HMV R-14000 series. It’s perfectly true that this is not one of them, but it will give you an idea of the sort of 78 you’re looking for.

Disque Gramophone K-5824 This is a perfectly normal French ‘HMV’, included here for no particular reason.

Electrola EG-7793 The German HMV label.

Grammophon 2150 A German ‘HMV’ of 1936. The recording quality is superb and the pressing exemplary.

Grammophon 47566 A German ‘HMV’ of 1941. The recording quality is superb and the pressing exemplary. By contrast, our wartime pressings were increasingly noisy. Strangely, though we are in depths of Word War II, the wax carries the legend ‘Made In Germany’ – in English! Perhaps they were exported to other countries then under German occupation or influence, and English was a better lingua franca (!) in those places than German?

Grammophon 62191 This bigger number is much earlier… 1912 in fact. I am lost for anything to say… except that the recording quality is superb and the pressing exemplary! No, actually: I can add a little more on this one. This disc I acquired, oh what? 40 years ago when an elderly friend of the father of the wife of a friend of mine died. He had a bunch of records that he had apparently brought back from Germany when he had been an army officer, finally engaged there in various post-Great War arrangements that were inevitably destined to lead to WW2. But I digress. Besides these discs, which I finally acquired from my friend, there were a large number of German needle tins, of fantastic design and colour. These I was never able to prise out of my friend! Among the 78s was a Grammophon of the flautist Hennebains, of the Paris Opera, and another of the pianist Alfred Grünfeld, made in Vienna. These were discs that were in perfect condition, and pressed into such silky material that I did not believe that such ravishing sound quality was possible at the time! What happened to them? I can’t remember; probably I swapped them for something quite trivial… but we all do that when we’re young, don’t we?

HMV B1363 Here’s a record that could tell a tale if it could speak… A Calcutta pressed issue of the Benson Orchestra of Chicago, but carrying a dealer’s stamp which proclaims: ‘MISQUITH; Rangoon. Distributing Agents for Burma.’ Besides this, though obviously dating from what, 1922/3, the disc still has the raised edge. Which hopefully prevented the needle from falling back off the disc and onto the turntable or maybe the motor board. This was abandoned in Britain around, er; before 1914, we presumably having by then acquired sufficient manual dexterity to avoid such mishaps. Clearly the old moulds were still in use in India. Moreover, the typefaces used on Indian HMVs remained conservative too, as here. Steve Walker believes the old faces, abandoned here in favour of more ‘rational’ types, were shipped out to India for use there. The label colour of Indian HMVs were generally darker and less contrasty than in this country.

HMV IM-800 Al Bowlly’s last but one record, made on 6th December 1940 and issued here on HMV BD-892. In the Republic Of Ireland, however, it appeared as seen here. I wonder who had the pressing plant in Ireland? Decca, maybe? It’s always intriguing when, in the interests of making money, ‘unholy alliances’ are made between rival concerns!

HMV N-26494 Indian of course, 1950s, I should think. Notice how Indian HMVs right down the years always use ‘rounded’ type faces, while the British labels generally use ‘rational’ faces. Steven Walker thinks Hayes shipped out old, obsolete faces from Britain for use in the ‘Empire’, as it was then. But it’s funny how even decades later, they were still being used. Or perhaps they’d worn out and new ones were acquired locally. Never mind the other two scripts that appear on the label! William Dean-Myatt kindly informed us on 14th November 2002: HMV N-26494 was recorded probably in Bombay, about 1945.

HMV 7EG-8109 Apologies! What is the label of a 45 rpm EP doing here? This was explained in the entry for Bluebird 10280 above…

Homestead 104 American & mid-1920s. I have an idea that this was a store label? By courtesy of Mike Jones. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: According to Sutton & Nauck these records were issued by the Chicago Mail Order Co., Chicago. Records were pressed foe them by Regal Record Co., A.R.C., and Crown. Its life span was 1927-1931.

Hudson 11450 American and mid-1920s. This must surely be one of the ‘family’ of Triangle, Puritan &c., & hence a product of the Bridgeport Die & Tool company? (I know there was more than one Puritan, though…) By courtesy of Mike Jones. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: Again from Sutton & Nauck. Made for J. L. Hudson Company of Detroit by B.D.& M. At this time (1924-25) BD&M drew most of their masters from Emerson, but a few came from Paramount.

Lyric 6120 I found this example of a splendid vertical-cut label in he U.S.A. a few weeks ago. It has often been said that earlier American labels tended to be relatively dull as regards colours, in the ‘teens & 1920s. I don’t really know whether that’s true or not, but this circa 1916? Label is spectacular indeed!

Mitchell 1327 In spite of its vaguely Gennett-like appearance, this ~1925 American label kindly tells us it is a Grey Gull product. But who were Mitchells? A chain of stores, or one big department store somewhere? By courtesy of Mike Jones. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: According to Sutton & Nauck this label was made for The Mitchell Phonograph Corporation, Detroit. Made by B.D.&M. (using Emerson masters), then by Grey Gull and lastly by Cameo Recording Corp. 1924/1928.

National Music Lovers 1034 An American, very nice, label. Almost like an adumbration of a 1950s budget LP label, isn’t it? But it dates from 1924 or so.

New York 801 This is an extremely plain American label - from the mid-1920s? Note the performers: the J.L. Hudson Band of Detroit, Michigan. This is the same company that had their own ‘Hudson’ label, above. By courtesy of Mike Jones.

Nordisk Polyphon S-42082 During the 1914-1918 War, the German government took over (confiscated?) the Gramophone Company in that country, and sold it to another firm. After the War, The British Gramophone Company wanted their control of Grammophon back, all their masters &c. The legal aspects dragged on for years and were probably never resolved. So this Polyphon record, manufactured for Sweden in the Grammophon factory at Hannover (around 1920) is kind of ‘twice removed’ HMV product. I think, even, that one or more of the master series were carried on unchanged.

Odeon AA-57730 Here’s a label to conjure with! It came from the same batch of discs I talked above, anent the Grammophon 62191. Also, it’s one of the few scans of a 12” (30cm) disc that appear on this site. Post Great War, obviously. The Jazz (as we know it) content, though, is, alas, approximately zero. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: Based on what appears in Horst Lange's German Discography" this probably dates from about 1923.

Odeon ONY-36091 This side was issued in the U.K. on Parlophone R-702. Unfortunately, the British Public neglected to buy it in immense numbers. Please let me re-phrase that: The British Public, in immense numbers, neglected to buy it. That’s better! Still, irrespective of the correctness of the grammar employed, the effect was the same. I am still looking for a copy of R-702 after 40 years. But very recently, a friend of mine – and I record his name here in eternal gratitude: Charles Hippisley-Cox – found a better copy than he had, and so presented me, gave to me, zero cost!, the disc you see here. Incidentally, Rust is still listing Jeannie Lang as the vocaliste… No; it’s just got to be Mildred Bailey, right?

Odeon Rxx-80753 A 12” (30cm) German Odeon, dating from about 1920 though this is just a guess. It has the label perforated ‘Austria’. There’s another Odeon from about 1926 nearby, which has ‘Austria’ in the wax. In both cases, we would have expected ‘Österreich’ and have no idea why English was used. But it was clearly important to distinguish pressings intended for the Austrian market from those for the German. Possibly there were different rates of tax, royalty &c… By courtesy of David Parsons.

Odeon 284275 This Argentine Odeon of Connie Boswell is included here for no particular reason. Well, actually, you don’t often see them in Britain!

Paramount 2533 A strikingly designed Australian label. The tune title suggests1927. By courtesy of Mike Jones.

Parlophon B-27672 You don’t see many of these Italian Parlophones. That’s just too bad, because they are beautiful pressings. This Coleman Hawkins side was recorded in London in 1934, IIRC.

Premier 5101 What a delightful label! Made in Germany, though apparently recorded in Budapest. As to date, I’m hazy… but will plump for about 1918-1920. By courtesy of David Parsons. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: I have another Hungarian record label - "Elso Magyar Manglemez Z-Gyar" the design of which is identical in every respect, except that in the bottom left hand corner is the legend "Tor Vedve", and of course its Elso Magyar, The pretty design suggested an early label from before 1920.

Puritan 4102 An American label. Like many later 1920s Puritans, this early one is derived from Paramount masters, but at a time when many labels were still ‘confined’ to making vertical-cut records. By the later ’teens, the Edison and Bell & Tainter (?) patents on the vertical cut system had expired, but important lateral cut patents (used by Victor and Columbia) were still in force. This disc dates from about 1919.

Regal-Zonophone G-24346 This is the Australian Regal-Zono. They are, of course, beautiful laminated pressings and as the label helpfully tells us, they were pressed by Columbia in Sydney – see the ‘Columbia Ring? –, as indeed were HMVs, Parlophones and even Deccas. John R.T. Davies told me that in the mid-1930s it came to the notice of the EMI management at Hayes that the recalcitrant pressing plant at Sydney was still employing the expensive laminated process. They were told to desist, but to the eternal credit of some unsung hero, the order was ignored. Thank heavens, as these pressings are quite sublime!

Rigas 28068

Rigas 28870 Kindly sent in by Brian, of the 78-list (sorry I don’t know his full name!) are 2 labels from Latvia. The period of these is unknown.

Rishell 5238 There’s probably not a lot of point in us putting up American labels on this British website, but what the heck! Just let’s say this is to commemorate July 4th, 2002! When I bought it from him, Mark Berresford told me it was a very rare label even in the U.S., and who am I to argue? Circa 1918/9. On 21st June 2004, William Dean-Myatt kindly wrote that these sides were recorded in New York not after December 1915, and were originally issued on Rex 5238.

Streapy-Rios 43

Streapy-Rios 430 Guy Rios and F-L Streapy obviously wrote tunes, and both had a band that played them! A good combination, it is agreed. And what better way to go on from this that to form a joint record label in Paris? This they did. However, it may not have actually made such an impact as they might have wished. A correspondent on the 78-list informed us that this label was indeed a sort of ‘musicians co-operative effort’, not just by Streapy and Rios but by other young and keen musicians in the mid 1930s. In that, it resembles the rare British label ‘Teledisk’. The sound quality, come to that, is not good, sounding very muffled and rather like a primitive film sound track, as did Teledisk’s offerings. However, Streapy-Rios records had the great advantage of being pressed by what I think was originally the Columbia Paris factory, later EMI, and the pressings are commendably good.

Supertone 9070 This 1929 American label is included because it plainly says it’s from mail order house Sears, Roebuck. The other example nearby simply has the legend: ‘RCA Photophone Process’.

Swing 5 The near-legendary pianist Teddy Weatherford made several sides for the new Swing label in Paris in 1937. Recorded and produced by EMI in France, the sound quality is excellent, likewise the laminated pressing – see the ‘Columbia Ring’ yet again? Oh: and the music itself? Tremendous!

Telefunken A-2173 I don’t know much about J. Jeschek or his band, but both these sides are very good, besides – as we have come to expect from German products – being well recorded & pressed. C. 1936. On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: Horst Lange tells us that this was a Czech band - "Jaroslav Jezek", recorded in Prague in December 1936 and issued on Telefunken A-2173, but that gives us two spellings of the surname, so there must have been two different pressings.

Telefunken A-283296 After the 1939-45 War, I know that Capitol in the U.S. did a deal with Telefunken… I think to acquire classical material. It must have been a two-way affair, as this Telefunken issue of a Capitol Jazz side shows. It’s made in France, though – another great pressing from the old Columbia plant at Ivry-sur-Seine; see the Ring?

USSR 17722 Soviet records, which were made in a number of different factories over the years, had the commendable system of one single master series. At the time of writing, I only know that master 11725 has a provisional date of 1943 assigned to it. The others are therefore later, possibly quite a bit later. And master 11723 used here, might of course have been pressed up well after 1943 in this picture label form. It would, after all, be most impressive if during the very depths of WW2, a Soviet factory was turning out picture labels. In January 2007, Dr.Rainer Lotz kindly pointed out that these photograph labels are from normal shellac pressings, not as I had mistakenly thought, from flexible discs. (I only have the labels, which had been removed from the discs).

Vocalion 558 An Australian Vocalion dating, from the band and song title, to an American recording of 1930. More than this I don’t know!

Victor 21561 This completes the three issues of all three takes of these tunes.

Victor V-38139 The Victor ‘race’ series, V-38000, appearing in Argentina, but with a white band, including Bix Beiderbecke of course!

Viel-o-Phone E-513 Pressed in Bombay, this is of British Edison Bell Winner origin. Ca. 1926. Oddly enough, the pressing is rather noisy; we sort of expect Indian discs to be quiet - possibly on the ground than shellac comes from India, and therefore there should be more of it in Indian 78s? If so, I think that ground may be rather slender! On 9th August 2006, William Dean-Myatt kindly commented: . Michael Kinnear in his book "The 78 rpm Record Labels of India" gives the full, and complicated, history of Valabhdas Runchordas & Co. for whom the records were made. There's just too much to send you everything. This one is from Winner and first issues were made in late 1914, The company appears to have gone out of business ca 1942. They may have issued some Decca material on the label. (I'll send photocopies of the pages if you want them).

Vim 1625 An American label of circa 19??? 1908? 1910? 1914? Help, please! Interesting to see the phrase ‘New Process’ on the label, which was destined to be used by Columbia in the early 1920s… By courtesy of Mike Jones & Son.

Revised 10th February 2007.