Decca sub-label designs

Decca subsidiary label designs

Below are all known UK label designs for Decca subsidiary label catalogue sequences that included classical repertoire between the end of WW2 and the end of 1959. All sequences are mono, unless stated. All sequences concentrated singly on classical music, unless stated. Labels are listed in alphabetical order (with L'Oiseau-Lyre listed under "O"). All records shown are 12" LPs unless stated.

Brunswick 78s

The pre-war example shown below was still on catalogue as at 1951.

01xx sequence 12" (01xxx sequence 10" label design is identical)

Brunswick LPs

Magenta Label series 12" (AXTL prefix)

Capitol LPs

Capitol later moved to EMI and these labels can be viewed on the MGM, Capitol & Mercury label design page.

Original Magenta Label series (CTL prefix)

Later green label design (CTL prefix)

Ducretet Thomson LPs & MPs

Note that the two labels shown below for the LP and MP (Medium Play) formats are the same colour - the difference is because of having used two different scanners (even though both were set up the same way).

Red Label series (DTL prefix)

Red Label series 10" MP (MEL prefix)

Felsted LPs

Red Label 'Classical Series' (L.89xxx sequence)

London UK-pressed export 78s

There were almost certainly UK-manufactured 78s distributed to the US on the London label. Information to come as and when I find things out.

London UK-pressed export LPs

The LPs below were pressed in the UK for US distribution in US-manufactured sleeves. Decca's UK-pressed London label records were launched in the US the year before Decca took the plunge and started to release LPs in the UK. US record buyers considered the UK pressings to be far superior to other labels' US pressings currently on the market.

Original red label and gold text design (LL prefix)

Later red label and silver text design (LL prefix)

London International LPs

Some records in the sequence, and with identical label design, have a "V" added to make "TWV" for reasons currently unknown.
The New Records incorrectly lists many London International label classical LPs under the London parent name (causing much confusion in my database until spotted). These were records licensed from other labels for UK issue.

Turquoise label design (TW prefix; see note above)

L'Oiseau-Lyre LPs

Yellow label design (OL prefix; 10" DL prefix label is identical)

Green stereo label design (SOL prefix)

RCA LPs

RCA's Black Label sequences were for popular music including popular classical. Apologies for the not-quite-classical LP label to illustrate the RD sequence. As soon as a decent example pops up of a proper classical LP, I'll replace it.

Red Label 'Red Seal' series (RB prefix)

Red Label 'Red Seal Living Stereo' series (SB prefix)

Black label design (RD prefix)

Black 'Living Stereo' label design (SF prefix)

RCA Camden budget LPs

Popular repertoire was on the CDN 1xx sequence, which had an otherwise identical label design.

Yellow & silver label design (CDN 1xxx sequence)

Telefunken 78s

The only verified release date details for the GX sequence found so far are for GX 61021-2, the two-record set of Vivaldi's Concerto for Orchestra, C Major (Florence Festival Orchestra/Antonio Guarnieri), this being a review of new records in the January 1952 edition of The Irish Monthly (Vol. 80, No. 943, pp. 30-33). Curiously, it was first included in The Record Year 2, which includes new releases between mid-1952 and mid-1953. Perhaps it was overlooked during compilation of The Record Year, which includes new releases between mid-1951 and mid-1952. (Or it may have been a reappraisal of a record rejected for inclusion in the previous supplement - it gets a bit of a panning before an 'almost-saving-grace' is pronounced!)

Black & gold 12" (GX prefix)

Blue & gold 10" (GF prefix)

Telefunken LPs & MPs

Currently, it is not clear when the LGX sequence label design changed to the red and silver design. Currently, the guess is around 1962, though it may have been very late in the 1950s. If it turns out to have been prior to 1960, I will add an image.

Black & gold label design (LGX prefix; 10" LGM prefix label is identical)

Green & silver 10" MP label design (TM prefix)

Vogue LPs

Hopefully an image of the VA prefix 12" LP sequence will crop up one day.

Vogue EPs

Neither labels nor picture sleeves mention Decca, though the label address on sleeves is Decca's 113-115 Fulham Road address (the same address as Argo, post-1957).

White & blue label design (VE prefix)