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.
Brunswick LPs
Capitol LPs
Capitol later moved to EMI and these labels can be viewed on the MGM, Capitol & Mercury label design page.
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).
Felsted LPs
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.
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.
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.
L'Oiseau-Lyre LPs
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.
RCA Camden budget LPs
Popular repertoire was on the CDN 1xx sequence, which had an otherwise identical label design.
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!)
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.
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).
© 2009 - 2021, M. C. Jones, trading as Bristol Folk Publications. The Record Press, Diogenes Academic Press and Burnham Priory are imprints of Bristol Folk Publications.