Major label bespoke sleeve designs

Below is a work in progress and is intended to be near random - sleeves I like or that leap out in some way (e.g. even for being hideous), or two designs for the same record, etc.
Stated issue dates are from a combination of printing date, as included on the sleeve, triangulated with date of advised release in The New Records trade listings.

EMI - "His Master's Voice"

More on the way...

ALP 1600, issued 1958. Note the red/gold stereo sticker

EMI - Columbia

33CX 1175, year to come

EMI - Parlophone & Parlophone-Odeon

Something in bespoke sleeve coming soon, hopefully...

Decca (and related London sleeve)

Decca launched its LPs in the US prior to the format's launch in the UK. These LPs were UK pressings, on the London label, housed in US-manufactured sleeves on arrival in the US. The sleeves tended not to match the UK designs, as per the example below.

LXT 2693, issued 1952. Adrian Boult's recording of A London Symphony in a sleeve showing classic early 1950s Decca house style. Great sleeve!

Early 1950s UK-pressed US export version of Sir Adrian Boult's recording of A London Symphony in US-manufactured sleeve, aptly on Decca's London imprint.

LXT 2937, notified for release July 1954. Copies exist with sleeves manufactured August 1954 - notified early or repressed quickly? Another easily identifiable Decca sleeve design.

SXL 2207, issued 1959, the second year of stereo in the UK

All three of the records below are 10" LW sequence records. This started out denoting Medium Play records, something of a cross between a 10" LP and a 7" EP, though predating the latter. MP records tended to have between 7 mins. and 15 mins. of music per side, though generally closer to 10 mins. When Decca started to use EPs instead for this length repertoire, it retained the LW catalogue sequence, but now as a 10" LP format.

LW 5149, MP issued January 1956

LW 5241, MP issued May 1956

The Britten/Pears record is a UK pressing in UK-printed sleeve but was exported to Cyprus, according to the added sticker "Decca Nicosia"

LW 5354, 10" LP issued August 1959, is a curiosity. It is one of the later straight 10" LPs. As such it is almost 35 mins. long - longer than many 12" LPs.

Pye-Nixa

Sir Adrian Boult's recording of Holst's Planet Suite enjoyed two sleeve designs, along with an early variation. The first sleeve design was typical of early British record sleeve illustrations, comprising a fairly simple, drawn design, comprising only one or two overprinted colours. The early variation included a logo in the top, right-hand corner, underneath the catalogue number, to tell the new owner that the record in their hands was not a 78. Presumably, Nixa had the same problem that Decca had with customers trying to play the new LP records at 78 rpm with 78 needles!
In possibly still the early 1950s, what with no mention of Pye on the front sleeve, this was given a full-colour makeover to make it more attractive. This sleeve design was retained even after Pye removed the "Nixa" part of the name with front sleeve remaining the same but with only a Pye credit on the rear.

NLP 903, probably a 1952/3 release, first sleeve design

NLP 903, with added rpm credit

NLP 903, updated sleeve design

NLP 905, first sleeve design

NLP 905, updated sleeve design

Below are two late 1950s, Pye-branded LPs. The Vaughan Williams is a 12" 1958 pressing, whilst the Butterworth/Bax is a 10", undated, but also presumed to be 1958 because of lack of mention of Nixa. The 10" contents were later paired with the premier recording of Vaughan Williams Symphony No. 8 to make a 12" LP.

Cat. no. to come, issued 1958

CCT 31000, 10" LP, presumably issued late 1958