Category: 78 Record

A listing of all my articles on 78 Records. Focused mainly on records from 1900-1945. Designed with the World War Two Reenactor in mind.

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Perfect Record Label

 

Perfect Record Label 1922-Apr. 1938

A budget brand of the Pathe-Actuelle Label. The Perfect Record Label operated under the Pathe-Actuelle controlled Perfect Record Company. Early Perfect labels were black for popular music or maroon for classical. These early labels used an octagonal border. By 1923, the label design changed to two nude sun-worshippers. Red shellac pressings were introduced in late 1924 but discontinued in 1931 in favor of black shellac. Perfect created a series called Perfect Star Series for higher-end talent. After being bought by the American Record Company (ARC) in 1929 the label remained the same until a re-design in 1937 to an undistinguished blue-and-silver label without a pictorial trademark. Perfect would be discontinued by ARC in April 1938.

Music Genres: Pop, Orchestra, Classical, Band, Blues

Pre-1941 Label:

Perfect Record Label: 1922-1923. Notice the octagonal border.

Perfect Record Label. Early
Perfect Record Label. Early

Uncle Josh (Cal Stewart) was a monologuist known for telling humorous stories with a unique laugh. I’ve included a link to the audio of Uncle Josh at the Circus below. It is on a Columbia record.

Perfect Record Label: 1923-1937. The record may be black, blue, green, or red shellac with nude sun-worshippers.

Perfect Record Label: Note the Sun Worshippers
Perfect Record Label: Note the Sun Worshippers

Perfect Record Label: 1937-1938. Blue and Silver.

Perfect Record Label Blue and Silver

1941-1945s Label: None

Post-WW2 Label: None

Numbers from start to 1945: #100-16000. A listing of records from 1928-1931 can be found here:
http://www.78discography.com/PE15000.htm

Notes: The Race series was called Perfect 100s. It was started in July 1926. These were duplicates of Pathe’s race series (#7500). Rosa Henderson and Mary Staffard would feature prominently on the Perfect race-record series. Another race artist include Big Bill Broonzy  (operating under the pseudonym of Sammy Sampson). Big Bill would also have a side project with Tommy Dorsey, called The Famous Hokum Boys.

Sources:
–Rust, Brian. The American Record Label Book. Arlington House Publishers, NY. 1978.
–Sutton, Nauck. American Record Labels and Companies: An Encyclopedia (1891-1943). Mainspring Press, CO.2000.
—Perfect Race Record Blues Encyclopedia Entry
–Discography of Perfect Race Record Numbers

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Pathe-Actuelle Record Label

 Pathe-Actuelle Record Label (1914-1929)

Founded in France and came to the US in 1914 as the Pathe-Freres Phonograph Company. Pathe-US would introduce a short-lived budget brand called Sapphire in 1915. Another label called Actuelle would be created in Sept. 1920. The Actuelle label was at first red, black, and gold on a buff, white, or another color background. They were replaced by a similar label in 1922 of gold and black for popular music or gold and maroon for classical. In 1922 the Pathe-Freres Phonograph Company went bankrupt. By Nov. 1922 Pathe-Freres was re-organized as the Pathe Phonograph and Radio Corporation. They would introduce two new labels: Perfect and Pathe-Actuelle. The Pathe-Actuelle (sometimes referred to as Pathe) label had a race record series that was introduced in 1924. Pathe-Actuelle and Perfect were merged with the Cameo Record Corporation in Oct. 1927. Two years later, Cameo was bought by the American Record Corporation (ARC) in 1929. ARC dropped Pathe in March 1930 and Perfect in 1938. The Perfect record label can sometimes be seen in red shellac rather than black.

Music Genres: Pop, Orchestra, Classical, Band, Blues

Pre-1941 Label:

Pathe Record Label would last from 1914-1922. In 1922, Pathe-Freres would reorganize as a different company and create a different label.

Pathe Label. Note the Chicken
Pathe Label, 1914. Note the Chicken

The Sapphire Record Label, 1915.

Sapphire Record 1915
Sapphire Record 1915
Actuelle Early Label

Actuelle Label, 1920. This would replace Sapphire as a budget brand label.

Actuelle Label redesign in 1922. This redesign would not last for long as Pathe-Freres would reorganize as a different company the same year.

Actuelle Label, 1922
Actuelle Label, 1922

Pathe-Actuelle Label, 1922. This was the new label of the former Pathe-Freres company, now reorganized as the Pathe Phonograph and Radio Corporation. After ARC buys the corporation in 1929, they would drop the label.

Pathe-Actuelle Label, 1922.
Pathe-Actuelle Label, 1922.

1941-1945 Label: None
Post-WW2 Label: None
Numbers from start to 1945: 10000-60000

Notes: The Perfect Record Label went from #100-16000

Sources:
-Rust, Brian. The American Record Label Book. Arlington House Publishers, NY. 1978.
-Sutton, Nauck. American Record Labels and Companies: An Encyclopedia (1891-1943). Mainspring Press, CO.2000.

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Melotone Records

Record Label: 1936-1938: Back to original blue and silver

 

Melotone Records (Nov. 1930-1938)

Melotone was owned by Brunswick Record Corporation and marketed as a budget-brand record. It was discontinued by 1938. Melotone labels were silver on blue, but in 1934 the colors were switched to gold on dark green. By late 1936 or early 1937 the label went back to silver on blue. Melotone would often carry duplicates of music found on other labels. Many of Melotone’s recordings were done under pseudonyms or anonymous. Several important artists recorded under this budget brand: Blind Boy Fuller, Eddie Cantor, Annette Hanshaw, Lead Belly, Gene Autry, Tex Ritter.

Music Genres: Pop, Country, Western, blues, jazz, swing, Cajun, Hawaiian, Mexican.

Pre 1941 Label: A combination of silver on blue or gold on dark green.

The original label was silver on blue. This color scheme was in production between 1930-1936.

Record Label: Early label. Original silver on blue
Record Label: Early label. Original silver on blue. 1930-1934.

Sometime in 1934 they made a switch to a gold and dark green label. This would be in production until 1936.

Record Label: 1934-1936. Gold and dark green.
Record Label: 1934-1936. Gold and dark green.

In the label’s final years they would switch back to the original silver on blue label. Note the “Full Range Recording” at the top.

Record Label: Early label. Original silver on blue
Record Label: 1936-1938. Back to the original blue and silver.

Blind Boy Fuller: I’m Goin’ to Move

1941-1945 Label: None

Post-WW2 Label: None

Numbers from start to 1945: 12000-13457. Prior to 1935 Melotone records started with an M. However, by 1935 some started with a “35” or a “5.” Some numbers for 1936 start with a “6.” Some numbers for 1937 start with a “7.” Some numbers for 1938 start with an “8.”  The early label Melotone’s numbering system would include the date as representative as the last 2-digits (12030 would mean a record was made in 1930).

Notes: None

Sources:
-Rust, Brian. The American Record Label Book. Arlington House Publishers, NY. 1978.

-Sutton, Nauck. American Record Labels and Companies: An Encyclopedia (1891-1943).Mainspring Press, CO.2000.

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Sears Store Brand Record Labels

Sears Store Brand Record Labels

Harvard Records

Oxford Records

Silvertone Records

Supertone Records

Challenge Records

Conqueror Records

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Conqueror Record Label

Conqueror Record Label: 1938-1942. Black color with shield.

 Conqueror Record Label

Produced from 1926-March 1942 exclusively for Sears at a price of 39 cents. Designed as an expensive label to complement the Silvertone, Supertone, and Challenge labels. Pressed by Regal Record Company from 1926-June 1929 and then pressed American Record Company (ARC) from 1929 onward. When ARC took over the pressing, they dropped all mention of Sears on the record. The trumpeters were removed in 1934 and replaced by a simplified shield design. When ARC was bought by CBS in 1938, CBS kept the Conqueror label and packaged the label in sets. In the label’s final days (1938-1942) the Conqueror’s shield appeared as black rather than red. Many of Conqueror’s artists used pseudonyms and because Sears was at various times contracting three different record companies to produce music and those record companies often drew from the same catalogs or master records there is considerable duplication of music. However, some records may be alternate takes, and records produced after the 1938 acquisition tended to be artists from the CBS catalogs.

Music Genres: Country, Jazz, Blues, Swing, Pop.

Pre-WW2 Label: Red background with decorative rim and trumpeters.

Record Label: 1929-1934. Note the absence of Sears. May be in red or orange.
Conqueror Record Label: 1929-1934. Note the absence of Sears. It may be in red or orange. This indicates it was made by ARC.

From 1934-1938 the record label has a basic red shield without the trumpeters.

Record Label: 1934-1938. Red color with shield.
Record Label: 1934-1938. Red color with shield. Notice the lack of trumpeters.

1941-1945 Label: After being bought by CBS, the label switched to being all black.

Conqueror Record Label: 1938-1942. Black color with shield.
Conqueror Record Label: 1938-1942. Black color with shield.

Post-WW2 Label: None.

Numbers from start to 1945:  7000-10000.  Numbers 7254-7277 are race and country artists.

Notes: Famous artists found on this record label include: Big Bill Broonzy, Lucille Bogan (aka: Bessie Jackson), Amos Easton aka Bumble Bee Slim, Lil Johnson, and Memphis Minnie. Other important artists include Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Gene Autry.

Listen to Dear Old Western Skies by Gene Autry on a 1934 Conqueror Record.

Listen to My Gage is going up by Memphis Minnie on a Conqueror Record most likely from the early 1930s.

Sources:
http://www.mainspringpress.com/sears-labels.html

Rust, Brian. The American Record Label Book. Arlington House Publishers, NY. 1978.

Sutton, Nauck. American Record Labels and Companies: An Encyclopedia (1891-1943). Mainspring Press, CO.2000.

The Blues Encyclopedia

Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942

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Challenge Records

Challenge Record Label

 Challenge Records by Sears

The Challenge record label was a budget label for Sears. It was produced from 1926-1930. It was pressed by the Starr Piano Company and would duplicate recordings found on Gennett and Champion records. Most were of anonymous recordings.

The Challenge Label sold for 24 cents and is generally of inferior quality. Starr struggled to produce records and, in its final years, Sears used The Scranton Button Company to press the records using master records from Plaza Music Company.

Music Genres: Waltz, orchestra, race records, blues, country, popular, reprints of Gennett and Champion records.

Pre-WW2 Label: This was the only label design for the record production: 1926-1930. Green and Gold with a Knight in Armor imagery. Note: Wikipedia for some reason has the record below but in black and white which is inaccurate.

Challenge Record Label
Challenge Record Label by Sears: 1926-1930

1939-1945 Label: None by Sears

Post-WW2 Label: None by Sears.

Numbers from start to 1945: 101-810
The Challenge Label has an unknown number of recordings but the series consists of 3 digits.

 101–271, 301–431, 501–506 = Gennett

 532–698, 763–793, 811–999 = Plaza and successor American Record Corporation;

 700–760 and 801–810 = Miscellaneous sources

Note: Many of the country artists were pseudonyms.

Sources:

http://www.mainspringpress.com/sears-labels.html

Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942

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Supertone Records

Supertone Records by Sears

Click the link to visit Supertone Records page as part of the 78 Records Project for World War II Reenactors.

Supertone Records

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Silvertone Records

Silvertone Record Label (1916-1950) by Sears

Silvertone Records: For label discussion and analysis

Silvertone Record Label Link

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Oxford Record Label

1906 El Capitan March. 7in. disc. Probably made by Columbia

Oxford Record Label (1906-1916)

The Oxford Record Label was a Sears label that came after Sears’ discontinuation of their Harvard Label. They are single-sided and can be found as either a 7in. disc or a 10in. disc.  At the start, Sears used Leeds and Catlin from 1906-1908 to produce the record, switched to Columbia from 1908-1909, then to Victor (using their Zon-o-phone masters) between 1909-1911, and then back to Columbia between 1911-1916. Indeed, Columbia continued to produce for Sears under the Oxford label a 7in. disc while Victor produced a 10in. disc. Recordings are mostly anonymous For an excellent review of the Oxford label see the sources below.

Music Genres: Waltz, Black or “Coon” music, Orchestra, Marches, Operettas.

Pre World War II Label: Purple with Oxford in a scripted style.

1906 El Capitan March. 7in. disc. Probably made by Columbia
1906 El Capitan March by Soussa. 7in. disc. Probably made by Columbia.
1908 Negro Laughing Song. Probably made by Victor using Zonophone masters.
1908 Negro Laughing Song by George W. Johnson. Probably made by Victor using Zonophone masters.

While not an Oxford Label it is an example of the Negro Laughing Song by George W. Johnson who was the first African-American to sing on a record.

Leg of Mutton Oxford Record label 36773
Leg of Mutton Le Gigot. 12in. Oxford Record Label #36773. Probably made by Columbia in the early 1910s.

 Leg of Mutton Le Gigot, 1913.

Numbers to 1945: Columbia will switch to a new label called Silvertone in 1915/1916.

1-1000 (by Columbia, Zonophone)1000-2000 (by Columbia, Zonophone)
3000 – 5000 (by Columbia)        5000 (by Zonophone)

Sources:
http://www.mainspringpress.com/sears-labels.html

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Harvard Record Labels

Harvard Record Labels (1905-1907)

Harvard Records was a 78 record label sold exclusively by Sears. Columbia Records originally produced the record. The catalog numbers were similar to Columbia master catalogs. The Harvard Record Label used anonymous recordings. The records came in either 7in. or 10in. sizes.

Music Genres: Waltz, Patriotic, Orchestra, Comedic, Folk Songs, Black or “Coon” songs. (The Harvard Record label and Sears sold music that exemplified the time. Such musical lyrics that stereotyped dialects would be unacceptable today)

Pre-1941 Label: Plan label with blue lettering.

Harvard Disc Record. Courtesy of http://www.78rpm.net.nz
Harvard Disc Record. Courtesy of http://www.78rpm.net.nz

Uncle Josh was the pseudonym for Cal Stewart, a vaudeville actor that made the transition into sound. He is known for comedic narratives. While not on a Harvard Disc the recording below is indicative of Cal’s comedic style.

Another example of the early Harvard Disc Record label.

I Never Trouble Trouble until Trouble Troubles Me
I Never Trouble Trouble Until Trouble Troubles Me by Baritone and Tenor Duet

Not on a Harvard Record label but it demonstrates what the duet sounded like. You can note the same catalog number as the Harvard disc above. This was due to the fact that Harvard pulled from the master catalog of Columbia. Indeed, it appears the Peerless Disc Record did as well.


The Harvard Record label went through a label re-design in late 1906 or early 1907. This new design featured a collegiate pennant and lettering in orange.

World War Two Label: None. The label did not exist

Sources:

http://www.mainspringpress.com/sears-labels.html