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Biography - His Master's Voice 
UK
The label name "His Master's Voice" (HMV) first appeared on records from The Gramophone Company in August 1910 as a result of a court decision that the term 'gramophone' was generic. The company name can be seen by looking in the arc on the lower edge of almost any of the labels, where "The Gramophone Co." or similar can be seen.
Records with earlier release dates in the HMV listings were released under the company's earlier label names of Gramophone Concert (10") and Gramophone Monarch (12") with a few major celebrities having their own special named labels.
Pre-HMV History 1898-1910
The company was founded in 1898 with the name "The Gramophone Company" to introduce Emil Berliner's gramophone and records outside of the USA. Branches of the company were quickly established throughout Europe. In 1901 the company name was changed to "The Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd", but in November 1907 the original name was re-adopted. In the USA, Victor was the companion company.
The "His Master's Voice" image of a dog and gramophone was used by the company from its early days, but only in literature. Although the image shows a dog listening to a flat record player, the painting by Francis Barraud originally showed a cylinder player. It first appeared on the company's record labels in 1909, and was not registered as a UK trademark until 1910.
From the start, the pressing plant for all records was at Hannover in Germany, and owned by the Berliner family (Deutsche Grammophon). A large factory was built at Hayes, England which started operating in mid 1908, but pressings still continued at Hannover.
For a more detailed history of HMV in this period, and an explanation of the catalogue numbering system for single sided records see the label biography for Gramophone Concert.
HMV 1910-1924
At the start of HMV, all British records were single-sided, but double-sided had been issued by Continental branches since 1907. By 1912 pressing plants had been established in Riga (for Russia), India, Austria, Spain, and Poland.
The first double-sided British records B (10-inch) and C (12-inch) series were issued in September 1912. The two series initially replaced earlier single-sided discs of "popular" material with double-sided couplings using the same recordings, with new recordings being added later. Both these series had plum labels, and continued until 1958.
The outbreak of World War 1 in 1914 caused many problems. The Master recordings were originally stored in Hannover, and transfer to the Hayes plant had started, but was far from being completed, so many masters of popular recordings were re-recorded by HMV UK. In the later years of the war, both Germany and the UK confiscated recording company assets under "Trading With The Enemy" regulations. In Germany this resulted in HMV and Deutsche Grammophon being sold to the German Polydor company, in spite of efforts from the Berliner family to buy them.
After the end of the War many arguments between the Gramophone Company and the former HMV parts of Polydor continued over ownership, which eventually resulted in HMV recordings being issued in Germany only on the Electrola label from 1925.
In 1918 two more double-sided series were introduced containing mainly classical material - the D series (12-inch) in February and the E series (10 inch) in July. These series coupled many of the 'black label' single-sided previous issues, as well as newer recordings. The original black labels were replaced by red labels in 1932. Issues in the D series continued to 1934, and the E series to 1933.
HMV 1924-1960
In January 1924 HMV removed all single-sided records from their catalogue, replacing them with double-sided records in two new series, DA (10-inch) and DB (12-inch). The two series were released internationally and also contained new 'classical' recordings. These two series continued until the 1950s, but issues became less frequent as more LPs were issued. In December 1924 the DJ, DK, DL, DM, DO, DQ, DR, and DS double-sided series were introduced containing recordings of various celebrities. An AS series of 7-inch children's records was also introduced in 1924.
Auto-coupling of multiple record sets began in December 1928 and these started at 7000 in all series where they were issued.
A new BD series of 10-inch popular entertainment recordings was issued February 1935. This series had magenta labels, and continued to the mid 1950s. It was issued in two sections - BD-100 to BD-1347 were used for 'General Entertainment', while BD-5001 to BD-6204 was used for dance music.
The RG series consisted of 15 12-inch records relating to the Coronation of George VI. All records were released in June 1937.
World War 2 caused many problems for the whole UK record industry because of the shortage of shellac and the difficulty in supplying pressings to the continent. But a new series was introduced in January 1942 for RAF and 10 records were released.
In October 1951 the VA (10-inch) and VB (12-inch) series were introduced. These series contained re-issues of archive recordings.
Around 1952, HMV started adding a few new continental series records (mostly from the JO series) to their UK monthly supplements, but this only lasted until late 1953.
In May 1953 the History of Music in Sound (HMS 12-inch) series was introduced. These recordings were regularly issued as sets on both 78rpm and LP throughout the 1950s with the final set (HMS 104-114 ) being issued in February 1959.
The final new series to be issued by HMV in October 1955 was the POP 10-inch series. This was issued only on 78rpm up to POP-238 in September 1956, although some recordings were also on 7-inch 45rpm in the HMV 7M series. From POP-239 issues became available in both 78rpm and 45rpm format until POP-597 in February 1959. Only some of the issues were released in both formats after this, with the final 78rpm issue being POP-709 in February 1960.
--------------------
Further Information
- Kelly Database - Recording dates for many HMV records including foreign issues.
- 45Worlds Release Date Software for Windows PCs - Issue dates for many UK records.
- John R. Bolig & John Milmo, His Master's Voice Celebrity Series Recordings and Historical Reissues 1924-1958
- Listing of HMV Domestic and Foreign Label Prefixes
- Howard Friedman's HMV label guide.
- HMV Record Labels on the B-Series: 1912-1958 - Ball-park pressing dates for B-Series records based on their label design.
Notes
- The earliest HMV (dog) trademarks were unframed. In September 1916, they become surrounded by a golden frame. From February 1918 to September 1926, quadrants were added in the bottom third of the label.
- Any His Master's Voice record with the BIEM logo (Bureau International de l'Edition Mécanique), the international organization representing mechanical rights societies) is from 1929 or later, when this organization was created.
« Discography
UKThe label name "His Master's Voice" (HMV) first appeared on records from The Gramophone Company in August 1910 as a result of a court decision that the term 'gramophone' was generic. The company name can be seen by looking in the arc on the lower edge of almost any of the labels, where "The Gramophone Co." or similar can be seen.
Records with earlier release dates in the HMV listings were released under the company's earlier label names of Gramophone Concert (10") and Gramophone Monarch (12") with a few major celebrities having their own special named labels.
Pre-HMV History 1898-1910
The company was founded in 1898 with the name "The Gramophone Company" to introduce Emil Berliner's gramophone and records outside of the USA. Branches of the company were quickly established throughout Europe. In 1901 the company name was changed to "The Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd", but in November 1907 the original name was re-adopted. In the USA, Victor was the companion company.
The "His Master's Voice" image of a dog and gramophone was used by the company from its early days, but only in literature. Although the image shows a dog listening to a flat record player, the painting by Francis Barraud originally showed a cylinder player. It first appeared on the company's record labels in 1909, and was not registered as a UK trademark until 1910.
From the start, the pressing plant for all records was at Hannover in Germany, and owned by the Berliner family (Deutsche Grammophon). A large factory was built at Hayes, England which started operating in mid 1908, but pressings still continued at Hannover.
For a more detailed history of HMV in this period, and an explanation of the catalogue numbering system for single sided records see the label biography for Gramophone Concert.
HMV 1910-1924
At the start of HMV, all British records were single-sided, but double-sided had been issued by Continental branches since 1907. By 1912 pressing plants had been established in Riga (for Russia), India, Austria, Spain, and Poland.
The first double-sided British records B (10-inch) and C (12-inch) series were issued in September 1912. The two series initially replaced earlier single-sided discs of "popular" material with double-sided couplings using the same recordings, with new recordings being added later. Both these series had plum labels, and continued until 1958.
The outbreak of World War 1 in 1914 caused many problems. The Master recordings were originally stored in Hannover, and transfer to the Hayes plant had started, but was far from being completed, so many masters of popular recordings were re-recorded by HMV UK. In the later years of the war, both Germany and the UK confiscated recording company assets under "Trading With The Enemy" regulations. In Germany this resulted in HMV and Deutsche Grammophon being sold to the German Polydor company, in spite of efforts from the Berliner family to buy them.
After the end of the War many arguments between the Gramophone Company and the former HMV parts of Polydor continued over ownership, which eventually resulted in HMV recordings being issued in Germany only on the Electrola label from 1925.
In 1918 two more double-sided series were introduced containing mainly classical material - the D series (12-inch) in February and the E series (10 inch) in July. These series coupled many of the 'black label' single-sided previous issues, as well as newer recordings. The original black labels were replaced by red labels in 1932. Issues in the D series continued to 1934, and the E series to 1933.
HMV 1924-1960
In January 1924 HMV removed all single-sided records from their catalogue, replacing them with double-sided records in two new series, DA (10-inch) and DB (12-inch). The two series were released internationally and also contained new 'classical' recordings. These two series continued until the 1950s, but issues became less frequent as more LPs were issued. In December 1924 the DJ, DK, DL, DM, DO, DQ, DR, and DS double-sided series were introduced containing recordings of various celebrities. An AS series of 7-inch children's records was also introduced in 1924.
Auto-coupling of multiple record sets began in December 1928 and these started at 7000 in all series where they were issued.
A new BD series of 10-inch popular entertainment recordings was issued February 1935. This series had magenta labels, and continued to the mid 1950s. It was issued in two sections - BD-100 to BD-1347 were used for 'General Entertainment', while BD-5001 to BD-6204 was used for dance music.
The RG series consisted of 15 12-inch records relating to the Coronation of George VI. All records were released in June 1937.
World War 2 caused many problems for the whole UK record industry because of the shortage of shellac and the difficulty in supplying pressings to the continent. But a new series was introduced in January 1942 for RAF and 10 records were released.
In October 1951 the VA (10-inch) and VB (12-inch) series were introduced. These series contained re-issues of archive recordings.
Around 1952, HMV started adding a few new continental series records (mostly from the JO series) to their UK monthly supplements, but this only lasted until late 1953.
In May 1953 the History of Music in Sound (HMS 12-inch) series was introduced. These recordings were regularly issued as sets on both 78rpm and LP throughout the 1950s with the final set (HMS 104-114 ) being issued in February 1959.
The final new series to be issued by HMV in October 1955 was the POP 10-inch series. This was issued only on 78rpm up to POP-238 in September 1956, although some recordings were also on 7-inch 45rpm in the HMV 7M series. From POP-239 issues became available in both 78rpm and 45rpm format until POP-597 in February 1959. Only some of the issues were released in both formats after this, with the final 78rpm issue being POP-709 in February 1960.
--------------------
Further Information
- Kelly Database - Recording dates for many HMV records including foreign issues.
- 45Worlds Release Date Software for Windows PCs - Issue dates for many UK records.
- John R. Bolig & John Milmo, His Master's Voice Celebrity Series Recordings and Historical Reissues 1924-1958
- Listing of HMV Domestic and Foreign Label Prefixes
- Howard Friedman's HMV label guide.
- HMV Record Labels on the B-Series: 1912-1958 - Ball-park pressing dates for B-Series records based on their label design.
Notes
- The earliest HMV (dog) trademarks were unframed. In September 1916, they become surrounded by a golden frame. From February 1918 to September 1926, quadrants were added in the bottom third of the label.
- Any His Master's Voice record with the BIEM logo (Bureau International de l'Edition Mécanique), the international organization representing mechanical rights societies) is from 1929 or later, when this organization was created.
« Discography
Edit This Biography : Biography Credits
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Vinyl Albums : Live Music : 78 RPM : CD Albums : CD Singles : 12" Singles : 7" Singles : Tape Media : Classical Music : Music Memorabilia : Cinema : TV Series : DVD & Blu-ray : Magazines : Books : Video Games : Create Your Own World
Latest » Items : Comments : Price Guide : Reviews : Ratings : Images : Lists : Videos : Tags : Collected : Wanted : Top 50 : Random
45worlds for music, movies, books etc : 45cat for 7" singles : 45spaces for hundreds more worlds