His Master's Voice

Biography - His Master's Voice

Australia

The official opening of the His Master's Voice record factory, in Railway-Parade, Erskineville, Sydney, was held at 2:30 pm on Monday 18th January, 1926. Record production began around September, 1925.

In late 1927, plans were being made to erect one of the largest gramophone and record factories in Australia, with 10 acres being purchased in North Lidcombe. Unfortunately, this was never completed.

The Gramophone Company merged with the Columbia and Parlophone Companies in 1931, becoming E.M.I. and moved to Columbia's factory in Homebush. The factory in Erskineville was closed in July, 1931.

More information on this label can be found here.

LP records from E.M.I. were introduced in May, 1953. 45rpm records followed in 1954. The last known HMV 78 was released in 1958.

DISCOGRAPHY (W.I.P.)

A great discography can be found at www.78rpm.net.nz.

EA 10" Series

Introduced in either March or April, 1926, this was the main catalogue series used by HMV in Australia. It started at EA 1 and finished up at EA 4330 in 1958. It used a plum coloured label.

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LABELOGRAPHY

1925-26 - Pre-speed quadrant: Nipper "v1"
1926 - Pre-speed quadrant: Nipper "v2"
1926-27 - Quadrant, with speed
1927-28 - Post quadrant: wide 'A' (in "His Master's Voice")
1928-31 - Post quadrant: thin 'A'
1931 - Post quadrant: thin 'A' with E.M.I. pressing rings following move to Homebush
1932-36 - Radio ban with patents
1936 - Big label-coloured Nipper
1936-39 - Small label-coloured Nipper
1939-49 - Post patents
1949-58 - Copyright star

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SOURCES

Main source used: trove.nla.gov.au - Digital newspaper resource by the National Library of Australia.

- New Factory In Sydney - acquired from the Gold Hosiery Co. Ltd.
- New Record Factory - article from day "to be opened at 2:30 pm"
- HMV Factory opening - article from day after
- Proposed New Factory - Lidcombe
- HMV Factory - New factory at Lidcombe
- The HMV-Columbia Amalgamation

See Also

- Biography: Columbia AUS

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