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U.S. 78 RPM Label Sizes, Pre-1929-30   


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  2nd Feb 2024, 7:49 PM#1  REPORT  
W.B.lbl

The Collector's Collector
Member since Feb 2012
3786 Points
Moderator
Much has been written about how the sizes of 78 RPM center labels varied wildly from label to label prior to 1929-30 when, due to a combination of the Great Depression and the demands of jukebox operators in terms of how much to fill in the playing area of a record, how to cut end grooves and even how they were recorded, the size shrunk to a minimum of 2.9375" and a maximum of 3". Looking at a bunch of 78 label images on archive.org from the Boston Public Library, plus my own memories of seeing old 78's "back in the day," here is a partial list of the various sizes and which labels used them, from the 1900's right up to the '20's, grouped by size (if there are any errors, please feel free to correct):

2.6875"
Victor (1931-32) (the low point of the recording industry)

3.25"
Actuell
Cameo (1930)
Edison Needle Type (?) (most releases used 3" labels)
Pathé

3.375"
Brunswick (mid-to-late '20's)
Victor (c.1925-29)

3.4375"
Columbia (1920's Oakland pressings - ?)

3.5"
Banner (?)
Broadway
Cameo
Columbia
Gennett
Grey Gull
OKeh (pre- and post-Columbia acquisition)
Oriole (?)
Perfect
Puritan
Rainbow
Romeo (1929)

3.5625"
Banner (?)
Edison
Emerson
Federal (1919)
Olympic
Oriole (?)
Regal (mid-'20's)
Silvertone
Wallace

3.6875"
(Aeolian) Vocalion (to late '20's)
Brunswick (to mid '20's)
Manhattan (1900's)
Regal (early '20's)
Victor (c.1920-24)

3.9375
Victor (1900's)

4"
Victor (c.1910)
Zon-O-Phone (1900's)

4.0625"
Victor (early years of 'batwing' label, to c.1920)

I would also recommend this list be pinned, or stickied, or whatever.

Edited by W.B.lbl on 7th Feb 2024, 12:44 AM

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