HMV
Logos
When
the HMV trademark first appeared on
the label in February 1908, the lower
half of the label contained the same
information that had appeared on the
Recording Angel labels. This included
the company’s identification below the
trademark, the language and vocal range
or instrument, the selection, the artist(s)’s
name(s), and the catalog number. The
font sizes varied, as can be seen in
various Figures IV.A.1.a. above.
From February 1918 until September 1926,
various company logos were printed between
two gold-lined quadrants placed at the
lower left and lower right (see under
Double-Sided Issues below). The
logos were retained after the quadrants
were removed in September 1926. Their
use began with the introduction of the
"His Master’s Voice" trademark
in February 1909, and continued until
the end of the 78 rpm era, as well as
after the introduction of the double-sided
DA and DB series in August
1924, continuing with the DJ, DK,
DL, DM, DO, DQ, DR, and DS series
by December of that year. These series
were used to designate artist and price
categories, similar to the use of different
colors for single-sided issues. The
DR and DS series were
reserved for Francesco Tamagno’s 10-
and 12-inch double-sided reissues, respectively.
The
logos shown above were used on single-sided
discs between February 1918 and September
1926. Below are logos used on double-sided
discs between October 1924 and September
1926.
The
six logos below were used after the
removal of the quadrants in September
1926. Apparently duplicate logos differ
by their size and position.
The
BIEM logo did not belong to the Gramophone
Company, but rather to an organization
known as the Bureau International des
Sociétés Gérant,
formed in 1929. BIEM is the international
organization representing mechanical
rights societies, which exist in most
countries. They license the reproduction
of songs, including musical, literary
and dramatic works. Their members are
composers, authors and publishers and
their clients are record companies and
other users of recorded music. As a
member of this organization, the Gramophone
Company and its successors were entitled
to place its logo on their record labels.
When this logo or designation is found
on HMV labels, one can ascertain that
the record was issued after 1929.
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trademark
in black and white
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trademark
in sepia, 1939 - May
1946
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HIS
MASTER’S VOICE
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after
August 1910
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after
1929
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Trademark
Variations
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IV.B.6.a.1
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IV.B.6.a.2.
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IV.B.6.a.3.
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IV.b.6.a.4.
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IV.B.6.a.6).a).
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IV.B.6.a.7).
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Foreign
Label HMV Designations
The
five labels above IV.B.6.a.8).
were used in the 1930’s for discs issued
locally in Spain. The disc on the top
left is that of a re-recording made
on August 15, 1932. They were all manufactured
in Barcelona.
The
"His Master’s Voice" trademark,
also known as the DOG, Nipper, or HMV
trademark, appeared in the upper half
of all labels of the Gramophone Company,
its sister companies, and their successors,
from about August 1910 until the end
of the 78 rpm recording era, about 1950.
