Font
and Size Variations
Variations
in font sizes and in the location of
various phrases are seen commonly among
the earliest G&T labels. While there
is little apparent consistency in these
differences, one can surmise that from
the beginning of the use of labels their
size was gradually reduced, while various
phrases were either reduced as well,
or else augmented for greater legibility.
It seems likely that many of the variations
and changes were made at the whim of
the printers in Hanover and elsewhere.
The two labels below are both from stamper
II pressings. Note that while the font
for MEFISTOFELE is large on the
right, the words PATENTED
are smaller.
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small
font
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large
font
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Figure
IV.A.1.a.
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7-inch
label, narrow trade mark
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wide
trade mark, narrow name
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PATENTED
small, wide name
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PATENTED
large, narrow name
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French
designation and trademark
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Narrow
trademark, small designation
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Angel
narrow, small name
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trade
mark narrow, pre-DOG name
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Russian
Company designations
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Angel, narrow Trade Mark |
large
Angel, wide Trade Mark |
The
company designation for the Gramophone
& Typewriter Limited was used on
labels printed between about June 1901
and November 18, 1907, and appears only
in the font style The
Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd. During
the pre-DOG period from November 19,
1907 to February 1909, the company designation
and the font style were changed to The
Gramophone Company, Limited.
However,
see below.
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earliest
Company designations
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with
raised "The" variant
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without
raised "The"
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"Manufactured
by The
Gramophone and Typewriter Ltd.,
and Sister Companies"
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Pre-DOG
company designation in various
colors
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"Manufactured
by
The Gramophone Company, Limited,
and Sister Companies"
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Company
designation in Arabic
Company
Name Varieties
Fonts
on early labels, viz., 1901─1904,
show considerable variation in size,
as well as in the name of the artist
on the recording. All labels on pressings
from 46 original and secondary stampers
of Caruso’s recordings from his first
session in April 1902 give his name
as "ENRICO CARUSO", while
all labels from the second session in
November-December of that year throughout
a large range of 40 original and secondary
stampers give it as "Cav. ENRICO
CARUSO." Both styles may be found
in upper or lower case.
Labels
from a series of six stampers for matrix
2875, G.C.-52440, Caruso’s 1902
recording of Leoncavallo’s Vesti
la giubba, show interesting variations
in font types and sizes. These are shown
below.
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Stamper
III
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Stamper
III
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Stamper
V
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Stamper
VI
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Stamper
VII
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Stamper
VIII
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Variations
in the diameter of the outer ring on
early Gramophone labels probably arose
from the use of different type sizes
for the lettering. One copy of G.C.-52034
(see below under Caruso Labels)
has an outer ring diameter of 88 mm.,
the company designation is 56 mm wide,
and the title "MATTINATA"
is 43 mm.; on a copy from a later stamper
with a diameter of 80 mm., the measurements
are 47 and 48 mm., respectively. On
the same two records, the Angel trademarks
are identical in size, while the measurement
across the PATENTED to the end
of it on the other side is 55 mm. on
the earlier pressing and 50 mm. on the
later one.
Note
the raised "The" variant on
the discs below.
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London,
December 1901
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Moscow,
January 23-28, 1902
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G.C.-52345
IIIII
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G.C.-52346
II
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G.C.-52370
IIII
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In
general, font sizes in smaller rings
are smaller, with the following exceptions.
The title of the selection may be in
a larger font, while the artist’s name,
the language and voice range may remain
in the same font size. Unfortunately,
one cannot date changes in either ring
diameters or font sizes with any certainty.
Variations
in font types and sizes used for the
various markings on Gramophone Company
labels have been numerous from the very
beginning, partly due to the printer’s
discretion, and doubtless depending
upon the whims of the typesetter. Small
font lettering occasionally preceded
large font lettering. However, several
secondary stampers or masters may
have been made at any given time, and
these were not always used in the order
of their preparation. Thus, small font
lettering has been seen on pressings
from stamper V of G.C.-52418,
while large font lettering is found
on the label from stamper VI, as
seen below.
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G.C.-52418
Stamper V
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G.C.-52418
Stamper VI
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G.C.
-52443 stamper I
small lower case letters
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G.C.
-52443 stamper VII
large upper case letters
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Most
issues with flush labels show the recording
engineer’s hand inscribed recording
data impressed into the label, continuing
the practice of the pre-label period.
These have also been seen impressed
into flush labels within a raised ring,
but not into labels raised on a plateau
or on labels sunken within a ring. Bennett
indicates that red labels, denoting
the more outstanding performers, .e
g., Caruso, Plançon, De Luca,
Ancona, and Scotti, were introduced
as early as March 1902 for both size
discs. Lesser known artists were given
black labels.
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Stamper
III, August 18, 1906
Issued after November 1907
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Stamper
I, issued between
February 1909 and August 1910
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Stamper
I pressing
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Stamper
II pressing
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The
two pairs of labels above show changes
in fonts and styles from 1906 to 1912.
The top G&T disc, from stamper III,
was recorded on August 18, 1906 and
issued in the pre-DOG period from November
1907 to August 1910. The label is 90
mm. in overall diameter and is sunk
within a raised ring. The top HMV disc,
pressed from stamper I, was released
between February 1909 and August 1910.
The label is flush within a raised ring,
and one can see Fred Gaisberg’s markings
outside the label at 3 o’clock, viz.,
G
above 4-b,
from the matrix number 8724-b,
above the 3, probably from the
catalog number 4413. None of
these markings are visible on the G&T
disc, indicating that the central markings
were buffed out on the second stamper.
Unlike
the Victor Talking Machine Company,
the Gramophone Company frequently placed
different styles and sizes of labels
on the two sides of double-faced records.
Neither company was averse to using
up stocks of old labels, before printing
new designs, which probably accounts
for many double-sided discs having completely
different labels on each side. Under
this heading we find the word The
occurring above the remainder of
the company designation as early as
December 1901 (see the figures above),
and sometimes after April 1902. At the
time when the narrow spacing of "Trade"
and "Mark"
was widened, The was moved back
to the beginning of the phrase, and
the Angel trademark was enlarged. It
has been seen on labels issued between
April 1902 and July 1905, but not later.
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The
three labels above have recently come
to the author’s attention. While their
exact provenance and significance are
not known, that on the left was obviously
manufactured at Hanover in 1906, while
the other two appear to have been processed
in Berlin some time after September
1912. The phrase printed above the Angel
on the left is incomplete, and should
read Importé de Hanovre.
The other two labels bear the phrase
Import d’Allemagne. Other labels
with similar phrase are known.
