Record Labels
 

Record Labels


LW #15 Label Variations


LW #751 Label Variations


LW# 36 Cream Label
over Black Label


LW #458 Label Variations


LW #15 Other Label


LW #1177 Label Variations


Bubble Book Piper Variations


Bubble Books 1-4 Color Variations


Victor Acoustically Recorded and
Dodd, Mead-Columbia Electrically Recorded Bubble Book Labels


Clarion Electrically Recorded
Bubble Book records


Libro Che Canta #1
Little Wonder label


Piccola Meraviglia
Label Variations


(Click this record to view
each label on its record
)


Little Wonder Records

Four different labels appeared sequentially on Little Wonder records: a no-label embossed black version, a "horn and violin" version that appeared in both blue letters on cream background and black letters on an orange background, and a "child conductor" version that appeared with black letters on an orange background.

As discussed in the History section, it is likely that the no-label versions were manufactured while Henry Waterson controlled Little Wonder records -- the timing corresponds.- This makes sense given that the contract Waterson signed with Columbia stipulated that if Waterson wanted paper labels, he would be responsible for the cost of manufacturing the labels and shipping them to Columbia.- Columbia was required to indicate the name of the tune on each record, and so the embossed black version labeling format was born. -When Little Wonders returned to Columbia, the blue and cream paper label appeared.

Very generally, here are the record number ranges for the labels (see scans of LW #15 variations at left):

1 through 434:- Black (click here to see trademark)
435 through 749:- Blue on cream "horn and violin" (the highest cream label I've seen is #779)
750 and above:- Orange "child conductor" (click here to see trademark)

The orange "horn and violin" version appeared during the transition from the cream "horn and violin" to the "child conductor."

As records were re-pressed, the label placed on the record reflected the current labeling style.- So it's possible to find earlier records bearing later label styles.

It’s also possible to find records bearing more than one style of label. -For example, look at Little Wonder #36 at left which has the blue-on-cream label pasted on top of the black version.

Within a particular label style, there were variations in the typography.- For example, four different versions of the blue-on-cream label for Little Wonder #458 are shown at left.

There is also variety in the "child conductor" orange versions. -For example, another version of the Little Wonder #15 is shown at left (compare to the others shown above).

Two versions of Little Wonder #1177 are also shown at left.

 

The Harper-Columbia (and Hodder-Columbia) Acoustically Recorded
Version of the Bubble Books

The most common record labels appearing on the acoustically recorded Bubble Book records are the cream-colored versions. -There is a less common version of the cream labels that has a larger image of the piper.- Both of these variations are shown at left.

Bubble Books number 1 through 4 also appeared with record labels of other colors (see variations at left). - My hypothesis is that these colored versions were included with the first editions of the books, and that later editions of the books were published with the cream-colored versions.- I believe that Bubble Books #1 and #2 were originally published with orange labels, #3 with blue labels, and #4 with red-orange labels.- This hypothesis gets some additional support from the fact that the alternate-colored versions generally appear in books that do not have the book number on the spine and do not have a listing of the entire book series included in the pages.- As discussed in the History section, these differences might also indicate that these versions of the books were the first editions.

 

The Victor Acoustically Recorded and Dodd, Mead-Columbia Electrically Recorded
Versions of the Bubble Books

I know of only one style of record labels for both the Victor acoustically recorded and Columbia electrically recorded Bubble Book records, and these are shown at left.

 

The Clarion Electrically Recorded
Versions of the Bubble Book Records

I also know of only one style of record label for the Clarion records produced of the Bubble Book records, and that is shown at left.

 

Libri Che Canta & Piccola Meraviglia Records

As discussed in the History section, what I believe to be the first edition of the first Libro Che Canta contained records with the Little Wonder label.- Books 1-9 contained the duotone pink-and-maroon label, as did records in the beginning of the standalone Piccola Meraviglia series.- Books 10-12 and later Piccolo Meraviglia records had the maroon label.

 


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