[78-L] Columbia date codes - was: Columbia question

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Han Enderman" <jcenderman at solcon.nl>
To: "78-L" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 12:09 AM
Subject: [78-L] Columbia date codes - was: Columbia question


> The first date codes used by Columbia known to me are FZ on Co A-2296 (Al 
> Jolson) and A-2297 (ODJB!), printed June 1917 (Z = 1917 !) [not 1916]. 
> More common is GZ for the ODJB, printed the next month, but later 
> pressings are known with AY (January 1918), DX (April 1919) and AW (Jan 
> 1920).
> Is it known, from a Columbia catalogue, which catalogue numbers were 
> issued in June and July 1917?
>
> Andrea's label has a bottom rim text which agrees with the AY labels. On 
> the later AW label the patent information is shorter (running from 8 
> o'clock to 4 o'clock) and as long as the name Columbia Graphophone 
> Company, whereas the patent lines extend beyond the company name on the AY 
> label (running almost from 9h to 3h). On AV labels (Jan 1921) the lowest 
> patent line is even shorter then the upper patent line and the company 
> name, so Andrea's label is AY (Jan 1918).
> The last code known to me in this series is BV on A-3379 by The Happy Six. 
> From then on another system is used, occasionally even with 3 letters.
>
The 3-letter codes always (AFAIK) end in "S" (second printing of the label)
or, rarely "T" (third printing)! These were NOT standard, and later 
re-printings
are NOT always so marked!

I'd have to dig through my Columbias to find my highest (latest) code; 
however,
"V" was later supplanted by "P" (why I dunno)...!

...stevenc