[78-L] Malcolm Sargent - Messiah

[Thomas Stern]

  Questions about the 1946 Malcolm Sargent recording of MESSIAH - this is the version with Isobel Baillie, Gladys Ripley,
James Johnston, Norman Walker, the Huddersfield Choral Society, and the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

  According to the DUTTON reissue (2CDEA 5010) this was recorded Huddersfield Town Hall, 12-17 July, 26 September 1946.

Columbia(UK) DX 1283-1301 (CAX 9572-9609)  19 disks    IS THERE A SET NUMBER?
Columbia(US) Set 666  19 disks, in 2 volumes.          WHAT ARE THE Disk numbers?
  Is the US version dubbed ?

The US Columbia set appears to have been reissued on LP in set SL-51 or SL-151 (3-LPs).  There appear
to be 2 versions - a slipcased set, with 3 LP's in individual jackets, notes and texts on the jackets,
and also a conventional BOX containing 3 LP's and libretto.

Can someone enlighten me on the catalog numbering scheme of the SL-51 issue ?
When was the Slipcase packaging used?  when was it replaced by a conventional Box?  or were they same era???
Slipcase appears to indicate set SL-51, 1st disk is SL-51, disk 2 and 3 SL-151, also numbered ML-4110, 4111, 4112).  
Box issue appears to be set SL-151.

Any other variants?

Was this set issued on LP in the UK ?
Was this set issued on CD in the UK or US (other than DUTTON) ?

Thanks!
Best wishes, Thomas.