[78-L] Prefixes on HMV, Columbia, Parlophone, etc.

[Benno Häupl]

. 
What you need, in fact, is pp. 110 - 174 from ""Ethnic and Vernacular Music, 1898-1960" by Paul Vernon, 
to which I wrote the preface, btw. 

It lists the series for following labels: Brunswick, Columbia, Decca. Edison Bell, Gramophone Co. labels, 
Odeon, Parlophone, Pathe, Polydor, Telefunken and Zonophone/Regal-Zonophone.     
Here a very short exerpt from the Gramophone Co. listing: 

Prefix  Numbering   Region            Size   Label color   Years       Pressing plant 

EO      1 -44         Russia/Baltics    10"                       1925-50    
EP                       Russia/Baltics    12"                       1925-50 
EQ      1-371        Portugal             10"      Plum         1927-39    Hayes      (After 1931 marketed as "La Voz de su Amo") 
          5000- ?     Portugal             10"                       1950-60 
ER      1-350       Austr/Hung/Cz.   10"      Black         1907-30s  Aussig 
ES      1-925       Austr/Hung/Cz.   12"      Black                        Aussig 
ET       1-5          Portugal             12"      Plum          1929        Hayes 
EV      1-23         Russia               10"      Blue           1925-50
EW     1-100        Germany           10"      Red           1925-50    Hayes, Berlin 
EX      1-85         Belgium             10"      Blue           1925-50   Hayes 
 
etc. etc., covering all kinds of series, Turkish, Java, Singapore, Malta, Hebrew - what have you. 

Googlebooks, unfortunately, omits these pages 109 to 174,  but you may be able to get a copy 
of the book on Amazon. 

Benno