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Posted (edited)

I have some early Delmark titles with the blue "D" in a circle and an otherwise mostly white label.

My vinyl is now in storage, but I believe the address would have been 4243 N. Lincoln.

Those would be '70s and '80s titles, roughly.

Edited by Chuck Nessa
Posted

If there's a specific question, I'm going to see Mr. Koester on Saturday and would be happy to ask him.

No specific problem. There is a lot of knowledge about how to tell if you have a BN or PR or Riv original (and a few other labels), but Delmark is in many ways every bit as valuable a label as those others (and the only one of the first generation of post-Depression indies still independent) and I wondered if there was a similar bank of knowledge around.

As far as I know, the early Delmark LPs had the (blue) label divided about a third of the way down. The familiar trademark was in the same place as the later versions, but was in a dark blue section, divided from the light blue section with the tracklist, by an even darker blue line. The British pressings made by Esquire used the same design. I don't know when this design changed to the mainly white label; sometime in the seventies, I think. Nor do I know what, if any, difference there is between an original and a repressing - perhaps none.

MG

Posted

The earliest labels were a drawing of a street sign with Delmar (the original name) on it. The k was added as a result of a trademark infringement claim. Bob started the label in St Louis, on Delmar Blvd.

Oh yes, thanks for reminding me about that, Chuck. Delmark is one of the ten companies dealt with in "Little labels - big sound" by Rick Kennedy & Randy McNutt, who deal with that early bit of history. (You get an honourable mention in there, too.)

MG

Posted

I have a Braxton around here somewhere with the blue-box "D" inside a large blue circle on a white ground. The vinyl is heavy and the address is Seven West Grand. Probably the 1st for the Braxton, but I assume a mid-period Delmark.

What's mid-period for a label that's been issuing albums for fifty years - 1982?

MG

Posted

The Braxton I'm referring to is 1970-ish. It's not "early," but maybe "earlyish."

I think the blue label Delmarks must have continued until at least 1972 - my copy of George Freeman's "Birth sign" (albeit a UK edition by Esquire) has the blue label and is dated 1972 (not the recording date but the release date). So a white label of a 1970 album is probably not original.

But I still wonder what difference it makes in these cases.

MG

Posted

I dunno - most of my 7 West Grand Delmarks have the boxed "d" in a dark blue area at the top, a lighter blue or white bottom half, and a horizontal strip on either side of the spindle hole. That's the standard design.

The guy I bought my "For Alto" from said it was the 1st issue of that title, and so far that's the only time I've seen the label variation I'm talking about. Others have been the three-part label design.

I've never seen a solid blue label on ANY of the later "Modern Jazz Series" or "AACM" titles, frankly. Nessa knows best, and I've never owned an original of the Ira Sullivan (402), but this is news to me.

Posted

I hope to go thru my remaining Delmark vinyl this weekend and report back.

IIRC, the records from the '70s with the circle were inferior pressings and after a while Bob went back to Wakefield for his records and the labels changed back.

I will probably see Bob on Monday and hope to remember the questions posted here. Send PMs for detailed questions.

I just typed two sentences ending in "back". :mellow:

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