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The other day I came across a small group of these 12" brown (Canadian) one sided pink labeled records. All have "Melba" on the label. However, they are not like the US Melba label I'm use to seeing.

Any thoughts..??.

In the UK and apparently in Canada, the pale lilac label was exclusive to Melba's records. When she finally agreed to record she insisted on her own coloured label, and what Melba wanted Melba usually got.

Other eminent singers were similarly honoured in the early days, including Patti (pink) Battistini (orange) and Tamagno (green). Eventually the red label became the main celebrity colour.

Here are a couple of UK Melba labels :

Thanks for the post. Those are the "Melba" labels I'm accustom to seeing....... showing a signature facsimile.
I guess Berliner decided on a more plain label used in Canada. $3.00 was a lot for a record.... .

My correction in stating "pink"...... it is a lilac colored label used for her label.

I was surprised a small group of these were found. In all the years I have been involved in the hobby....first time for me.

I've seen American pressings with a mauve "Melba Record" label, but they are rare- Victor would take back the old pressings in partial exchange for later ones which had conventional red labels but were of better quality

estott wrote:I've seen American pressings with a mauve "Melba Record" label, but they are rare- Victor would take back the old pressings in partial exchange for later ones which had conventional red labels but were of better quality

I guess that's why I've never seen them before..??. Here are two others that were with this lot.

FWIW, a dealer at the Danbury show last year had a small stack of the early Melba records with the whitish label. The asking price was $75 each.

The early Melba records were sold in custom sleeves that are quite hard to find.

52089 wrote:FWIW, a dealer at the Danbury show last year had a small stack of the early Melba records with the whitish label. The asking price was $75 each.

The early Melba records were sold in custom sleeves that are quite hard to find.

Interesting. I have a Tamagno record with special sleeve. I think there is also a Patti sleeve. However, I thought they were already red label with the sleeve..??.

I have an american melba lilac label with a sleeve similar to the tomagno sleeve, but black. I'm in the process of moving so I can't get a picture posted, but it does exist.

Dan

I did some google searching and found examples of the American Victor Melba label and sleeve. I also found a 1904 ad showing the HMV melba labels and what appears to be Melba sleeves as well.

Dan

Did the original mauve Melba records carry serial numbers? I have both G&T and Victor Tamagno records that carry serial numbers. All of my Tamagno records have red labels, but I have seen pictures of the green labels.

I am impressed with the original paper jackets; I have never seen those and they must be much, much rarer than even the records themselves.