DECCA UK Labels and Company Sleeves 1954-1981
Straight Logo
Thick Tri-centre
Straight Logo
Thick Tri-centre
Straight Logo
Thin tri-centre
 Curved Logo I
Thick tri-centre
F 10168 -  1954
to
F 10302 - 1954
F 10293 - 1954
to
F 10419 - 1954
F 10448 - 1955
to
F 10493 - 1955
F 10372 - 1954
to
F 10452 - 1955
The name "Decca" dates back to a portable gramophone called the "Decca Dulcephone" patented in 1914 by musical instrument makers Barnett Samuel and Sons. That company was eventually renamed The Decca Gramophone Co. Ltd. and then sold to former stockbroker Edward Lewis in 1929. Within years Decca Records Ltd. was the second largest record label in the world, calling itself "The Supreme Record Company".
Decca bought out the bankrupt UK branch of Brunswick Records in 1932, which added such stars as Bing Crosby and Al Jolson to its roster. Decca also bought out the Melotone and Edison Bell record companies. By 1939, Decca and EMI were the only record companies in the UK.
In late 1934, a United States branch of Decca was launched. In establishing the American unit, the founders bought the former Brunswick Records pressing plants from Warner Bros. in exchange for a financial interest in the new label. Decca became a major player in the depressed American record market thanks to its roster of popular artists, particularly Bing Crosby. Dissatisfied with American Decca's promotion of British Decca recordings and because American Decca held the rights to the name Decca in the US and Canada, British Decca sold its records in the United States and Canada under the label London Records beginning in 1947.
PolyGram acquired the remains of Decca UK within days of Sir Edward Lewis's death in January 1980. British Decca's pop catalogue was taken over by Polydor Records.
Curved Logo I
Thin tri-centre
 Curved Logo II
Tri-centre
Curved Logo III
Round centre
Boxed logo
Round centre
F 10453 - 1955
to
F 10819 - 1956
F 10825 - 1956
to
F 11149 - 1959
F 11159 - 1959
to
F 12496 - 1966
F 12497 - 1966
to
F 13899 - 1980
Injection moulded
Injection moulded
Retro label
F 13901 - 1981
to
.
FR 13591
Reissue early 1980's
Reissues 1978-1979
Range
Front
Back
Details
No 1
1954
to 
.
Buff paper
Small hole
 Curved top  Inside glued  
 
No 2 a
.
to 
.
Yellow
Small hole
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 2 b
.
to 
apr 1958
Orange
Small hole
   Curved top  Inside glued  
 
No 2 c
.
to 
apr 1958
Pale orange
Small hole
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 3
apr 1958
to 
F 11135 - jun 1959
Large hole
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 4
F 11136 - jun 1959
to
F 11200 - jan 1960
Rectangles added
Buff paper
Front
.
. Ref 19C  Curved top  Inside glued  
No 5
F 11205 - jan 1960
to
F 11270 - oct 1960
Light orange
Front
.
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 6
F 11275 - oct 1960
to
.
Brownish orange
Front
.
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 7
.
to
F 11441 - mar 1962
Brownish orange
Front
.
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 8
F 11442 - mar 1962
to
.
Bright reddish orange
Front
.
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 9
.
to
.
Bright orange
Front
.
. Ref 19B  Curved top  Inside glued  
 
No 10
.
to
.
Orange - higher cut
Front
.
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 11
.
to
F 12536 - nov 1966
Bright orange - higher cut
Front
.
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 12
Export sleeve ?
   Curved top  Inside glued ............................................
No 13
F 12537 - nov 1966
to
F 13035 - 1970
Curved - high top
Front of sleeve:

Vertical both sides:
. Ref 19  Curved top - high top  Inside glued  
 No 14
 1968
to
.
The two waves at the back
Front of sleeve:

Vertical both sides
. Ref 19a  Wavy top  Glued left/right  
 No 15
F 13251 - 1971
Advertising
Marmalade LP
"Songs" (SKL 5111)
   Wavy top  Glued left/right  
No 16
 F 13327 - 1972
to
F 13453 - 1973
The two waves at the front
Front of sleeve:

Vertical on the front,
Horizontal on the back
   Wavy top  Glued bottom/right  
No 17
 F 13454 - 1973
to
F 13591 - 1975
High top
Front of sleeve:

Vertical both sides
   Cut straight - high top  Glued left/right  
No 18
 F 13592 - 1975
to
F 13716 - 1977
Thicker paper
Front of sleeve:

Missing both sides
   Cut straight  Glued left/right  
No 19
F 13717 - 1977
to
.
Highest point at the back
Front of sleeve:

Missing on the front,
Vertical on the back
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 20
.
to
.
Highest point at the back
Front of sleeve:

Vertical both sides
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 21
.
to
F 13899 - 1980
Highest point at the front
Front of sleeve:

Vertical both sides
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
Reissues 1970s
R 1
F 10084
to
.
   Cut straight - high top  Glued left/right  
R 2
.
to
.
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
Reissues 1980s
R 3
.
to
.
Textured finish 
   Cut straight  Inside glued