COLUMBIA US Labels and Company Sleeves 1949-2001
No Columbia logo
Columbia logo
No Columbia logo
Columbia logo
4 38982 - 1950
to
4 39886 - 1952
4 39909 - 1953
to
4 40981 - 1957
4 20739 - 1951
to
4 20997 - 1952
4 21284 - 1953
to
.
The Columbia Phonograph Company was originally the local company run by Edward Easton, distributing and selling Edison phonographs and phonograph cylinders in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware. The company derives its name from the District of Columbia, which was its headquarters. Columbia produced many commercial cylinder recordings of its own, and its catalogue of musical records in 1891 was 10 pages long. In late 1923, Columbia was bought by their English subsidiary, the Columbia Graphophone Company.
In 1931, the British Columbia Graphophone Company merged with the Gramophone Company to form Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. (EMI). In 1938, the Columbia label in the USA, was bought by William S. Paley of the Columbia Broadcasting System for $750,000. The Columbia trademark from this point until the late 1950s was two overlapping circles with the Magic Notes in the left circle and a CBS microphone in the right circle.
4 20337 - 1950
Push out centre
4 21033 - 1952
Sacred series
4 4500 series
1949
Childrens series
1950
Junior series
1950's
Starline series
1957-1959
4 40983 - 1957
to
4 41328 - 1959
4 41337 - 1959
to
4 42478 - jun 1962
4 42479 - jun 1962
to
4 43091 - sep 1964
4 42865 - 1964
Occasionally
1963-1964 Artist/Color Labels and their sleeves
Separate page
 
 
Alternate label 1
Alternate label 2
4 43092 - sep 1964
to
4 45350 - 1970
4 43053 - 1970
to
4 45590 - 1972
Jul 1969
to
Mid 1970
Sporadically
Mid 1970
Briefly
All the Alternate label issues were also issued on the Standard Red label.
The Alternate labels always used the Orange sleeve (No. 24).
The Red label never used the Orange sleeve.
4 45594 - 1972
to
Early 1973
Early 1973
to
1984
1984
to
1998
2001
to
.
B 7493
EP
B 2156
EP
OBS 80761
Stereo Fidelity EP
One Sided Single
At the end of 1982 CBS decided that they might sell more singles if they dropped the B-side and sold them at a lesser price! A novel idea, but the stores really didn't like the fact that different singles would have different prices. Also the Music Publishing firms were up in arms about this, which meant less royalties for their songwriters (B-sides same royalties as the A-side). One Side Singles were quietly dropped by Spring 1983.
Range
Front
Back
Details
No 1 a
.
to
.
Wide notch
Text starts under "NON"
Black inside print:
Cohees Envelope Company Inc. - SLEEVELOPE - Cohoes, N.Y.
 Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 1 b
.
to
.
Wide notch
Text starts under "NON"
Maroon inside print:
Cohees Envelope Company Inc. - SLEEVELOPE - Cohoes, N.Y.
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 2
.
to
.
Wide notch
Text starts under "NON"
Inside print:
SLEEVELOPE
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 3 a
.
to
.
Wide notch
Text starts under "NON"
No inside print
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 3 b
.
to
.
Wide notch
Larger hole
Text starts under "NON"
No inside print
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 4
.
to
.
Small notch
Text starts under "NON"
Wide top band
 Cut straight/notch  Inside glued
No 5 a
.
to
.
Small notch
Text starts under "AKA"
Bottom white band
18.5 mm
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 5 b
.
to
.
Small notch
Text starts under "AKA"
Bottom white band
20 mm
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 5 c
.
to
.
Small notch
Text starts under "AKA"
Bottom white band
21 mm
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 5 d
.
to
.
Small notch
Text starts under "AKA"
Bottom white band
22 mm
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 6
.
to
.
Text starts under "KAB"
Special centre cut
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 7 a
.
to
.
Text starts under "KAB"
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 7 b
.
to
.
Text starts under "KAB"
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 7 c
.
to
.
Text starts under "KAB"
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 7 d
.
to
.
Text starts under "KAB"
Large Hole
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 7 e
.
to
.
Text starts under "KAB"
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 7 f
.
to
.
White bands
Larger hole
Text starts under "KAB"
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 8 a
.
to
.
Text starts under "EAK"
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 8 b
.
to
.
Text starts under "EAK"
Green print
goes to the end of flaps
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 8 c
.
to
.
Text starts under "EAK"
Green print does not
go to the end of flaps
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 9
.
to
.

33 1/3 Lp-sleeve overprinted
Small logo
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/left  

 
No 10
.
to
.

33 1/3 Lp-sleeve overprinted
Larger logo
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 a
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is left of Columbia box corner
101 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
. Ref 113D  Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 b
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is almost flush with Columbia box corner
102 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 c
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is flush with Columbia box corner
102 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 d
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is right of Columbia box corner
101 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 e
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is far right of Columbia box corner
102 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 f
.
to
.
Small notch
5 is almost flush with Columbia box corner
96 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 g
.
to
.
Back bar 60 degree angle
Small notch
5 is almost flush with Columbia box corner
96 mm text
Corner of flaps curved
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 h
.
to
.
104 mm text
Bottoms of flaps are cut at a 45 degree angle
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 11 i
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is left of Columbia box corner
102 mm text
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 11 j
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is almost flush with Columbia box corner
104 mm text
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 11 k
.
to
.
Wide notch
5 is flush with Columbia box corner
104 mm text
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 11 l
.
to
mid 1954
 
Red diagonal on the back is at a 45 degree angle
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 12 a
mid 1954
to
.
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-310 to B-399
Bottom text on back
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 12 b
.
to
late 1954
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-310 to B-399
No bottom text on back
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 13 a
late 1954
to
.
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-345 to B-442
   Cut straight  Glued bottom/right  
No 13 b
.
to
early 1955
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-345 to B-442
   Cut straight  Inside glued   
No 14 a
early 1955
to
.
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-328 to B-468
 
  Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 14 b
.
to
mid 1955
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-328 to B-468
 Slightly curved top  Inside glued   
No 15 a
mid 1955
to
.
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-198 to B-478
Narrow spacing
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 15 b
.
to
late 1955
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-198 to B-478
Wide spacing
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 16
late 1955
to
.
Lists 45 RPM albums
 B-189 to B-510
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 17
.
to 
.
No detachable corner
. Ref 113A  Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 18
.
to
.
Detachable corner
 Cut straight/notch  Inside glued
No 19
.
to 
.
No detachable corner
   Slightly curved top  Inside glued   
No 20 a
.
to
.
Detachable corner
   Cut straight  Inside glued   
No 20 b
.
to
.
Detachable corner
   Cut straight  Inside glued   
No 21
.
to
4-40981 - 1957
Detachable corner
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 22
4-40983 - 1957
to
.
No border
Intense black
Long text
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 23
.
to
.
No border
Black
Short text
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 24
.
to
.
Border
Short text
 
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 25
. 
to
.
Front: One line
Back: One line
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 26
. 
to
.
Front: One line
Back: Two lines
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 27
. 
to
1959
No border
Both sides
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 28
4-41337 - 1959
to
.
No border
Back only
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 29
.
to
.
Small border
Both sides
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 30
.
to
.
Small border
Both sides
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 31
.
to
1960
Wide border
Back only
 
. Ref 113  Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 32 a
1960
to
.
Brown print
Back only
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 32 b
.
to
4-42478 - jun 1962
Light brown print
Back only
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued  
No 33 a
4-42479 - jun 1962
to
.
   Cut straight/notch  Inside glued   
No 33 b
.
to
.
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 33 c
.
to
4-43091 - sep 1964
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 34
4-43092 - sep 1964
to
.
Text right side
No top text
128 mm between logos
. Ref 113B  Curved top  Inside glued  
No 35
.
to
.
Text right side
No top text
126 mm between logos
   Curved top - "hill curve"  Inside glued  
No 36
.
to
Late 1968
Text left side
No top text
126 mm between logos
   Curved top - "hill curve"  Inside glued  
No 37
Late 1968
to
.
Short text left side
Top text
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 38
.
to
.
Long text left side
Top text
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 39 a
.
to
April 1969
Three lines of text
right side
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 39 b
.
to
April 1969
Three lines of text
right side
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 40 a
April 1969
to
.
Toned paper
Very dark brown print
Address on the front
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 40 b
.
to
.
Toned paper
Brown print
Address on the front
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 41
.
to
.
Toned paper
Brown print
Address on the back
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 42
.
to
.
Toned paper
Brown print
Address on the back
   Curved top  Inside glued   
No 43
.
to
.
Toned paper
All printing has thinner lines
Address on the front
   Curved top  Inside glued   
No 44
.
to
Early 1973
White paper
Grey
Address on the front
   Curved top  Inside glued  
The Orange sleeve with DJ-labels
No 45 a
Jul 1969
to
.
Both sides
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 45 b
.
to
.
Thick paper
Both sides
   Curved top  Inside glued  
No 46
.
to
Early 1972
Both sides
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 47
1973
to
.
Front: 166 mm
Back: 157 mm
Text: 92 mm
 Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 48
.
to
.
Front: 166 mm
Back: 157 mm
Text: 93 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 49
.
to
.
Front: 168 mm
Back: 158 mm
Text: 94 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 50
.
to
.
Front: 164 mm
Back: 155 mm
Text: 94 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 51
.
to
.
Front: 168 mm
Back: 159 mm
Text: 95 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 52
.
to
.
Frot: 166 mm
Back: 157 mm
Text: 111 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 53
.
to
.
Both sides: 156 mm
Text: 117 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 54
.
to
.
Both sides: 144.5 mm
Space between Columbia and text is 126 mm
Text: 117 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 55
.
to
.
Both sides: 144 mm
Space between Columbia and text is 127 mm
Text: 117 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 56
.
to
.
Both sides: 145.5 mm
Space between Columbia and text is 129 mm
Text: 117 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 57
.
to
.
Both sides: 145 mm
Space between Columbia and text is 129.5 mm
Text: 117 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 58
.
to
.
Both sides: 145.5 mm
Space between Columbia and text is 129.5 mm long
Text: 117 mm
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 59
Columbia Disco Series
1976
© 1976 CBS Inc.
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 60
2001
to
.
   Cut straight  Inside glued (!)  
S 1
One Side Singles
1982-1983

   Curved top  Inside glued  
EP 1
Stereo Fidelity EP
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
Sleeves for DJ records
D 1
1957
to
.
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
D 2
1960s ?
   Cut straight  Inside glued