Can anyone point me at some info regarding King Records 45s please? ie the periods that the various different label designs were used?

Thanks

ok found what I need. KING

I have a pretty good idea, I could dig out & photograph examples to be really clear, unless someone jumps in & saves me the effort is there a specific design which is troubling you? there are a few which reappear on different label designs which can get confusing.

There's an error on there though, Godz.

Those orange 'First Edition' labels are not reissues. They are, in fact, what they say they are on the label - first editions, in limited runs (can't tell you how many 'limted' is unfortunatley) before the subsequent regular silver-print-on-blue background copies.

I think King only did them for a short while, and for some of the bigger artists - I have a couple of James Brown's (including the one shown on that site) and one Little Willie John but I'm sure they are not the sum total of 'first editions' on the label.

If anyone has any others can they let me know?

awesome, saves me the trouble, roughly looks about right at first glance.

I met & spoke to a dealer in the south of the US who bootlegged King 45s back in the late 70s/early 80s. He told me that he had them stamped First Edition especially for his boots, which were of a few of the rarer early R&B titles, he did them primarily for doo wop/50s collectors. The boxes he had left were on a mix of white, yellow & orange labels, the First Edition on the white labels was in red print, the others were all black, they were very well done boots. I didn't buy any to photograph sorry.

also, he said that he thinks he had chosen some bad titles because they didn't sell as well as he'd hoped at the time, i was cheeky & asked him why he'd needed to bootleg at least the JB 45s in the first place because they weren't exactly uncommon even these days (this was maybe 5 years ago), he laughed. It was a bit weird.

I think King only did them for a short while, and for some of the bigger artists - I have a couple of James Brown's (including the one shown on that site) and one Little Willie John but I'm sure they are not the sum total of 'first editions' on the label.

If anyone has any others can they let me know?

Hi Tony,

I've also got an orange (obviously non-soul) Stanley Brothers 45:

wow, so orange First Editions are legit. i've never bothered to look for them, will have to keep an eye out.

is there a specific design which is troubling you? there are a few which reappear on different label designs which can get confusing.

To be honest it was more of a general query - although I was wondering about the dates of the cream coloured Starday/King 45s with the drawing of a 'King" character on the right. Typically (for this site) however, I ended up learning some stuff that I didn't expect to, so thanks indeed chaps

Edited February 5, 201114 yr by Godzilla

For the record, the three I have are:

James Brown - Mashed Potatoes USA

James Brown - Night Train

Little Willie John - Big Blue Diamonds

...to futher reinforce their 'authenticity', all are pressed from the same stampers as their blue-and-silever regular issues are.

Stanley Brothers - very nice!

Edited February 8, 201114 yr by TONY ROUNCE

Check this one out godz.