EMI label Test Press Records

Most UK record companies (back in the day) had test pressings made of a lot of their releases (singles, EP's & LP's). Think this originally stemmed from the classical music days of the 50's / early 60's when sound quality was of high importance & pressing vinyl copies of records was still quite a new thing. 7" vinyl 45rpm records were introduced by RCA (US) at the end of the 40's and the first 33 rpm vinyl LP's by Columbia (US) around the same time -- actually a few months earlier. It took some time for both formats to really catch on with the American buying public (you needed to also buy a new deck) but once they had (by the mid 50's), there was no going back. Perhaps the slow-ish take up in the US was the reason why UK record companies were much more reluctant to change to the new formats here. EMI's first vinyl records were made in 1952 but the company was still putting out new singles in 78 format as late as 1959. EMI mainly manufactured UK 7" 45's from early 1953. British sales of 45's only overtook those of 78's in 1958, mainly due to R&R / R&B fans much preferring to buy their favourite tracks on 45rpm discs. Around 1959, the likes of EMI phased out 78's, though they had been putting out new releases in both formats for over 5 years. In the period 1953 to 58, some releases are rarer in 78 format, some in 45 format. Till the mid 50's, the management at the likes of EMI were much more into classical recordings and looked down on pop material (this was soon to change as pop 45's began to sell in quantities that really boosted the company's profits).

Anyway, with classical releases originally being the main focus of EMI's management, decent quality pressings that showcased the music to the best possible standard was a top requirement. Hence, test pressing were made from 'stampers' to check for low background noise levels & that there was no skipping. Test press records were made by most UK labels including the likes of Polydor after they set up in the UK (around 1960). Many UK record companies produced regular test presses of their releases, though a lot of these were made with just plain white labels -- the details of the release number (& sometimes artist / song title) being stamped or hand written on. However EMI put actual labels on lots of their test press records. These being for many of the different labels that they put out. Some of their test presses were done as single sided records (I guess they thought the quality of press on a B side wasn't as important). EMI also made (on special occasions) single sided 45's that were given away at the artist's live shows or were handed out as a promotional tool. These 45's would have appropriate text printed on the B side (see pic below).

BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN MYSELF a UK Tamla Motown 45 test press with a label on .... or a proper UK Stateside one. In a past thread on here, there was a post stating ... I have this Temptations British Test Press of TMG 633. It is vinyl and has the raised KT mark on the centre and correct machine stamps on both sides. Would love to see a pic of that 45's label (unless it was just a blank white label). Anyone out there seen or got a Tamla Motown (or Stateside) test press record with a label ?

BTW, I'm not talking about acetate copies of such releases, these do exist in a number of different forms; made by EMI themselves (Emidisc copies) or by other UK based acetate makers.