Domino Records was a United States producer of early phonograph records. The company was originally named Empire Phonograph Corporation, but changed their name to Domino Phonograph Corporation in 1915, [1] apparently before producing any products. The label debuted June 1916. [2] They produced two-sided, 7-inch fine-groove vertical-cut disc records with a light-blue label and dark-blue lettering. [2] [3] [4] Domino advertised their playing time as equal to that of a 10-inch disc. [3] Playing time was actually around two-and-a-half minutes. [2] The discs were marketed by two different companies; out of New York by the W.R. Anderson Company, and out of Dayton, Ohio, by the Thomas Manufacturing Company. [3] Domino Records also made 7-inch pressings for other concerns, including Concert Records, Domestic Records, and Melodograph Records. [3] In February 1917 a 10-inch red disc was introduced by Domino. [2]
The product, consisting of standard material of the day, never achieved popularity with the public. [2] [3] Production and marketing had ceased by the end of 1917, and surviving examples are scarce. [2] [3]
- ^ "Charters Issued". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia. July 10, 1915 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f Hoffman, Frank, ed. (2005). Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound. New York: Routledge. p. 325. ISBN 0-415-93835-X.
- ^ a b c d e f Sutton, Allan; Nauck, Kurt (2000). American Record Labels and Companies - An Encyclopedia (1891-1943). Denver, Colorado: Mainspring Press. p. 65. ISBN 0-9671819-0-9.
- ^ Rust, Brian A. (1984). The American Record Label Book. New York: Da Capo Press. p. 102. ISBN 0-306-76211-0.