Oxford Records
Oxford Records was a record label active in the United States of America from roughly 1906 until 1916. The label was produced for Sears by several labels, including Columbia and Albany Indestructible Cylinders for cylinders and Leeds & Catlin, Zon-O-Phone, and Columbia for discs. No recording activity was undertaken by Sears. All discs were single-sided.<ref name=sutton>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Sutton-SRCRL-MP>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
HistoryEdit
In 1906, Sears introduced the Oxford disc to replace the earlier Harvard brand.<ref name=sutton /> These discs in the 11000 and 16000 series, were produced by Leeds & Catlin.<ref name=sutton /> The 1908 Sears catalog introduced 7-inch discs listed at 21 cents that were pressed by Columbia and numbered in the 7000 series.<ref name=sutton /> In 1909 10-inch discs from Zonophone, retailing at 30 cents, were introduced.<ref name=sutton /> Fall 1911 saw Sears return to Columbia for pressings.<ref name=osr>Template:Cite book</ref> These later discs are the most commonly found.<ref name=sutton /> The brand was phased out in 1916 for the new Silvertone brand,<ref name=sutton /> although records with the Oxford label were still being shipped in late 1917.<ref name=osr /> Recordings appearing on the Oxford label could be recorded anywhere from 1901 to 1916.<ref name=odpox1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The take number is important to dating the recording, particularly for Columbia pressings. Cal Stewart's "I'm Old But I'm Awfully Tough" (Oxford 22)<ref name=odpox1 /> first appeared on Columbia in 1901, but the issued take number of was probably recorded much later.<ref name=osr />
RepertoireEdit
Oxford discs contain the same material as released by the producing company. For the most part the titles released were popular items that were deemed likely to sell over a long period of time. A few sides from Columbia's ethnic matrix series were also released.<ref name=odpox5000>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Artists are usually generic (i.e. "band", "banjo solo" "baritone") for the earlier pressings. These were the studio ensembles of the recording company and musicians commonly used by all record companies of the time such as Vess Ossman and Arthur Collins.<ref name=odpox1 /> Later Columbia pressings often gave artist credit when such artist was not under exclusive contract to Columbia at the time.
Notable artists appearing on OxfordEdit
- Irving Berlin<ref name=odpox3000>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Henry Burr<ref name=odpox1 />
- Arthur Collins<ref name=odpox1 />
- Collins & Harlan<ref name=odpox1000>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Edward M. Favor<ref name=odpox5000 />
- George J. Gaskin<ref name=odpox1 />
- Byron G. Harlan<ref name=odpox1 />
- Ada Jones<ref name=odpox1000 />
- Bohumir Kryl<ref name=odpox1 />
- Harry Macdonough<ref name=odpox1000 />
- Billy Murray<ref name=odpox1 />
- Vess Ossman<ref name=odpox1 />
- Charles A. Prince<ref name=odpox3000 />
- Peerless Quartet<ref name=odpox1 />
- Steve Porter<ref name=odpox1 />
- Len Spencer<ref name=odpox1 />
- Frank C. Stanley<ref name=odpox1000 />
- Cal Stewart<ref name=odpox1 />
- Walter Van Brunt<ref name=odpox3000 />
- Bert Williams<ref name=odpox3000 />