45-SLEEVES - HOME
Revised 1/5/14

CAPITOL
UK Labels and Company Sleeves 1953-1983

Labels
Decca distribution
Thick tri-centre
Decca distribution
Thick tri-centre
Decca distribution
Thin tri-centre
Decca distribution
Thin tri-centre
CL 13985 - oct 1953
to
CL 14169 - oct 1954
CL 14185 - nov 1954
to
CL 14264 - 1955
CL 14261 - 1955
to
 CL 14380 - 1955
Jump to 14500
CL 14265 - 1955
The Capitol Records Company was founded by songwriter Johnny Mercer in 1942, with the financial help of fellow songwriter and movie producer Buddy DeSylva and the business acumen of Glenn Wallichs (1910–1971), owner of Music City, at the time the biggest record store in Los Angeles, California. 
On July 1, 1942, Capitol Records released its first nine records (101-109). 
By 1946, Capitol had sold 42 million records and was established as one of the "Big Six" record labels. 
The Capitol Records Tower is one of the most distinctive landmarks in Hollywood, California. 
UK distribution was by EMI, except from the first eight years of the label's existence in Britain (1948-55), when it was handled by Decca. 
EMI distribution
Small logo
EMI distribution
Large logo
EMI distribution
"Jigsaw" centre
CL 14500 - 1956
to
 CL 14551 - 1956
CL 14573 - 1956
to
 CL 15331 - 1963
CL 14635 - 1957
Text in centre
Text in centre
CL 15332 - 1964
to
 CL 15378 - 1965
CL 15384 - 1965
to
CL 15664 - 1970
CL 15665 - 1970
to
 CL 15755 - 1973
CL 15765 - 1973
to
 CL 15973 - 1978
Occasionally
CL 15977 - 1978
CL 201 - 1981
to
CL 16184 - 1981
CL 214 - 1981
CL 225 - 1981
to
 CL 316 - 1983
....
Sleeves
Range
Front
Back
Details
Manufactured and distributed by Decca Records
No 1 a
CL 13985 - 1953
to
.
 Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 1 b
.
to
CL 14380 - 1955
   Cut straight  Inside glued  CL 14263 - 1955
 Manufactured and distributed by Electric and Musical Industiries Limited (EMI)
No 2
CL 14500 - 1956
to
.
Rectangles both sides
.
Small "Made and printed..".
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 3
.
to
.
Rectangles both sides
.
Small "Made and printed..".
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 4
.
to
.
Rectangles right side only
.
Small "Made and printed..".
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 5
.
to
.
Rectangles right side only
.
Extra small
"Made and printed..".
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 6
.
to
CL 14904 - 1958
Rectangles right side only
.
Large "Made and printed..".
.  Scans from repro sleeve    
No 7
CL 14910 - aug 1958
to 
.
 
Green
.  Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 8
.
to 
CL 15290 - 1963
Light green
Lighter paper
   Cut straight  Inside glued  CL 15270 - 1962
No 9
CL 15291 - 1963
to
.
Use EMITEX
6'- to 50' tokens
Printing error
"Instruments"
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 10
.
to
.
Use EMITEX
6'- to 50' tokens
Printing error corrected
"Industries"
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 11
.
to
1964
Use EMITEX
6'- to 50' tokens
Printing error corrected
"Industries"
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
1964 - EMI logo added
No 12
 1964
to
1965
Use the new EMITEX
6'- to 50' tokens
.  Wavy top  Glued left/right  
No 13
1965
to
1965
6' to 50' tokens
   Wavy top  Glued left/right  
No 14
1966
to
1967
 
7'3 to 50' tokens
   Wavy top  Glued left/right  
No 15
1967
to
CL 15528 - 1968
7'3 to 50' tokens
  Wavy top  Glued bottom/right  
No 16
CL 15551 - 1968
to
6
Albums, all issued in 1967
   Wavy top  Glued bottom/right  
No 17
1968
to
1968
Albums issued in
 1966 to 1968 (T 2919)
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 18
1968
to
CL 15664 - 1970
Albums issued in
 1968 and 1969 (T 21194)
.  Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 19
CL 15665 - 1970
to
CL 15755 - 1973
..
 .New logo
Quicksilver LP from 1969
 upper left
.  Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 20
CL 15765 - 1973
to
CL 15973 - 1978
 
. Ref 73  Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 21
1978
to
1983
   Cut straight/notch  Glued bottom/right  
No 22
1978
to
1980
Used for the 7'' versions of the "Capitol Tower"
12'' singles
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 23
1983
to
.
© 1983
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
...
Contact for corrections
....
Thanks to Alan White, Doncaster, England for scans in this section
....
Thanks to Tony Dowsett, England for scans in this section
....
Thanks to Bill Williams, England for scans in this section
...
Thanks to Jim Barnes - Top 40 Research - Australia  for scans in this section
....
  Repro sleeves available from Big Boppa Records
.....
45 Discography for Capitol Records from Global Dog Productions
.....