45-SLEEVES - HOME
Revised 1/11/11

TAMLA
US Labels and Company Sleeves 1959-1986

Labels
MT 54022
100 - jan 1959
ro
102 - feb 1959
T 54024 - aug 1959
to 
T 54044 - july 1961
T 5501 - aug 1959
Any number before 54024
is a PIRATED RECORD like
the example above.
T 54045 - 1961
to
T 54103 - 1964
Berry Gordy got his start as a songwriter for local Detroit acts such as Jackie Wilson and The Matadors. 
In 1959, Billy Davis and Berry Gordy's sisters Gwen and Anna started Anna Records. Davis and Gwen Gordy wanted Berry to be the company president, but Berry wanted to strike out on his own. 
On January 12, 1959, he started Tamla Records, with an $800 loan from his family.
Tamla's numbering system starts with an unusual number (54024), in honor of Berry Gordy's first bit of success. Berry wrote "Reet Petite" for Jackie Wilson, Brunswick 55024 (1957).
No perimeter print
No perimeter print
© 1964 added
Red ® added
Tamla 54045 - 1961
Styrene pressing
T 54060 - apr 1962
Printers mistake
LP logo used for store copy singles
T 54104 - sep 1964
to
T 54131 - apr 1966
T 54132 - apr 1966
to
T 54138 - jul 1966
Because Motown used so many different pressing plants (and printers) across the country, it appears as if a "standard" for the "Globes" logo has never been set. Maroon, to brown, to red and silvery in the record circle and silver to gold, to light greenish, in the globes circle. Also the TAMLA name varies and the address line comes and goes. These variations last until the last "Globes" label in 1968 - T 54176.
® changes to TM
Change to black ®
A Trademark of Motown
No perimeter print
T 54139 - oct 1966
to
.
T 54168 - jun 1968
to
T 54176 - nov 1968
See text below
T 54139 - 1966
to
T 54333 - 1981
See text below
T 54200 - 1970
to
.
The "Box" logo first appeared with release 54139. For the next two years up to release 54176 (1968)
any record can come with either this label or the older "Globes" label.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The "Box" logo can range with either a dark ochre backround up to a very light tan. Also they can come in either brown or black typeface. These variations is all through the run to the very end in 1986.
Black print
Red print
A product of Motown
A product of Motown
T 54260 - 1975
T 54274 - 1976
T 54323 - 1980
1612 - 1982
to
1832 - 1985
Shift to Motown 1600 series
MCA distribution
1836 - march 1986
to
1868 - oct 1986
Label discontinued
...
Sleeves
Range
Front
Back
Details
No 1a
1960
to 
.
Greyish black paper
. Ref 144  Curved top  Inside glued  
No 1b
.
to 
1964
Reddish black paper
 Curved top  Inside glued  
Several hundred sleeves of No 1 have been examined. All of them are produced the same way.
The color of the paper spans from greyish black to reddish black. The two sleeves above show the polar opposites.
No 2
1964
to
1967
2648 W. Grand Blvd.
Detroit, Michigan
. Ref 124 .Cut straight  Inside glued  
In the period 1967 to 1972 all Motown distributed labels were delivered
in the same type of  sleeves - "The Sound of Young America"
Continue to Motown
..
Contact for corrections
...
Label research by John Villanova, New York with help from Steve Kolanjian, New York.
...
Thanks to Middle-Earth Records for scans in this section
...
Thanks to Jim Ronat, Highland, Illinois for scans in this section
......
  Repro sleeves available from Big Boppa Records
....
45 Discography for Tamla Records from Global Dog Productions
.....