His Master's Voice had been releasing 78s on the Columbia label in New Zealand since 1948. In 1956 it started issuing singles on the seven inch vinyl 45rpm format.
Columbia: 1956-63
Between 1956 and 1963 Columbia issued three different sleeves. I am unsure of the exact introduction and retirement dates of these sleeves. However, based on how Columbia released their sleeve designs in Australia and the UK, an idea of when each sleeve was in use can be made:
The first Columbia sleeve in New Zealand may have been this green sleeve design. It may have been in use from 1956 until mid-1958.
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| First Columbia sleeve, 1956-58? |
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| Some prints of the first Columbia sleeve would feature a flipback. |
The second Columbia sleeve may have been this design, which had a dark pink colour with Columbia's phrase "The Finest Name on Record" printed. This may have been in use between mid-1958 until early 1962.
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| Second Columbia sleeve, 1958-62? |
The third Columbia sleeve, which featured coloured stripes and a HMV "Here are some outstanding LPs..." promotion on its rear, was a shortlived sleeve judging from how scarce they are. It would've likely been used as the pushout centre was being phased out of Columbia singles between 1962 until early 1963.
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| Front of third Columbia sleeve, 1962 (and possibly early 1963) |
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| Rear of third Columbia sleeve. |
Alternatively, this His Master's Voice company sleeve may have also been in use throughout this time (1956-59).
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| Alternative Sleeve 1956-1959 |
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| Label 1956-57 Label 1957-59 |
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| Label 1958 Label 1958-59 |
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| Label 1959-63 |
Columbia: 1963-75
In the start of 1963, Columbia began distributing the blue sleeve, its fourth company sleeve. It seems to have been used up until 1975. If you can shed light on this please leave a comment.
The blue sleeve had six different versions, which can be identified by what was printed on the rear. The first and more common version of this sleeve has the same print on both sides. This first version may have been used throughout the 12 years the blue sleeve was in use. The blue sleeve may have coincided with Columbia beginning to print their records with non-pushout centres (which Columbia phased out by 1963).
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Blue Columbia sleeve, 1963-75?
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The sleeve pictured above was printed with the same design featured on both sides. The blue sleeve was also printed with ads on the back. The earliest printed ads on the back of blue Columbia sleeves featured the His Master's Voice "Here are some outstanding LPs..." promotion seen with the last sleeve. This is the second version of the blue Columbia sleeve, and was likely in use between late 1962 until 1964 (or early 1965).
The earliest sleeve back is the His Master's Voice ad sleeve. Roses Are Red by Bobby Vinton, and Tops With Me by Helen Shapiro are both LPs released in 1962.
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| Rear of second Columbia sleeve, 1962-64? |
Between 1964 and 1966, blue Columbia sleeves would've featured ads selling portable record players. This ad featured on the back of many His Master's Voice (NZ) Ltd distributed labels such as Parlophone, Capitol and Liberty (before it got distributed by Festival Records). This would be the third version of the blue Columbia sleeve.
I am unsure of the exact dates this sleeves was used, so 1964 and 1966 are estimates. The prices in the ads are in Pounds, Shillings and Pence so it is before July 1967 when the decimal currency was introduced in New Zealand. It was issued in different colours.
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Red variant of third Columbia sleeve, 1964-66.
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| Black variant of the same sleeve. |
Possibly around the same time, blue Columbia sleeves were also printed with ads selling portable radios. Again, the prices are in Pounds, Shillings and Pence so it is before July 1967. This is the fourth version of the blue Columbia sleeve. It was also printed in different colours. Whichever came first between this or the portable turntables ad, I am unsure.
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| Black variant of fourth Columbia sleeve, likely 1964-66. |
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| Red variant of the same sleeve. |
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Between July 1967 until (possibly) early 1969, Columbia and other HMV NZ-distributed labels had company sleeves with a printed ad featuring the Air New Zealand "Young Internationals" promotion. As the price is in dollars, this would've been after decimalisation in July 1967. This is the fifth blue Columbia sleeve.
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| Rear of fifth blue Columbia sleeve, mid-1967 to early 1969. |
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It is likely that in 1969, blue Columbia sleeves were being printed with the BOAC Mini-Fares ad on its backs. This would be the sixth and final blue Columbia sleeve. This followed other HMV NZ-distributed labels such as Parlophone, Capitol and Apple (whose first sleeves featured this ad when it came to distribution in NZ back in 1969). I am unsure when this ended.
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| Rear of sixth and final blue Columbia sleeve, 1969-197? |
Purple Sleeve
After 1970 most Columbia singles were still being issued in the above standard
blue Columbia sleeve but increasingly they were using the EMI purple company sleeve.
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| Alternative Sleeve, 1970-75 |
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| Sleeve Back 1970-72 Sleeve Back 1972-75 |
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Label 1963-65 Label 1965-67
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Label 1967-73 Label 1973-75
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EMI stopped issuing singles on the Columbia Records New Zealand in 1975.
Between 1978 and 1980 EMI reissued several early 1960's Columbia Singles on the later black Columbia label they were issued in the blue EMI company sleeve. The serial numbers started with BRIT not DNZ.
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