45-SLEEVES - HOME
Revised 15/4/11

CHESS
US Labels and Company Sleeves 1950-1975

Labels
1425 - 1950
to
1670 - 1957
1604 - 1955
Dark blue
1610 - 1955
Blue
No perimeter print
1616 - 1955
Pale blue
No perimeter print
Chess Records was founded in 1950 by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, Polish born immigrants.
In October 1969, Leonard Chess died, stilling the heart and soul of Chess Records. 
Earlier that year, he and Phil had sold the label to General Recorded Tape (GRT) for $6.5 million. 
Chess quickly began to erode and In 1975, GRT closed down the label,
selling it to All Platinum Records of Englewood, New Jersey. 
1671 - 1957
to
1798 - 1961
Occasionally to 1840 - 1963
1799 - 1961
to
1950 -1966
Occasionally
1799 - 1961
to
1950 1966
Occasionally
Chess Producing Corp.
Chicago 16
Chess Producing Corp.
Chicago, IL 60616
A GRT Record Group Co.
Div. of GRT Corp.
Manufactured by
GRT Corporation
1841 - 1963
to
1950 1966
1951 - 1966
to
CH 2116 - 1971
CH 2118 - 1971 
to
CH 2172 - 1975
CH 2171 - 1975
Mfg. by Chess Records
A GRT Record Group
 division of All Platinum
Record Group
A division of All Platinum
Record Group
A division of
Sugar Hill Records Ltd.
Reissues 
by GRT Record Group
Reissues 
by All Platinum Records
Reissues 
by All Platinum Records
1975-1977
Reissues 
by 
Sugar Hill Records
Mfd. by
MCA Records Inc.
Reissues 
by 
MCA Records 1984
.......
Sleeves
Range
Front
Back
Details
No 1
1841 - 1963
to
1965
 Curved  top   Inside  glued   
No 2
1965
to
.

. Ref 110  Curved  top  Inside  glued   
No 3
.
to
1967

   Cut notch/high top  Inside glued  
No 4
1967
to
1971

   Curved top  Inside glued  
Reissues
R 1
Reissues
by GRT Records
1301 Avenue of  the Americas, N.Y., N.Y. 10019 
   Curved top  Inside glued  
R 2
Reissues
by Sugar Hill Records
96 West Street, Englewood, N.J. 07631
   Curved top  Glued left/right  
...
Contact for corrections : erlmehl@online.no
........
Thanks to Middle-Earth Records for scans in this section
....
Thanks to Jim Ronat, Highland, Illinois for scans in this section
...
Thanks to Johan Alberda, Berlin, Germany 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 Chess Records from Global Dog Productions
.....