1959 Phillips Microgroove UK
Phillips 1967 UK
Phillips runout: Type-faced machine stamp matrix codes
Matrix codes on Philips deadwax indicate country of origin, codes as follows:
- Austria – 720;
- Australia – 150;
- Belgium – 170;
- Brazil – 200;
- Canada – 230;
- Denmark – 300;
- Far East – 022;
- France – 380;
- Germany – 320;
- Great Britain – 420;
- Hungary – 450;
- Italy – 520;
- Luxembourg – 630;
- Norway – 710;
- Netherlands – 670;
- Portugal – 790;
- South Africa – 960;
- Spain – 850;
- Sweden – 970;
- Switzerland – 980;
- Rest of the World 000.
“The legend is invariably typefaced. The basic matrix number is at twelve o’clock: consisting of the catalogue number followed closely by a ‘1F’ (for an ‘A’ side) or a ‘2F’ (for a ‘B’ side). Then two forward slashes, a single number (usually a ‘1’ or a ‘2’), an inverted triangle and finally the country code as above”
(adapted from Matrix Numbers Website)
In addition to their own record labels, such as Fontana, Philips also pressed for some other labels, including some Riverside, (whose UK releases show either the Philips legend at 12 o’clock, or the Decca legend at 6 o’clock)
Philips UK pressing plant was located in Chingford on the outer north east London periphery served by London Underground’s Central Line.
(Best enjoyed with it’s spoof train stations)
Do you have a particular album in mind? I have Mingus Dynasty on Dutch Philips in stereo, the qualité is excellent, as good as the Columbia originals. Some albums were issued in mono only, in the U.K. and in the Netherlands, like Mingus Ah Hûm.
John Coltrane’s Impressions but its weird because its was pressed in 1963, the year of the Release yet it doesn’t have a Van Gelder stamp. Thanks
To the best of my knowledge Trané’s Impressions an Impulse album, was never issued on Philips.
anyone have any insight on quality of the black label Philips hifi Stereo dutch pressings? I;m guessing the UK is better?