GUIDE TO THE

MUSICRAFT RECORDS, INC. RECORDS 1937-1960

MC 21

9.25 cubic ft. (10 boxes)

by Erika Gorder Archivist 1998

Institute Of Jazz Studies Rutgers University Libraries Dana Library Newark, NJ 07102

GUIDE TO THE MUSICRAFT RECORDS INC. RECORDS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.

Historical Overview

3-4

II.

Provenance Note

5

III

Scope and Content Note

5-6

IV.

Series Descriptions

7-11

V.

Container List

12-23

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HISTORICAL OVERVIEW Musicraft Records was founded in New York in 1937 as part of the Jefferson Travis Radio Corporation. The company initially recorded classical music and earned a good reputation for quality releases in its first four years. During and after the Second World War, Musicraft began recording popular music. Jazz became an important element of their catalog after Albert Marx joined the company as artistic director in 1944 and as a result of the purchase of Guild Records in 1946. Among the many musicians who recorded new material for Musicraft were Teddy Wilson, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Georgie Auld, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sarah Vaughan 1 By 1949, Musicraft had recorded more than a thousand items, most of which were jazz. However, late in 1948, Musicraft filed for bankruptcy, its catalog was leased to MGM Records, which owned it well into the 1950s. 2 In the 1970s the label was revived by Albert Marx, then president of the renewed Trend and Discovery labels in Los Angeles. Musicraft Records Inc. was a subsidiary of the Jefferson Travis Radio Corporation (later Musicraft Recording Corporation.) Indeed, the historical records bear out the existence of Jefferson Travis in 1937 but not Musicraft Records until 1942. Nonetheless, the company finally emerged as Musicraft Records, Inc. in 1947 with a fully developed vertical organizational structure. Various companies absorbed by Musicraft/Jefferson-Travis since 1937, with many sharing similar Boards of Directors, included: Union Aircraft Co., the Fonda Corporation, Musicraft Distributing Corporation (originally Hilton Distributing Corp.), Musicraft Manufacturing Company, Abbey Music, Century Distributors, Emcee Music, Olympic Record Corporation, and Guild Records.

INDIVIDUAL COMPANY HISTORIES •

Musicraft Records, Inc.: Began recording in 1936 but its official organization was not until 1937; incorporated (NY) August 10, 1942; A subsidiary of Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation (which became Musicraft Recording Corp.); Planning of intercompany consolidation began March 19, 1947 for Musicraft Recording Corp (formerly Jefferson-Travis Corp.) and its subsidiary Musicraft Records, Inc. resulting in Musicraft Records, Inc.’s emergence as the parent company. The consolidation of May 1947 included the big four: Musicraft Records, Inc., Musicraft Recording Corp., Musicraft Manufacturing, and Musicraft Distributors. Common personnel links, throughout, were directors Edgar Ellinger, Irving Felt, and Paul Puner.

•

Jefferson Travis Radio Manufacturing Corp /Jefferson Travis Corporation: (Incorporated 1937) The business originally consisted of the design, engineering, and production of two-way radio communications and continuous sound recording-playback machines through the medium of acetate in cellophane tape; Jefferson Travis entered into a contract with Fonda Corporation (est. 1939) in February 1941; merger with Fonda Corp. in April 30, 1945 to become the Jefferson Travis Corporation; November 1945--acquired stock of Musicraft Corporation; December 1945 acquired stock of Union Aircraft Products Corp. (which manufactured aircraft fittings and junction boxes); January 16, 1946-- acquired Guild Records Inc. from American Glossite as a wholly-owned subsidiary devoted to manufacture and pressing of phonograph records for “another of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of the parent company” (possibly Musicraft Records); June 1946--acquired all stock of Musicraft Distributors, Inc.; October 22, 1946--all assets of JTC Radio Communications Division sold to Emerson Radio Phonograph Corporation including use of JT name with the exception of the tape recorder hence the name Jefferson Travis Corporation was changed to Musicraft Recording Corporation which had thus disassociated itself from radio communication equipment business; December 1946-- Union Aircraft Products no longer affiliated with Musicraft Recording Corp.; May 28, 1947--Merger with Musicraft Records Inc.; February 26, 1947--Guild machinery and equipment of sold and as of 1948 was an inactive wholly-owned subsidiary of corp.

1 2

Vaughn had a three year contract from 1946. The full effects of the bankruptcy would not become apparent until 1949: Pickwick International later acquired the catalog after MGM.

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•

Musicraft Distributing Corporation: (Incorporated April 20, 1946) Originally founded as Hilton Distribution Corporation in February 15, 1946 for the purpose of buying “Gwirtz Franchises” for the sale and distribution of Musicraft Records. Acquired by JTC in June 1946.

•

Musicraft Manufacturing Corporation: A wholly-owned subsidiary of Musicraft Corporation (Musicraft Records) which operated the Ossing, N.Y. pressing plant. Musicraft Manufacturing (of NY) stock was held by Century Distributors.

•

Abbey Music Corporation: Established September 1945 as subsidiary of Musicraft for the purpose of music publishing, but having no assets and conducting no business, was dissolved in May 1946.

•

Century Distributors, Inc.: Founded in September 1944 and consolidated with Musicraft in December 1945; Albert Marx becomes associated with Musicraft through Century (in which he was involved since 1944).

•

Fonda Corporation: Founded in Delaware in July 21, 1939 by Jay Fonda, the company produced and designed radio and sound recording equipment. In particular, it outfitted the U.S. military with radio equipment during the Second World War and developed a sound recording machine for the peacetime market. This “tape recorder” was one of the earliest prototypes for tape recording. After initial contracting in 1941, Fonda entered into contracts with Jefferson Travis in January 1943 for coordinated production of radio equipment for Union Aircraft. It was eventually acquired as a wholly owned subsidiary of Jefferson Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation in April 1945.

•

Guild Records: Prior to its incorporation in Connecticut in 1945, operated as part of the American Glossite Company; incorporated as wholly owned subsidiary of the former in May 1945; acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jefferson-Travis Corporation in January 1946 along with its pressing plant in Norwalk, Conn. Guild Records relied on popular names, not advertising, to sell records. It recorded various artists in new and popular genres including calypso--represented by Gerald Clark and His Original Calypsos, among others. In the “Hot Jazz” field, Guild recorded Dizzy Gillespie and featured sidemen and musicians including Don Byas, Slam Stewart, Charlie Parker, Maurice Rocco with Cozy Cole and Billy Taylor, Georgie Auld, Erskine Butterfield, and Jesse Rogers.

•

Olympic Record Corporation: A wholly-owned subsidiary of Musicraft Corporation (Musicraft Records) that operated Los Angeles pressing plant.

PROVENANCE NOTE

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Musicraft Records, Inc. records (archives) were given to the Institute of Jazz Studies by Oliver Sabin (former sales manager/director for Musicraft Records). In addition, ledger sheets (recording sheets) are in private ownership.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Musicraft Records, Inc. Records (1937-1960) consist of 9.25 cubic feet of records housed in 8 Paige boxes, 1 document box, and one flat box. The collection is divided into 15 subgroups, consisting of subsidiaries and predecessors of Musicraft Records, Inc. The main subgroup, Musicraft Records, is further divided into six series which include: Minutes, General Correspondence, Correspondence and Documents, Financial and Legal, Copyright Contracts, and Artists Contracts. Many of the financial ledgers are housed separately as oversized items. The other subgroupings, which consist of Musicraft’s “parent” company, the Jefferson-Travis Corporation, and its subsequent subsidiaries are: Musicraft Distributors, Inc., Musicraft Manufacturing, Musicraft Recording Corporation, Abbey Music, Century Distributors, Emcee Music, Fonda Corporation, Guild Records, Inc., Hamptone Company, Olympic Record Corp., Educational Audio Visual, and William Fortgang ventures. The bulk of the collection consists of four boxes of Musicraft Records, Inc. records documenting the period 19421949. Although Musicraft is said to have been founded in 1937, and we know it began recording music in 1936, the archival materials seem to substantiate the company’s evidential incorporation in 1942. The records thoroughly document the formal operations of the company through a full run of Board of Director’s Minutes and Copyright Contracts which cover the period 1942-1948. Musicraft Records Inc.’s documentation is rather sketchy, however, in the general correspondence and financial series’ but seems to adequately represent the “bankruptcy” period of 1948-1950. The completeness of the various copyright and artists contracts is also unclear. Of particular interest are the oversized copies of Musicraft Records’ recording ledgers which give the only detailed information regarding the recording and production from late 1936 to 1946 The second largest and equally important subgroup is the Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation records, predominantly Board of Directors minutes from 1937-1946. Although primarily financial and stock information the minutes, and various reports and correspondence dispersed throughout, provide documentation regarding record and radio manufacturing during the Second World War. It is likely that this subgroup provides the sole documentation of the whole corporation from its origins in 1937. The remaining subgroups represent either subsidiaries of Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corp. or later Musicraft Records, Inc. and illustrate the complex vertical industrial organization of the company covering various aspects of record production: artists and repertoire, recording, record pressing (manufacturing), distribution, and songwriting/royalties. Of special note are the subgroups for the Fonda Corporation and Guild Records. The Fonda Corporation records include minutes from 1939 to 1945 which document the progress of a company responsible for the development of one of the first magnetic tape recording devices. Unfortunately, this series does not include research and development files. The Guild Records material includes minutes and general ledgers from 1944-1946, the period when Musicraft began recording jazz artists. The Educational Audio Visual and William Fortgang (ventures) subgroups are only marginally related to Musicraft. The former consists of files and catalogs regarding the various educational a/v materials produced during the 1960s. The William Fortgang subgroup consists of miscellaneous correspondence and financial documents regarding several business ventures of Fortgang, former Treasurer of Musicraft Records, Inc.

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Included in Musicraft Records Inc. archives is a large library of released Musicraft records/disks consisting of acetates, official and promotional releases as well as thirty (30) preservation or safety copies of miscellaneous recordings on 7” & 10” open reel 1/4” tape. The following inventory describes the records to the folder level.

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SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

A. MUSICRAFT RECORDS, INC.

I. MINUTES, 1942-1948. Box 1 (8 folders) Arranged chronologically. Board of Directors meeting minutes which include contracts, charter, and by-laws. Also interspersed throughout are various annual reports, usually in the form of letters to the stockholders. The meeting minutes concern financial and stock transfer and document various transition periods and significant events in the life of the company but contain little information regarding the actual business of recording music. It is likely that the minutes existed for the year 1949 but had been removed and used as part of bankruptcy management files. Includes: references to Chelsea Music Corp and Irving Roman (May 8, 1946); Duke Ellington contract and decision to dissolve Abbey Music (both in 1946); and Joint Board of Directors meeting minutes of 1947 (re: company consolidation).

II. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1947-1957 (inclusive) 1949-1959 (bulk) Box 1 (17 folders) Arranged chronologically. The bulk of the general correspondence includes a variety of topics but primarily concerns the financial problems of the company and resultant bankruptcy proceedings. Other topics include: general music recording and release information such as references to Sarah Vaughan and Delta Rhythm Boys (April 1949); Mary Lou Skidmore, Kentucky Ramblers, and “Hillbilly” music.

III. CORRESPONDENCE AND DOCUMENTS, 1945-1952 Boxes 1-2 (18 folders) Arranged by subject. This miscellaneous series consists of additional documents regarding Musicraft’s bankruptcy, earlier mergers and consolidation, and specific people and topics. Included are: items documenting use of Musicraft masters; detailed EMI royalty sheets and correspondence concerning Musicraft artists and recordings sales overseas, exchange of stocks, specific info. regarding Herman Krasnow royalties; MacGregor vs. Musicraft lawsuit (1947-1949); Oliver Sabin and the Kayler Company; and documents regarding the “Gwirtz” deal which enabled direct (Musicraft) sales in four major department stores in 1945.

IV. FINANCIAL AND LEGAL, 1946-1959. Box 2 (24 folders) Arranged by subject. The financial and legal series documents the financial health of the corporation, specifically the bankruptcy if the company. However, the bulk of this series consists of the general and intercompany ledgers covering the period 1946-1948 and provides some insight into the interconnectedness of the company and its subsidiary operations. Many of the miscellaneous account files were undoubtedly removed from various departments and re-assembled for purposes of establishing a bankruptcy plan of arrangement. Since the bankruptcy, the company did not produce any new recordings, hence most of the corporate/institutional documentation after 1947 was primarily used for tracking indebtedness and, in some cases, royalties. This series also consists of several oversized (OS) items including: Stockbooks (Box 6), published financial reports regarding bankruptcy (Box 5), List of Stockholders (Box 5), and Financial Ledgers (Box 7).

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V. COPYRIGHT CONTRACTS, ca. 1945-1949. Box 2-3 (42 folders) Arranged alphabetically. Contracts between copyright owner and Musicraft used as clearances to record songs. Includes royalty agreements, some correspondence, and performance information. More than one contract per folder. Many items do not consist of the actual contracts but of correspondence and memoranda regarding contracts and royalties. (See container list for individual contracts.)

VI. ARTIST CONTRACTS, ca. 1938-1949. Box 3 (23 folders) Arranged alphabetically. Contracts between performer and Musicraft as agreements to record songs. Includes some financial information (advances and royalties), title of song to be performed and recorded, and occasional correspondence with American Federation of Musicians. Some correspondence with agents and documentation of termination of contracts. Includes extensive documentation of negotiations for Duke Ellington contract in 1946 and proceedings concerning his alleged breach of contract in 1947, as well as a Carnegie Hall Concert program for January 4, 1946 performance. Also items regarding the Old Harp Singers of Nashville Tennessee with George Jackson. Several contracts have been combined into one folder. Unfortunately some original artist folders were empty. In these cases an “m” in parentheses has been annotated next to the artist name to specify the a contract was “missing” at time of processing, or more specifically, was not in the folder. There are approximately 13 missing contracts.

VII. RECORDING LEDGER, 1936-1946. OS Box 10 (2 copies) Arranged by matrix number. Two large negative photocopies of Musicraft’s recording ledger. Information includes matrix number, release number, song title, song composer, performer/artist information with some sideman info., where recorded, date of recording, and pressing plant identification. Also includes some miscellaneous notes.

B. MUSICRAFT DISTRIBUTORS, INC. I. MINUTES, 1946-1949. Box 3 (3 folders) Arranged chronologically. Minutes of the Board of Directors of Musicraft Distributors and Hilton Distributing Corp., the predecessor, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Musicraft Records, Inc. II. FINANCIAL/LEGAL, 1946-1950. Box 3 (3 folders) Arranged chronologically. This series includes balance sheets (1947-1948), miscellaneous financial and account information, and some RESTRICTED payroll/personnel sheets, for 1946-1949.

C. MUSICRAFT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, I. MINUTES and FINANCIAL, 1945-1949. Box 3 (5 folders)

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Arranged chronologically. Includes Board of Directors minutes with by-laws, certificate of incorporation, and meetings of stockholders from September 1945 to February 1949 and one general ledger (1945-1949). Some oversized (OS) material includes: three RESTRICTED payroll books, 1945-1949 (Box 5) and an unidentified general ledger, 1945-1946 which could belong to Musicraft Manufacturing (Box 6).

D. JEFFERSON TRAVIS CORPORATION/ MUSICRAFT RECORDING CORPORATION I. MINUTES AND FINANCIAL, 1946-1947. Box 3 ( 3 folders) Arranged chronologically. Includes Board of Directors meeting minutes for November 1946 and March 14-May 15, 1947 as well as financial ledger for April-May 1946. II. JEFFERSON-TRAVIS RADIO MANUFACTURING CORPORATION RECORDS, 1937-1949 Box 4 (14 folders) Arranged chronologically. Primarily includes Board of Director’s meeting minutes from June 1937-October 1946, which represents the earliest documentation of Musicraft Records, Inc. Includes ballots and stock information with financial balance sheets (December 1946); history of Guild Records by Boni Fox in the minutes (January 11, 1946); war production reports in minutes; description of tape recorder prototype in annual meeting of stockholders report (October 21, 1946); details of Fonda Corporation (1941, April & October 1945). Also includes a RESTRICTED social security register from 1948-1949.

F. ABBEY MUSIC CORP. I. MINUTES AND STOCKS, September 1945-May 1946. Box 4 (1 folder) Arranged chronologically. Minutes of a music publishing subsidiary which basically held no assets nor conducted any business.

G. CENTURY DISTRIBUTORS, INC. I. MINUTES AND INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS, 1944-1945. Box 4 (2 folders) Arranged chronologically. Various documents which include Albert Marx December 1944 and November 1944 royalty details. Consolidated with Musicraft in December of 1945. Includes November 1944 royalty payment schedule listing AFM, Huddie “Leadbellie” (sic) Ledbetter, Phil Brito, Mabel Lunn (?), Charles Drew, and Irving Berlin.

H. EMCEE MUSIC, INC. I. MINUTES AND DOCUMENTS, January 1948 II. ROYALTIES AND SALES, 1949.

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I. FONDA CORPORATION. I. MINUTES, 1939-1945. Box 4 (8 folders) Arranged chronologically. Board of Directors meeting minutes which include by-laws and certificate of incorporation. Documents financial and business transactions and as well as general details regarding the production and development of tape recorder. Includes: minutes with four special reports documenting the activities of “. . .present management as distinguished from management of Vogel Fonda regarding ‘the Fonda Recorder’” (April 1942); letters to stockholders like an annual report (January 1943); negotiations with Jefferson Travis (January 1943); discussion of the boom in business resulting from war demand for radio equipment for military requirements (1943-1944); needs for invention and development of sound recording machine for peacetime market (November 1944); engineering department development of model AV-2 recorder (February 1945). Does not include research and development files. II. DOCUMENTS, 1940-1945. Box 4 (two folders) Arranged by subject. Includes Standard Aircraft Products, Inc. stock certificates ca. 1941 and documents regarding the merger with Jefferson Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation (May 1945).

J. GUILD RECORDS, INC. I. MINUTES AND FINANCIAL, 1944-1946 Box 4 (5 folders) Arranged alphabetically. Consists of Certificate of Incorporation, by-laws, and a full run of minutes from 1944-1947. Also included are two general ledgers for 1944 & 1946. See Musicraft Records, Inc. Recording Ledgers for Guildrelated recording sessions.

K. HAMPTONE COMPANY I. PLANNING DOCUMENTS, n.d. Box 4 (1 folder)

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L. OLYMPIC RECORD CORPORATION I. MINUTES, 1945-1949. Box 4 (2 folders) Board of Directors meeting minutes (1945-1949) with Articles of Incorporation and by-laws (1945). Operated Los Angeles record pressing plant.

M. OVERSIZED Boxes 5-7, 10. Arranged by subject. Includes any oversize items not physically stored with respective series. See above series descriptions of further information.

N. EDUCATIONAL AUDIO VISUAL Boxes 8-9 Arranged by subject, then chronologically. Contains purchase orders and correspondence with institutions ordering audio visual teaching materials in various subject areas. Also includes product catalogs.

O. WILLIAM FORTGANG VENTURES Box 9 Arranged by subject, then chronologically. Folder of various financial documents, invoices, tax forms, receipts, and correspondence regarding business ventures and professional career of William Fortgang, former Treasurer of Musicraft Records, Inc. during the bankruptcy period.

P. MUSICRAFT RECORD COLLECTION Subseries I. Open-Reel Tapes. 3 linear ft. (30 tapes) Arranged by assigned number. Consists of thirty open-reel 7” and 10” tapes (1/4” width) which are, most likely, copies of various Musicraft disks (released records). Possibly copied in 1969 as preservation or “safety” copies which include Carl Sandburg, Dizzy Gillespie, Teddy Wilson, and Sarah Vaughan. Subseries II. Record Disks. 15 linear ft. Consists of record albums, acetates (test pressings) and 78 rpm disks. Extensive library of various Musicraft, Guild, and Masterpiece releases. Artists include: Phil Brito, Georgie Auld, Duke Ellington, Mel Torme, Leadbelly, Art Van Damme, Dick Brown, Harry Gibson, Mercer Ellington, Esmereldy, Gordon McRae, and Polka music.

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CONTAINER LIST

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE MUSICRAFT RECORDS, INC. Series I: Minutes

1

1

Vol. 1: by-laws & Charter, 1942-1945 (Musicraft Corporation)

2

Vol. 1: August 10 1942-March 27, 1947 (Musicraft Corporation)

3

Volume 2: May 1947

4

Volume 2: June-August 1947.

5

Volume 3: September-December, 1947.

6

Volume 3: January-March, 1948

7

Volume 4: May-July 1948.

8

Volume 4: 1st & 2nd Lien Collateral Trust Indentures--May 1, 1948.

Series II: General Correspondence

BOX

9

1947-1948

10

January-February 1949

11

March 1949

12

March 1949

13

April 1949

14

April 1949

15

May 1949

16

June--July 1949

17

August--December 1949

18

January 1950

FOLDER

TITLE

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19

February-March 1950

20

April-August 1950

21

September-December 1950

22

1951

23

1952

24

1953

25

1954-1957

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Series III: Correspondence and Documents 26

Masters/Leasing, 1949-1952.

27

Union General Corp, 1946-1947

28

EMI 1949-1951

29

EMI 1951-1952

30

EMI 1953-1954

31

Consolidation of Musicraft Records.

32

Loans by Officers for Consolidation, Nov. 1946-Jan 1947.

33

Exchange of Shares (Atlas & Baird), Nov. 1946/ June 1947.

34

Exchange of Shares, June 1947

35

Private Placement of Shares/Recapitalization, May-Sept. 1947

36

Contracts: Jack Meyerson, May 1947-January 1949

37

Herman Krasnow (Lawsuit) including Royalty Sheets, January 1948Sept. 1949.

38

MacGregor vs. Musicraft, 1947-1949

38

“Gwirtz” Deal, 1945.

39

Kayler Company: Correspondence, 1946-1947.

BOX

40 FOLDER

Kayler Company: Correspondence, 1948-1949. TITLE

2

1

Kayler Company: Oliver Sabin telegrams, 1947-1948.

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Kayler Company: Invoices, 1947-1949.

Series IV: Financial and Legal 3

Musicraft By-laws

4

Legal Documents and Stock Certificates

5

Agreements/Atlas Corp., 1946.

6

Bankruptcy--Plan of Arrangement, 1949-1950.

7

Misc. Accounts and Taxes, 1955-1959.

8

Misc. taxes, 1947-1948.

9

Misc. financial documents, May 1947.

10

Misc. financial documents, 1947-1950.

11

Misc. Financial, 1951

12

Accounts payable--Musicraft Records, 1948-1949

13

Accounts payable--deferred accts., 1948-1949

14

Accounts payable--Musicraft Recording, 1948-1949.

15

Accounts receivable, 1948-1949.

16

Working papers: financial/bankruptcy, 1947-1951

17

Personnel: Union Air/Alamond, Ernest

18

General Ledger: 1946-1947 (parts 1,2 & index)

19

General Ledger: 1946-1947 (parts 3-10).

20

General Ledger: 1947-1948 (parts 1, 2 & index).

21

General Ledger: 1947-1948 (parts 3-11)

22

Intercompany Ledger: 1948 (parts 1-2)

23

Intercompany Ledger: 1948 (parts 3-11)

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE

2

24

Checkstubs, 1948-1949

25

Invoice Log, 1948-1949

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Series V: Copyright Contracts 26

A Includes: ABC Music; Acme Music; Advanced Music; American Academy of Music.

27

A Includes: American Music; Aladdin Music; American Broadcasting Co.; Ascherbert Hopwood and Crew Ltd.; Associated Music Publishers.

28

B Includes: Barton; Beverly; Biltmore.

29

B Includes: Martin Block; Blossom; Bogat; Boosley and Hawkes.

30

B Includes: Bourne; Braum

31

Bregman, Vocco, & Conn

32

B Includes: BMI; Broadway; Burke & Van Heusen

33

C Includes: Capitol Songs; Castle Music.

34

Chappell and Co, Inc., 1946-1948

35

C Includes: Charling and Chelsea

36

C Includes: Choice; John Church; Freddie Clark, and Crawford

37

C Includes: Crestview; Criterion; Crystal

38

D-E Includes: Dorsey Bros.; Eagle; Edwards; Paul Elliot; Emcee

39

Famous Music Corp.

40

F Includes: Farrow; Feist

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE

2

41

F Includes: Fischer; Carl Fischers; Forster; Fowler; Sam Fox; Frontier.

42

G Includes: General; Gershwin Publishing; Global; Bill Gooden.

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H Includes: Handy Bros.; Phil Hanna & Al Jacobs.

44

Harms Inc.

45

T.B. Harms Co.

46

H Includes: Harrison; Hometown

3

1

I Includes: Irving Berlin & International

2

J Includes: J.A.Y.; Jefferson

3

L Includes: LaSalle; Laurel; Lincoln; Lombardo.

4

Leeds Music Co.

5

Ma Includes: Manor; Edward Marks; Peter Maurice; Mayfair

6

Me-Miller Includes: Melrose; Miller; Bob Miller, Inc.

7 8

Mills Music Mo Includes: Modern Jazz Pub.; Mood Music; Phil Moore; Edwin Morris.

9

Mu Includes: Charles Murray and Burt Milton; Music Makers; Music Workshop; Mutual Music Society.

10

N-O Includes: National; New World; Fred Noble; Normandy; Oxford.

11

P Includes: Paramount; Paull-Pioneer; Peer Intl; Porgy Music Co.; Post Music.

12

Robbins Music

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE

3

13

R Includes: Alfred Reiter; Regent; Remick Music

14

R Includes: Republic; Ricordi & Co.; J.J. Robbins & Sons; Carson J. Robinson; E.Rossi; Ruval.

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Sa-Se Includes: Schnitzer; Santly-Joy; Saunders; G. Schriner; Seneca; Sesac.

16

Shapiro, Bernstein, and Co.

17

Si-Sp Includes: Sinatra Songs; Sophisticate; Southern Music; Spier; Spitzer.

18

St-Sw Includes: Stanwood; Starlight; Stevens; Sun; Swing & Tempo

19

T Includes: Billy Taylor; Tempo; Treadwell and Valentine; Triangle Music Corp.

20

U-V Includes: United; Val Music; Rudy Vallee Music Pub.; Viking; Vitak Elsnic Co.

21

W Includes: Harry Warren; Harold West; Charlie Wick; Clarence Williams; Williamson Music; Winfield; M. Witmark & Sons; Words & Music Inc.; World Music.

Series VI: Artists Contracts. 22

A Includes: Jaques Abram; Kurt Appelbaum

23

B Includes: Bauman, Mordy (m); Brito, Phil; Brooks, Russ (M); Burke, Joseph; Buffalo Philharmonic Society.

24

C Includes: Cantor, Eddie (m); Carpenter, Thelma; Carson, Mindy; Castle, Lee (m); Chittison, Herman; Clark, Adele; Cross, Milton; Cross, Rex (m)

25

D Includes: Delmar, Kenny (m); Denny, Dave; Duncan, Todd

26

E-F Includes: Ellington, Mercer (m); Elliot, Baron (m); Fields, Shep; Fontaine Sisters (m)

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE

3

27

Duke Ellington/ Irving Felt Confidential, January 4, 1946 Concert Program--Carnegie Hall.

28

Duke Ellington--Contract Drafts & Negotiations, January-February, 1946.

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29

Duke Ellington--Preliminary Papers (contract negotiations and drafts), March 1946.

30

Duke Ellington/Irving Felt Confidential, March-May 1946 Contracts w/ copy of Ellington Assignment to Musicraft.

31

Duke Ellington--Final Original Contract, May 8, 1946

32

Duke Ellington/ Irving Felt Confidential Intermediate papers

.

33

Duke Ellington/ EMI, August 1946

34

Duke Ellington--Correspondence Re: Alleged Breach of Contract, February 1947.

35

G-H Includes: Gibson, Harry; Gillespie, Dizzy; Girard, Adele (m); Greco, Buddy (The Three Sharps); Gross, Walter; Hogan, Louanne (m).

36

J-K Includes: Jackson, George (Old Harp Singers); Jenaro, Mario; Kroll, William (m); Kallen, Kitty; Kapp, Paul (Delta Rhythm Boys); Kaufman, Louis (m); Krasnow, Herman & Eisenberg, Philip (a.k.a. Peter Steele)

37

L Includes: Laderoute, Joseph (m); Lavalle, Paule; Ledbetter, Huddie (m); Liss, Ronnie; Lowenthal, Eugene.

38

M Includes: McRae, Gordon; Marlowe, Sylvia; Marsala, Joe (m); Marsh, Audrey; Moore, Phil; Morand, Jose; Murray, Arthur.

39

N-O-P Includes: Newell, Ace; Novak, Frank (restricted); King Odom Quartet; Polka Dots.

40

R Includes: Rogers, Billie.

41

S Includes: Sandburg, Carl; Schenker, Irving; Segovia Andres (m); shepard, Riley; Shoobe, Louis; Sherock, Shortie; Stuff Smith & Trio; Spaeth, Sigmund; Stokes, Leonard; Strong, Bob.

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE

3

42

Torme, Mel

43

T-U-V Includes: Vaughan, Sarah; Valdes, Miguelito; Von Zell, Harry.

44

W-Z Includes: Walters, Teddy; Wei, Chung Lo; Weinrich, Carl; Wilcher, Jack; Wilson, Teddy.

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MUSICRAFT DISTRIBUTORS, INC. 45

Hilton Distributing Corp.: Bylaws and Incorporation Documents, February-March 1946.

46

Minutes: February-June 1946

47

Minutes: May-September 1947; January 1948; July 1949.

48

Balance Sheets, 1947-1948

49

Payroll Sheets--RESTRICTED--1946-1948

50

Financial/Misc. Accounts, 1948-1950

MUSICRAFT MANUFACTURING COMPANY 51

Minutes: Vol. 1 By-laws, Certificate of Inc., 1945.

52

Minutes: Vol. 1 September 241945-November 1946

53

Minutes: December 1946

54

Minutes: May 5, 1947-Feb 3, 1949

55

General Ledger: 1948-1949

MUSICRAFT RECORDING CORPORATION Series I: Minutes and Financial, 1946-1947. 3

BOX

56

Minutes: November 1946

57

Minutes: March 14-May 15, 1947

58

???? General Ledger: April-May 1946

FOLDER

TITLE Series II: Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation Records, 1937-1949.

4

4

1

Minutes: June 1937-July 1939

2

Minutes: August-December 1939

3

Minutes: 1940

19

GUIDE TO THE MUSICRAFT RECORDS INC. RECORDS

4

MC 21

4

Minutes: 1941

5

Minutes: 1942

6

Minutes: 1943

7

Minutes: May-June 1944; January-February 1945

8

Minutes: March-April 1945

9

Minutes: May-September 1945

10

Minutes: October-November 1945

11

Minutes: December 1945-January 1946

12

Minutes: February-September 1946

13

Minutes: October 1946

14

Social Security Register--RESTRICTED--1948-1949

15

ABBEY MUSIC: Minutes and Stocks, September 1945-May 1946.

16

CENTURY DISTRIBUTORS, INC.: Incorporation Documents and By-laws, 1944-1945.

17

CENTURY DISTRIBUTORS, INC.: Minutes, 1944-1945

18

EMCEE MUSIC, INC.: Minutes and Documents, January 1948

19

EMCEE MUSIC, INC.: Royalties/Sales, 1949

FONDA CORPORATION 20

By-laws and Certificate of Incorporation, 1939

BOX

21 FOLDER

Minutes: 1939 TITLE

4

22

Minutes: 1940

23

Minutes: 1941

24

Minutes: 1942-1943

25

Minutes: 1944

26

Minutes: January-February 1945

20

GUIDE TO THE MUSICRAFT RECORDS INC. RECORDS

MC 21

27

Minutes: March 1945

28

Standard Aircraft Products, Inc.: Stock Certificates, etc. 1940-1941

29

Documents re: merger with Jefferson Travis, May 1945

GUILD RECORDS, INC. 30

Documents: Incorporation, by-laws: 1944

31

Minutes: 1944-1946

32

Minutes: 1947

33

General Ledger: 1944 (&1948?)

34

General Ledger: 1946

35

HAMPTONE COMPANY: Planning Documents, n.d.

36

OLYMPIC RECORD CORPORATION: Articles and by-laws, 1945.

37

OLYMPIC RECORD CORPORATION: Minutes, 1945-1949

OS

MUSICRAFT RECORDS, INC.: List of Stockholders, 1948

OS

JEFFERSON-TRAVIS: List of Stockholders, 1946

OS

MUSICRAFT MANUFACTURING (?): 3 Payroll Books, 1945-1949--RESTRICTED

6

OS

MUSICRAFT RECORDS, INC.: published financial reports and miscellany re: consolidation and bankruptcy, 1947-1949

BOX

FOLDER

TITLE

6

OS

MUSICRAFT AND VARIOUS SUBSIDIARIES: Stockbooks.

OS

General Ledger, 1945-1946 (Musicraft Manufacturing???)

OS

MUSICRAFT AND SUBSIDIARIES: Miscellaneous Oversized Financial Ledgers.

5

7

21

GUIDE TO THE MUSICRAFT RECORDS INC. RECORDS

MC 21

8

EDUCATIONAL AUDIO VISUAL: Orders, Correspondence, and Receipts, 1960s.

9

WILLIAM FORTGANG VENTURES: Files and financial.

10

OS

MUSICRAFT RECORDS INC.: Recording Ledger, 1936-1946 2 copies; Recording Session Sheets--Gordon McRae, 1945-1946.

22