On 10.04.2001, Horacio Asborno wrote:

> Recently I bought about 50 Ampico rolls, from 1920-1930. The
> difference I can see is about the box label, there are two different
> kinds. One label is a black line around the square, and the
> inscription is "Ampico Recording".  The other label has a little
> difference: a red line around and the inscription is "Red Label
> Recording".

There are actually more variations of "Ampico" labels than any other
brand that I have found. In the particular series I think you are
talking about, there are the following variations that I know of:

Company name:
     American Piano Company
     Ampico Corporation  New York USA
     Ampico Corporation New York - London
     Ampico Company

Size:
     Square
     Tall  (a.k.a. Hi Hat)

Inner Border Color
     Black   (most common)
     Red     (usually used on the "Red Label Recordings") (see below)
     Blue    (used for "Accompaniment" recordings)
     Green
     Orange   (I don't recall offhand what the green and blue are used
              for)

Stars
     No stars on label
     Black Stars on label
     Red Stars on label

"Recording"
     Recording
     Selected Recordings Service
     Red Label Recording

Logo:
     With logo (the 8 sided little pictures)
     Without logos

Special Wording:
     None
     Recording With Words
     Recording With Words for Singing
     Recording With Words for Singing and Dancing
     Recording Without Words for Dancing
     Instrumental Novelty
     Descriptive Story Recording
     The Favorite Fifty Collection
     Accompaniment Recording

Background Color
     White (although over time these have aged to yellow)
     Gold  (I've only seen one - on a "Favorite Fifty Collection" roll

This of course does not cover other "Ampico" labels, both earlier and
later.

John W Miller
http://www.PianoRollStuff.com/