| May Fair records were
available between 1931 and 1933 and were not sold in the usual manner,
but exchanged for Ardath cigarette coupons. It is believed the records
were just part of a range of goods which were available for exchange
with Ardath coupons, but not catalogue or publicity leaflets have ever
been found. So far, it is known that there were also May-Fair cameras
and May-Fair gramophones which are thought to be coupon items.
The records were pressed by Brunswick and Piccadilly and some labels show that they were selected by the ubiquitous Christopher Stone. The catalogue series are in a G-2000 range which, on reaching about 2262, drops the first digit, finally reaching about G-360 before Ardath withdrew the offer and disappeared from the market themselves soon after. (Some records have prefix letters other than G- but the reason behind this is not known). It is believed that Selfridges bought up the unused stock in 1933 and sold them in their department stores. The music was unashamedly popular. Most of the Brunswick-style pressings were also available on the Panachord label, and the majority are American recordings.All were issued under a bewildering mix of pseudonyms. All the Piccadilly pressings were also available on the Piccadilly label and are usually British recordings, with a few American ones (from Banner). Some were issued under pseudonyms, but there were some where the artists were correctly labelled. If you have any of these records, then please check them against the numbers listed below and see if you can help in producing a complete listing of this label. In addition, if you can help with the mystery of Ardath coupons and what else you could get with them, do contact me (see below). |
 Type 1 label - Brunswick pressing
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