Label

PHONOGRAM GROUP
(POLYDOR - MERCURY - PHILIPS)

As some other foreign record companies (RCA, EMI), the Phonogram group also had some independent releases for the Italian market that never appeared in other countries, using its different labels such as Polydor, Philips, and sometimes Mercury.

Italian Phonogram productions have the same numbering system as most other european releases, with a 4+3 digit number whose first part identified the label or the series, while the last three digits followed the release date sequence. Mercury label (seldom used) had the same 6323 prefix as Philips, while Polydor used 2448 numbers.

Also distributed by Phonogram were Divergo (that released guitarist Riccardo Zappa's early albums), Mirto (with folk group Carnascialia and composer Claudio Dentes) and Cramps after mid-70's. 

Of course Italian Phonogram also distributed international releases on such popular labels as Charisma, Fontana, Vertigo, and there's much for collectors on these Italian releases. Many Italian albums on Vertigo were still using the classic "swirl" design well after it was dismissed in other european countries, and some Genesis albums had different covers in Italy. But no Italian artists have never appeared on these collectible labels (the only exception being Le Orme with the English version of Felona & Sorona on Charisma, but this was never issued in that form in Italy) and are consequently excluded from the listings below.

As many other labels even Phonogram released a half-price series around mid 70's, called Polydor Special (or Fontana Special) and having a distinctive rainbow-coloured band on the top of the single covers. Among the others Ys by Il Balletto di Bronzo was reissued in this form.

The Italian labels design is almost identical to other countries.

Philips had an electric blue background with silver logo and writing, with small differences between the various issues in the blue background; since around 1977 a white writing replaced the original silver, the blue background became more purple and the paper used for the labels was smoother than before. 
The labels (or even the vinyls themselves) were probably produced abroad, as the trademark circular writing on the label's edge is often in English, sometimes in Italian or even German.
The Mercury label, curiously only used once for Italian rock artists in De De Lind's case, had the same colours as Philips. 

Both labels used a 6323+3 digits catalogue number followed by the letter A or L. According to some collectors this letter identified original from later issues, but this is not confirmed.

Polydor had the classic red background design with black/white logo on the top and black titles. Italian albums used a 2448+3 digits number (except for some limited exceptions as listed above).

Among the smaller labels distributed by Phonogram, Mirto came with a distinctive pale yellow label while Divergo had a dark red design (darker than the initial releases by this independent label that had a lighter red background). 

All the Italian Phonogram LP's and singles had machine stamped catalogue number on the vinyls, but no counterfeits should exist of these releases (the only known Italian Polydor counterfeit is the UK band Audience's rare withdrawn first album).

Philips LP blue/silver label

Philips LP blue/white label (1976-77 onwards)

Polydor LP label

Polydor Special series LP label

Mercury LP label

Mirto LP label

Divergo LP (Phonogram distributed) label