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The Flag Record

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This was one of the many pre-WWI records produced by Beka of Germany for the British market, probably dating to about 1912. There were about 500 issues, with catalogue numbers matching Beka Grand records, and available in both 10" (see image) and 12" sizes, the latter bearing lilac and gold labels. The 12" catalogue numbers matched those of Beka Meister records. The Flag records don't seem to have been advertised in the trade journals, and it is quite likely it was a "tallyman" record, sold door-to-door under a contract to purchase a fixed number of records over a fixed period (and receive a 'free' gramophone on loan). This would fit with the British patriotic style of other known tallyman labels such as Britannic and John Bull. The Beka Record Co had withdrawn from providing John Bull records in the summer of 1911, so maybe The Flag Records dates from just after that time. This would also fit with the German application for the trade mark which was submitted in December 1911.