The Winner

Launched in 1912, Winner was produced by J. E. Hough (The Edison Bell Co) and was a standard-sized 10" record. Many of the company's previously issued "Bell" masters were used to start with. "The Winner", being British manufactured, was a reaction to the cheap German imports which flooded the market just before WWI. The quality was very good, except occasionally during the war, when cheaper material and poor pressings dogged the label. The label name was changed to simply "Winner" in 1922. Repressings of earlier releases made after 1922 can also be found as "Winner". At the demise of Hough's company in 1933, the label was taken on by Decca and survived until late 1934.