Misrphon

مصرفون (Misrfun) (self-identified in Latin characters as Misrphon or Misrphone) was an Egyptian label and record company. The company was founded by Mohamed Fawzy (محمد فوزي) in the mid-1950s. After about 1960 Misrphon releases also carry a Philips logo. This is because Philips owned 50% of Misrphon after that date. In the 1950's Misrphon was one of the only two locally owned record companies in Egypt. The other one was Cairophon. Misrphon held a wide range of local artists in its catalogue. Initially Misrphon, like all other companies in Egypt, used to send their masters abroad for pressing, usually Greece, but in 1957 Mohamed Fawzy established an own record pressing plant in Cairo, مصنع الشرق للاسطوانات (Masna' al-Sharq li al-Ustawanat), renamed مصنع الشرق للاسطوانات - مصرفون (Masna' al-Sharq li al-Ustawanat - Misrphon) in 1959 when Philips Orient bought out Fawzy's partner. The company was nationalised in the beginning of the 1960s. First Philips Orient (who owned 50% of the shares) was placed under management of the Nasr Institution. Then, in 1961 Misrphon was placed under administrative supervision, and in 1962 the government took control over Misrphon and appointed a new temporary director. On February 4, 1964 the newly established state-owned record company Sono Cairo bought Mohamed Fawzy's shares in the company. A few months later Sono Cairo also bought the shares of Philips Orient and Misrphon ceased to exist as a separate entity.