Foreign pressings with UK pressing plates
Decca UK was manufacturing large quantities of pressing plates for their own factory in New Malden, London. Not all of the plates were used for their own record production. Decca did also export some of their plates to other Decca companies. This page is presenting records pressed in other countries using UK made pressing plates.
UK plates are rather easy to identify as most of the countries that manufactured their own pressing plates were using slightly different style of letters and numbers as well as a slightly different logic of how the off-groove data was looking like and the position of the markings on the off-groove area. Just compare the markings with an original UK Decca LP.
Italy was one of the countries that received a lot of production support from Decca UK. Pressing plates as well as sleeves were made in England and sent to Italy. Decca Italy had given a catalog number of it’s own to the releases by adding an I into the catalog number. For example Aftermath was called LKI 4786 in Italy where as UK Aftermaths had the LK 4786 number. Most of the Italian albums from No2 and up to Beggars Banquet had also the SM marking in the off groove area. SM is identifying that the plate was manufactured by a sub-supplier to Decca in England.
Emilio Giovanetti in Italy has listed matrix numbers on his blog. Please visit the blog for more detailed info on matrix numbers. Emilio did also supply the pictures of the Rhodesian red label record as well as the two “got LIVE if you want” records.
Aftermath / LKI 4786 / Made in Italy
This Italian Aftermath has original Italian made labels but the pressing plates used are made in England.
Matrix number on this one is XARL-7209-4B.
The second picture shows the code SM, identifying that this plate was manufactured by an external supplier of pressing plates to Decca in UK.
Let It Bleed / SKLI 5025 / Made in Italy
This Italian Let It Bleed has original Italian made labels but the pressing plates used are made in England.
Matrix number on this one is XZAL-9363.P-6W. The second picture shows the mother number stamped at 9 a clock, 2 B
Through The Past Darkly / SKL 5019P / Made in Belgium
Record production in Belgium was interesting. This Belgian Through The Past Darkly has original Belgian made labels but the pressing plates used are made in England. This record was manufactured in Belgium.
There are also records existing with UK made labels but Belgian plates! See chapter “Foreign pressings with UK labels"
Matrix numbers on this LP
Got Live If You Want It! / SSS 159 Y / Made in Belgium and France
Here are two “got LIVE if you want it” records. First on is made in Belgium. The sleeve and the label are local Belgian ones but the record is pressed with plates made in England. This plate do also have the SM A markings before the Matrix number confirming that the plate was manufactured by an external company for Decca.
The matrix number on this one is ZAL-7517-1W. This is exactly the same Matrix as found on the British ” Have You Seen Your Mother LIVE! album. The recording and sound are the same, only the title of the album is different.
This is the French “got LIVE if you want it!” Sleeve and label were made in France but the plate used for pressing the record are again made in England. This plate has the same Matrix as the plate used for the Belgian record: SM A ZAL-7517-1W. These Belgian and French pressing plates are identical, only small differens would be the plate letters at 3 a clock.
The Rolling Stones / LK 4605 / Made in Rhodesia
Here are two LK4605 The Rolling Stones records, pressed in Rhodesia. Both records has clearly visible matrix numbers and other letters in the off groove area, confirming them to be manufactured in England. The SM A letters are also present which indicates that the plates were manufactured by the external UK company that used to manufacture plates for Decca in the 60’s. One of the plates have even “Made in S Rhodesia” added in the off groove area!
The first Rolling Stones record was also for some reason re-released in Rhodesia with a blue label. Still being a mono record and label looks to be identical to the original red label.
Their Satanic Majesties Request / M-1348 / Made in Mexico
Mexico is another country that received pressing plates from Decca in UK. Here is a nice example of a Mexican Their Satanic Majesties Request that has been pressed with UK plates.
This is a stereo pressing with matrix numbers ZAL-8126-T2 on side one and ZAL-8127-T2 on side two. These plates have also been made by the external plate manufacturer SM A.
12 x 5 / LL-3402 / Made in Venezuela
Venezuela was another South American country that received pressing plates from Decca in the UK. This is a 12 x 5 record pressed in Venezuela in the 60's with British pressing plates.
Matrix numbers on this mono record one are: Side 1: ARL - 6493 - 1A and Side 2: ARL - 6494 - 1A
The "SM A" codes are also present on this pressing, confirming that plates were made by external supplier to Decca in the UK
Rolling Stones No1 / ISK 1005 / Made in Israel
This is a Rolling Stones No1 pressed in Israel with pressing plates made in the UK.
Matrix numbers on this record one are: Side 1: XARL - 6271 - 1A and Side 2: ARL - 6272 - 4A
The "SM A" codes are also present on this pressing, confirming that plates were made by external supplier to Decca in the UK
Rolling Stones No1 / LLM 1764 / Made in Argentina
This is an original Rolling Stones No1 pressed in Argentina 1964 / 1965 with pressing plates made in England.
Matrix numbers on this record one are: Side 1: XARL - 6271 - 1A and Side 2: ARL - 6272 - 4A
The "SM A" codes are also present on this pressing, confirming that plates were made by external supplier to Decca in the UK
