Mechanical Copyright stamps

Boosey & Co, Boosey & Hawkes

Great Britain & Australia, Music Publisher.

Founded by Thomas Boosey as a London bookshop in 1795 (although the roots go back to John Boosey’s music lending library of the 1760s). A separate music side was started in 1816 under control of the founder's son, also Thomas. From about 1850 the firm also manufactured wind instruments. Publishing and manufacturing combined as Boosey & Co in 1874.
An Australian branch wasset up in the early 1920s.
In 1927 they acquired the catalogue of Enoch & Sons, and in 1930 they amalgamated with Hawkes & Son to become Boosey & Hawkes. They are still active today.

Type	Image	Details
1		Date: 1913-24 Issues: 54 Size: 19x19mm Perf: 11, 12, 12x11 Rarity: C Design: Gothic font "B&Co" in circle, inside larger circle with four chords lined off by 8 bars making a diamond surround. Always seen in shades of red. There are many font variations, and values are known in manuscript and handstamp.
2		Date: 1924-30 Issues: 10 Size: 19x19mm Perf: 11, 12 Rarity: R Design: As type 1, but differs in being predominately ornage-red & the paper is thicker and softer.
A1		Date: c1922 Issues: 3 Size: 17.5x22mm Perf: Roul. 9½ Rarity: RRR Design: A redrawn and slightly smaller type 1, most obvious in the smaller bar after the "C". There are also 9 bars in each chord. The long type has a panel at the base for an occasional serial number and appears on piano rolls. Only manuscript values seen. The design is the same as used for Palings, Essex, Jewel and Cary.
A2		Date: 1924-37 Issues: 18 Size: 17.5x17.5mm Perf: Roul. 9½ Rarity: R Design: Created by excising the base panel from type A1. Values known typeset, typewritten, handstamped and in manuscript.
A3		Date: 1934-50 Issues: 9 Size: 17.5x17.5mm Perf: Roul. 9½, perf. 11 Rarity: R Design: Created from type A2 by replacing the "B&Co" with "B&H" for Boosey & Hawkes.
A4		Date: mid-1950s Issues: 1 Size: 15x15mm Perf: Roul. 11 Rarity: R Design: A photographically reduced type A3

Gallery Items

Set of type 2
Type A4 on reverse of Viking 45rpm sleeve, with several others.

Note: The images above are those actually used for my publication "Stamps on Music". They were taken at 600dpi, and at 150% actual size. This means if this page is printed, the images will come out quite clear. Each image here is further hyperlinked to the original JPG, which will display quite large on your screen.