okeh.record

Corporate background:

Trade relations between Germany and the U.S. having been disrupted by WWI, Otto Heineman, representative in the U.S. for the German-owned Fonotipia corporation, was authorized by his employers to carry on the business under his own name (though he would soon alter it to 'General Phonograph Corporation,' perhaps to make it more American-sounding).

'Okeh,' a word universally understood to mean 'entirely acceptable' -- even by non-English speakers such as native Indians -- was used as the product brand name. Using a native American as a brand image would likewise help to convey the impression that the product was home-grown.


	Okeh Record (U.S.A.) / 1919




	Corporate background: Trade relations between Germany and the U.S. having been disrupted by WWI, Otto Heineman, representative in the U.S. for the German-owned Fonotipia corporation, was authorized by his employers to carry on the business under his own name (though he would soon alter it to 'General Phonograph Corporation,' perhaps to make it more American-sounding). 'Okeh,' a word universally understood to mean 'entirely acceptable' -- even by non-English speakers such as native Indians -- was used as the product brand name. Using a native American as a brand image would likewise help to convey the impression that the product was home-grown.				Design: First appearing on the American Record Company label in 1904, the image of an Indian warrior continued on with the Okeh label. Visually, the 'O' appears to be smaller than the 'H,' though the letters are actually the same height.

					(Label courtesy of Harvey Golden of Oregon.)




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