Rena Double-Face Record

UK label which existed from 1908 to 1910. The Rena Manufacturing Co. Ltd. was founded in 1908 by Louis Sterling and Mr. N.M. Rodkison. It began selling its Rena gramophones and records in December 1908. The Rena Double-Face Record was manufactured for this new company by the Columbia Phonograph Co., Gen'l at its factory in Earlsfield, Surrey (although this is not credited on the labels). The selling price was sixpence less than the Columbia Double Face Record even though they often released the same recordings. To disguise the origin of the cheaper discs the Columbia matrix numbers were replaced by a Rena control number which had an "R" prefix up to 500 and an "S" prefix thereafter. In October 1909 Columbia acquired the records part of the Rena Manufacturing Co.'s business which continued to release Rena Double-Face Record until October 1910 when the label name changed to Columbia-Rena Record.