[ARSCLIST] Schwann's policies

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm trying to understand how the Schwann catalog actually functioned from 1949 until 1985 which seems to be the year when Bill Schwann retired and a new sequence of new owners and policies evolved.

How did records get listed?

How did they get removed?  I have a collection of cut-out lists used by larger record companies to adjust their own catalogs and, presumably, notify Schwann at the same time by sending them a copy.  

What were his rules for exclusion?  I recall MHS having to change its policy from selling only by mail to having the records available in retail outlets (from a jobber?  themselves?) in order to get listed.  I knew Doc Naida pretty well and recall this from one of our lunches.

Were listing and advertising connected?  I seem to recall this happed only after Schwann retired but it could have been after he sold the company and retained editorship (1976.)

My working hypotheses is that the listing departments of the various companies sent label copy and/or release sheets to him at the same time they went to the folks who compiled the catalogs and entered tem into their accounting processes within the company.  

There must be instructons to record companys- how to get listed- floating around somewhere.  Anybody?  

One of the problems I recall frow when I was writing a monthy (more-or-less) column for The American Record Guide in the 1960s was how many dead records lingered in the listings.  It makes sense.  Why would a defuncting company waste a stamp on Schwann at that stage?  

It would be usful to know the structure based on documents, if possible, and on recollections by those active at the company level at the time.  
 
Steve Smolian