Harvard Records was the first name brand used by Sears, Roebuck and Co. for their cylinders and disc records, sold through their mail order catalogs.
The masters were leased from Columbia and sold through Sears catalog as a cheaper alternative to the Columbia discs Sears was also offering. It was replaced by the Oxford label through 1906–1907.
History
Sears had been selling cylinder records under their company name since the 1890s. Harvard was the first attempt at marketing their own records through their catalog as a brand. The name likely came from a nearby street where Sears moved to in 1905.[1] Originally for phonographs, before being applied to cylinder and disc records in the early 1900s.[2]
Columbia leased the masters to Sears, with some being as early as 1902. The first discs issued were 7" with a plain blue label.[3] The next label issued were 10" with red lettering and trademark flag.