United Records (1910s)

United Records operated in the years before World War I. The label was owned by the United Talking Machine Company of Chicago, Illinois, which produced the double-sided lateral cut disc records with an unusually large spindle hole (just slightly smaller than that used by the 45 rpm records that appeared after World War II), and wind-up phonographs with large spindles for playing the records. United Records operated during a period of rapid growth in the American phonograph record industry in the early 20th century. Most of the masters for United Records were recorded by Columbia Records. The name "United" has been used by other record companies, most notably one that operated in Chicago in the 1950s.