1954: Record company founded (registered as AudioFidelity, Inc.) (12/1954)

1957: Company name registration submitted to the U.S. Patents and Trademarks office (25/3/57). The AF trademark submitted to USP&TO (25/6/57). Worlds first (commercially available) stereo record released (11/57). FCS (1st Component Series) launched.

1958: Both name and trademark were registered (15/5/58 and 25/2/58 respectively).

1959: DFS range launched

1968: Production ceased on all mono releases

c. 1971: name change to AudioFidelity Enterprises, Inc.

1976: Purchase of Chiaroscuro Records ***

1978: Trademarks renewed for a further 20 years

Late 1970's: Purchase of company by Phoenix Entertainment and Talent.

c.1984: last known new releases by the company

c.1985: company becomes Milestone Records

after this date, I have no information on the copyright owners */**. The Audio Fidelity name and trademark was not renewed in 1998, and as a result, it is now listed according to the trademarks office records as a "dead" trademark

*=In 1987, Pickwick Music (UK) released a compilation of Louis Armstrongs recording sessions for Audio Fidelity (Satchmo, PWK 009). The inlay credit for the CD reads "Licensed from San Juan Music Group". Can someone clarify the information for me, please?

**=During my research in the USPTO database, I discovered a few other trademarks owned by Audio Fidelity. These trademarks were applied for in the early 1980's, but were abandoned before registration in 1985

***=I have recently learned that Chiaroscuro Records is alive and well (but no longer owned by AFE.) You can go to the Chiaroscuro Records website for their latest CDs

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2002, Bruce Laing. Updated 14/8/2002.

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Reference: The United States Patents and Trademarks office, and The U.S. Copyright Office