Synthetic Plastics Company (SPC) was formed in 1928 in Newark, New Jersey by Daniel Kasen. The company made plastic buttons for garment manufactures. Over the next few decades, SPC expanded to various plastic products such as poker chips, dice, and other molded products.

After World War II, SPC realized their presses could be adapted to make phonograph records. In 1949, Daniel and his brother Louis founded Peter Pan Records. Peter Pan Records were manufactured for children and even though the initial offerings were 78 RPM, the records were pressed on plastic rather than shellac like other record companies. The records were essentially unbreakable, unlike fragile shellac, and perfect for children. They were also initially pressed on bright red vinyl.

From 1949 to the early 1960s, SPC concentrated on children's records through the Peter Pan label, mostly via 7" 78rpm or 45rpm discs.

The company also featured "sound alike" artists, they would try to duplicate the hits of the day with unknown artists who sounded somewhat like the hit records. Most of the artists on the various labels were either pseudonyms or unidentified. The company had at least 25 labels for long playing records alone, not to mention their material released on the Rainbow label in Australia. They endlessly reissued the same material with different labels and covers. For example, some of the earliest 78rpm records (1949) were by a studio group called the Caroleers, directed by Vicki Kasen. These recordings were reissued time and again, usually at Christmastime, even into the 1970s.

The company was sued by the American Music Performance Trust fund and Synthetic Plastics said they did not have to conform to industry standards because their records were for home use only and were not for public airplay.

In 1961, SPC sold the Parade and Spin-O-Rama labels to Premier Albums, Inc. of New York City.

This discography includes the following record labels that are known to have released 10 and 12 inch long playing records: Ambassador, Caroleer, Clan, Compose, Curio, Current, Diplomat, Discos Embajador, Guest Star, Hits a Poppin', Magic Violin, Mountain Dew, Parade, Peter Pan, Pirouette, Power, Prom, Promenade, Rocking Horse, Scripture, Swampfire, Synthetic Plastics, Tifton, Tifton International, and Tinkerbell.

For most of the period that Synthetic Plastics was producing records it was located at 88 St. Francis St., in Newark, New Jersey. In the 1980s, SPC was sometimes known as Peter Pan Industries. In 2004, the company name changed to Inspired Studios, headed by Daniel Kasen's son Donald.


We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Synthetic Plastics Company or their successor, Inspired Studios. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2023 by Mike Callahan.