Bob Marley & The Wailers – Catch A Fire (‘73 UK Original ZIPPO Sleeve) UNPLAYED
£
990
$
1,312
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Description
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Catch A Fire (1973 UK Original ZIPPO Lighter Sleeve) – UNPLAYED Vinyl – TROJAN / ILPS 9241 – Reggae Holy Grail
This is THE edition of Catch A Fire — the original, 1973 Island Records Zippo lighter sleeve, complete with the working metal hinge and fold-open cover. Widely considered one of the most iconic and ambitious record sleeves ever produced, the Zippo version was manufactured in extremely limited numbers due to its high production cost and was withdrawn almost immediately.
This is the version collectors spend years hunting for — and this particular copy has NEVER been played.
Why This Copy Is Special:
• Authentic 1973 UK first-press Zippo sleeve (ILPS 9241)
• Fully functional hinge — no break, no warping, no repair, perfect condition.
• Original unplayed vinyl — straight from a private collection, stored upright, cleaned only with care
• Clean Island “sunrise/palm tree” labels. Paper inner included
• Fantastic structural integrity — tougher to find than clean vinyl
• Zero writing, zero stickers, zero nonsense!
This is a copy for the serious Marley collector, the completist, the audiophile who’s been waiting for the right example — or the investor who understands how quickly Zippo-sleeve prices have risen over the last 10 years.
Condition:
Sleeve: NM to NM+ (light surface wear and creasing consistent with 50+ years of age; hinge clean and fully functional).
Vinyl: MINT / UNPLAYED (no spindle marks, no handling lines; visually stunning).
Labels: NM (no fading, no writing).
Inner: Original and intact.
Finding ANY unplayed copy of a Zippo sleeve is like spotting a unicorn. Most surviving examples have been hammered by decades of use. This one hasn’t.
Background for Collectors:
The Zippo sleeve pressing is famous not just for its rarity, but for its cultural significance. It marks the moment Marley broke internationally and when Island Records began framing reggae with the same design ambition as rock’s heavyweights. Due to the production cost and delicate moving parts, the sleeve was discontinued almost immediately and replaced by the standard printed cover.
If You Know, You Know:
This is not a “nice record.”
This is a museum-grade artifact from the birth of international reggae, in collectible condition, with unplayed vinyl.
SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY — this is one for the top shelf.
Genuine early Zippo-sleeve copies consistently appreciate — especially those with clean vinyl.
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