David Bowie Aladdin Sane 1973 UK 1st Press 3T/3T RS1001 Fan Club Insert

	£		32
	$		42

Another record from our personal collection which we are gradually working our way through and selling.

This is David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane, an original 1973 UK RCA Victor first pressing, catalogue number RS 1001, with the desirable 3T/3T matrices.

Matrix / runout:
Side 1: CPRY 4543-3T
Side 2: CPRY 4544-3T

It comes with the original lightning-bolt lyric insert, original David Bowie Fan Club insert and the old white paper/poly-lined inner sleeve.

The fan club insert is particularly nice to still have as it is complete and uncut, including the membership application form and its original “CUT HERE” section. The blue handwritten-looking “I love you David xxx” is part of the original printed design – it hasn’t been added by a previous owner.

I’m not a professional record dealer or grader. These records are from our own collection and I’ve been getting some help identifying the different pressings and grading them as accurately and conservatively as I can.

VINYL – VG+

The vinyl is actually in really lovely condition considering it is now over 50 years old. It retains a very good gloss and has some light surface/hairline marks which can be seen when examined closely under strong light. I’ve deliberately photographed it in quite unforgiving lighting rather than trying to hide them.

I’ve also played the record and it sounds great, with no skipping or sticking. The condition of the actual record is considerably better than you might expect from looking at the outer sleeve!

GATEFOLD SLEEVE – VG

The sleeve has definitely had a harder life than the vinyl!

There is quite a lot of age-related staining/foxing and general discolouration to the pale outer sleeve, together with edge and corner wear, rubbing and some creasing. It is pretty grubby, and I don’t want the photographs to suggest otherwise.

I haven’t attempted any serious cleaning or restoration because I’d rather leave that to the buyer than risk damaging a 1973 sleeve.

Structurally it has survived reasonably well and the gatefold remains intact, with the exception of a split in the top right corner which ai have photographed. The full-length Bowie artwork inside presents much better than the exterior, although there is still some age spotting and wear. I’ve included plenty of photographs of the front, back, inside, spine and edges so please use these as an important part of the condition description.

ORIGINAL LYRIC INSERT

The original large lightning-bolt lyric insert is present. This has general age-related wear/rubbing and some edge wear as photographed.

ORIGINAL FAN CLUB INSERT

The original David Bowie Fan Club insert is also present and is complete and uncut. It includes the Bowie portrait, printed “I love you David xxx” message and the fan club membership application form with the original “CUT HERE” section still intact.

It has foxing, creasing and other signs of age, which I have tried to show clearly in the photographs.

INNER SLEEVE

The old white paper inner is present, together with the thin plastic liner which was inside it. The plastic has become loose and tends to bunch up, so I have removed the record from it rather than risk causing unnecessary marks to the vinyl. Both will still be included with the record.

The vinyl will be supplied in a new protective inner sleeve as well.

Overall, this certainly isn’t a pristine copy – the outer sleeve makes that very obvious! – but the record itself has been very pleasantly surprising and sounds excellent. It’s also lovely that the various inserts have remained together with it for more than 50 years, particularly the complete uncut fan club insert.

Please study all of the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description. I’ve tried to photograph the less flattering bits as well as the good ones.

It will be packed very carefully for posting