David Bowie HUNKY DORY UK LP 1ST PRESS NM LAMINATED SLEEVE, PLAYS EX+ / N MINT-

	£		370
	$		490

DAVID BOWIE - HUNKY DORY

THE ULTRA RARE 1ST PRESS WITH THE LAMINATED SLEEVE!!!

SLEEVE IN NEAR MINT CONDITION!!!!

• CATALOGUE:RCA SF 8244 
• MATRIX: APRS 5917-3T / 5918-3T
• BOBIL / A1AL ETCHED INTO DEAD WAX SIDE 1
• RASPUTIN / A1AB ETCHED INTO DEAD WAX SIDE 2
• 1971 PRESS. HEAVYWEIGHT  DISC

THIS IS ARGUABLY THE RAREST DAVID BOWIE ALBUM EVER!! AND VERY HARD TO COLLECT

THE ALBUM WAS RELEASED IN NOVEMBER 1971, AND WAS BOWIES FIRST RELEASE ON RCA RECORDS. VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN THE ALBUM BARELY SOLD. THE SINGLE 'CHANGES' WAS TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM AND AGAIN FAILED TO MAKE AN IMPACT WITH THE UK BUYERS

IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATE 1972 THAT BOWIE FOUND FAME WITH THE ZIGGY STARDUST PERSONA AND WAS SUDDENLY HOT PROPERTY

THE HUNKY DORY ALBUM WAS RE  RELEASED AND MADE NUMBER 3 IN THE UK CHART, LIFE ON MARS WAS TAKEN FROM THE ALBUM AND WENT ON TO BECOME A BOWIE CLASSIC

HOWEVER THE REISSUE DID NOT HAVE THE LAMINATED SLEEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL 71 PRESSES HAD AND WAS AN INFERIOR, THINNER NON LAMINATED VERSION, MAKING THE NOW DELETED LAMINATED FIRST PRESSES VERY RARE INDEED

A TRUE FIRST PRESS HUNKY DORY MUST HAVE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ATTRIBUTES

1. THE FRONT OF THE SLEEVE MUST BE LAMINATED

2. ON THE REAR OF THE ORIGINAL SLEEVE IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER THE CATALOGUE NUMBER SF 8244 IS FOUND, AND THERE MUST NOT BE ANYTHING ELSE UNDERNEATH. THE REISSUE HAS THE FOLLOWING INFO UNDERNEATH

1. HUNKY DORY

2. DAVID BOWIE

3. A GEM PRODUCTION (PLUS A LOGO)

FURTHER REISSUES HAVE MAINMAN CREDITS

THE LYRIC INNER MUST ONLY HAVE GEM CREDITS AND NOT MAINMAIN CREDITS (THESE WILL BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF SIDE 2)

4. A GENUINE FIRST PRESS HUNKY DORY MUST BE ON HEAVIER AND LESS FLIMSY VINYL THAN THE REISSUES

5. THE LABELS MUST BE GLOSSY AND NOT MATT

6. THE MATRIX IN THE RUN OFF MUST BE APRS 5917-3T / 5918-3T. ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS IS NOT A FIRST PRESS. IN ADDITION THIS MUST BE MACHINE STAMPED AND NOT ETCHED

7. SIDE 1 MUST HAVE THE WORD 'BOBIL' ETCHED INTO THE DEAD WAX

8. SIDE 2 MUST HAVE THE WORD 'RASPUTIN' ETCHED INTO THE DEAD WAX

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE GLOSSY ORANGE LABELS ARE IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION. THE GLOSSY LABELS ARE EVIDENCE OF A FIRST PRESS, AS LATER PRESSES WERE RELEASED ON LIGHTER VINYL WITH MATT LABELS

THERE ARE NO MARKS OR STAINS ANYWHERE ON EITHER SIDE. THE BASE COLOUR FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE JET BLACK TYPEFACE IS CLEAR AND UNRUBBED AND THEREFORE PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. EVEN USING A MAGNIFYING GLASS I CANNOT SEE ANY SPIDER LINES AROUND THE HOLE

THE VINYL

THE RECORD GLEAMS LIKE NEW AND HAS RETAINED ALL OF ITS ORIGINAL LUSTRE AND SHEEN. IN DAYLIGHT THE VINYL LOOKS  FLAWLESS WITH JUST A COUPLE OF TINY NEAR INVISIBLE HANDLING LINES PRESENT. UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE SOME WISPY HAIRLINES AND A FEW MORE HANDLING LINES THAT CAN BE MADE OUT

PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH. I AM CONVINCED THAT ANY POTENTIAL BIDDER WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING BIDDING ON, BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE LP PLAYS THROUGH BRILLIANTLY ON BOTH SIDES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES WHICH DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW FANTASTIC THIS ALBUM SOUNDS. IN PARTICULAR THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION TO THE SOUND AT ANY POINT

THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS SUPERB WITH EVERYTHING HEARD CRISPLY AND CLEARLY

THERE IS NO BACKGROUND CRACKLES AND NO LOUD CLICKS AT ANY POINT

WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IS SOME VERY LIGHT STATIC LIKE BACKGROUND IN SOME  PLACES AND SOME RANDOM TICS AND POPS HERE AND THERE, MAINLY ON SIDE ONE

BUT PLEASE TAKE A GOOD LISTEN AND JUDGE THIS SUPERB DISC FOR YOURSELF

I AM HAPPY TO GRADE THE VINYL EXCELLENT PLUS!!!! FOR SIDE ONE, AND NEAR MINT MINUS FOR SIDE 2

AN ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING COPY

THE SLEEVE

LAMINATED ROBERT STACE SINGLE SLEEVE - 1ST PRESS NO MAINMAIN CREDITS, NO TITLE AND NO GEM INFO UNDER THE CATALOGUE IN THE REAR TOP RIGHT CORNER

I HAVE LISTED AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE WHY THIS FIRST ISSUE IS RARE SO I WONT GO INTO ALL THAT AGAIN HERE

THE FRONT SURFACE IS VERY VERY CLEAN AND THE LAMINATE GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR.

THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES OR BENDS JUST 4 BARELY VISIBLE LAMINATE LINES DOWN THE EDGE OF THE SPINE,NONE AT ALL ON EITHER THE TOP OR BOTTOM EDGES, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE EITHER.

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE 100% FREE FROM ANY SHELF WEAR OR LAMINATE DAMAGE, AND ONLY THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER TIP END HAS THE BAREST SPECK OF RUBBING

THE SPINE IS IN SUPERB MINT MINUS CONDITION, FLAT WITH JUST TWO MINUSCULE LITTLE THUMB IMPRESSIONS ONE AT EITHER END

THE OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP, WITH JUST A COUPLE OF THUMB NAIL NICKS ALONG ONE EDGE

THE UNLAMINATED REAR SURFACE IS JUST AS CLEAN AND MARK FREE AS THE FRONT.THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO GEM PRODUCTIONS OR THE TITLE IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER, JUST THE CATALOGUE NUMBER

THE LYRIC INNER SHEET IS IN SUPERB ORIGINAL CONDITION. CORRECTLY MATCHED TO THE 1ST ISSUE WITH THE GEM PRODUCTION CREDITS IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER

THE ORIGINAL PLAIN WHITE DIE CUT INNER SLEEVE IS ALSO IN EXCELLENT CONDITION . UNSPLIT AND STILL VERY WHITE, WITH JUST A LITTLE BROWNING TO THE OUTER EDGES

I HAVE NO HESITATION IN GRADING THIS  SLEEVE NEAR MINT!!!!

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY