Beatles "HEY JUDE" Back LP Slick in Gray - Apple 3rd Prototype Cover Concept

$

2,900

On SALE @ 15% OFF thru 6-30-18 BEATLES LP APPLE PROTOTYPE  "BACK SLICK ONLY"  ... design concept for ...
"HEY JUDE" Apple Records SW-385 EXTREMELY RARE A rare piece of BEATLES history! ... NM
"MAKE A BEST OFFER"  if you don't care for the listed price!
The owner will entertain any "REALISTIC" offer. 
Please, only Serious Bidders!

This is the very first time that the owner has offered this very rare piece from his personal collection. It is something he has been somewhat reluctant to part with however since he has retired, at this point in time his attachment to such collectiblles, has been replaced by his immediate need for CASH.   This is an ULTRA-RARE 1970  APPLE RECORDS 3rd PROTOTYPE variation or design concept for the "HEY JUDE" LP. In this case, it's NOT a FULLY CONSTRUCTED COVER/JACKET, and is only a "SLICK" for the back of a possible LP cover which had never materialized. In fact, there has never been any evidence suggesting that this variation or design concept was ever converted to a "FULLY CONSTRUCTED" finished product or OUTER JACKET for this LP.  
This version  (unlike the first 2 PROTOTYPES)   states the LP's new title as  "HEY JUDE"  rather than  "THE BEATLES AGAIN".  It depicts the  APPLE CATALOG #  as  SW-385 instead of the original number which was  SO-385.  The slick is a BLUE-ISH  GRAY  color with an ornate design (in white) surrounding the same photo of the BEATLES  as that of the released cover.  Within this ornate design is the new album title, "HEY JUDE",  printed at the top center portion of the design. The APPLE CATALOG # of  SW-385 is printed in the top right corner of the slick. In addition, if you look carefully within the design, you'll note the names of each song to be included on this album.  
At the bottom of the design is a GREEN APPLE and below that are the words:  "PRODUCED BY GEORGE MARTIN / PHOTOS BY MAL EVANS AND MANUFACTURED BY APPLE RECORDS INC - 1700 BROADWAY - NEW YORK, NY 10019". Since this is only a slick, there is no spine to view. FYI - If you spot a FULLY CONSTRUCTED COVER that has this back  on it, it's definitely a FAKE since as stated previously, APPLE has never confirmed a single unit ever being produced  with this design.
Not much else is known about this particular PROTOTYPE SLICK, only that it was a favorite of those in the APPLE ART DEPARTMENT, but was never considered for their final design, nor did it ever get as far as the first two designs which  actually did result in FULLY CONSTRUCTED COVERS.
As the owner has stated, this item was originally obtained from the ART DEPARTMENT at  APPLE RECORDS. Note the clarity and crispness of the photos posted as opposed to the known facsimiles we've seen in recent years. In addition, it's been stated that the one difference or RED FLAG as far as identifying the actual product produced in 1970 by APPLE is the fact that none of the PROTOTYPES ever produced, were any more than conceptual in nature. In layman's terms, the fact that no design at the conceptual level was considered to be a finished product, the type or surface of the material (card stock) that was used, would never have been semi-glossy or glossy like the eventual LP cover released by APPLE. They would only have had a flat or non-shiny appearance  to them, as is the case with this item. 
(SEE THE 2 ADDITIONAL PHOTOS POSTED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY; NOT A PART OF THIS AUCTION)
Please note that only the FIRST 2 PHOTOS posted pertain to this auction. If you look at the second photo (the back of the slick), you can see that it was probably originally glued to an acid free board for display purposes, which does NOT affect   the value of this extremely rare piece. Experts had originally placed a NM VALUE of this piece at around $4,000.00 back in  2007. But who knows what it's true value is in the real world and today's collector's market. We feel that we, along with the permission of the current owner, have placed a fair and realistic market value to this item. 
As far as this particular "SLICK", as the owner stated on several occasions, he had only ever seen 2 others in his life,  making this item quite RARE and EXTREMELY COLLECTIBLE. How many were actual produced? No one knows for sure because there were never actually any specific records kept with regard to any of these PROTOTYPES. Please, only  serious inquiries and keep in mind that  as stated herein, ALL SALES ARE FINAL. 
If you have specific questions, please ask PRIOR to purchase so that there are no misunderstandings about our  terms and conditions. The owner has also stated that a CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY is available for verification  of this piece from a former record industry expert previously associated with former execs at CAPITOL RECORDS   and someone who had first hand knowledge of what went on at APPLE RECORDS in the late 1960s & early 70s. 
All Sales are FINAL! NO REFUNDS - NO RETURNS - NO EXCEPTIONS! If you have any questions, ask PRIOR to purchasing!
Where applicable, please make only REASONABLE OFFERS!  All others will be rejected.
NOTE:  We ask that whoever has the opportunity to purchase this wonderful rare collectible,  understand that this item is currently in the possession of the owner who is NOT at this location.  Therefore we ask for your patience when it comes time to ship it to you. It will be worth the wait!  Thank you!
Almost impossible to find! 
This is one of the RAREST U.S. "BEATLES" collectibles.
   CATEGORY:  Extremely "RARE" Collectible to be purchased as is and as described.

Price Guides like GOLDMINE are OK for general music, however when it comes to specific "Super Groups"  like THE BEATLES, THE ROLLING STONES, and others, they are quite conservative and have a tendency  to grossly undervalue most hi-end items. Based upon the opinions of most knowledgeable experts  and collectors, their BEATLES  pricing is generally not reflective of today's market values.
If you're interested in any VINYL, CD, CASSETTE, VHS TAPE, DVD, POSTER  or any other item that you don't see listed, it doesn't mean that we don't have  it or can't obtain it for you. So please let us know. We have thousands of  items too numerous to list, therefore ... WE WELCOME ALL INQUIRIES!
 "LIMITED" RETURN POLICY ......  Actually when you look through many current auctions on EBAY you'll find we're not the only sellers who refuse RETURNS      unconditionally. It should be noted that under the category of "RETURNS", many sellers state: "THE SELLER DOES NOT OFFER RETURNS. HOWEVER YOU ARE       COVERED BY EBAY's MONEY BACK GUARANTEE IF YOU RECEIVE AN ITEM THAT'S NOT AS DESCRIBED". Our LIMITED RETURN POLICY refers to any item "AS          DESCRIBED". To define "AS DESCRIBED", we follow the rules of this site with actual limited verbiage within an auction with respect to  WHAT THE ITEM IS, WHO         THE ARTIST IS, etc. With respect to a term like AUTHENTICITY, that can only be determined by viewing detailed photos and posting accurate descriptions along  with accepted industry characteristics. This seller never consciously engages in the selling of items which are not authentic (unless specified otherwise). If a  potential buyer has questions, they may seek additional photos or more details, some of which can be provided by viewing and comparing to a known example  or referring to an accepted industry publication. As for condition of an item, for example in the case of a vinyl record we always do our best to describe it's play surface and post detailed photos to the best of our ability as amateur photographers. (Describing the condition of a vinyl record is not an exact science and is based on someone's visual examination and opinion of the examiner. Industry standards are followed by all of our examiners). Labels are best described by  posting detailed photos that illustrate defects if and where they exist. As for outer jackets or picture sleeves, we'll attempt to inform buyers about any possible  bends, folds, seam splits, writing, tears etc. Photos posted are the best descriptive evidence. With respect to items sold such as either a ONE-OF-A-KIND, RARE  COLLECTIBLE, ARTIFACT or MUSEUM PIECE, they're sold AS IS with limited consideration given to condition since they are unique pieces. They don't fall under  standard return guidelines unless there are damages discovered on arrival.  As stated in some of our previous auctions, we insist that prospective buyers ask questions or request more photos PRIOR TO PURCHASE if they are uncertain in MAKING ANY OFFERS.  We also want buyers to fully understand precisely what it is they are buying. In the specific case of Vinyl Records, where we would normally provide a detailed description with pictorial images, examination and  inspection upon its arrival should never take a buyer any more than 2 days to determine that the item received is the item purchased, and that it's condition  is as described. Therefore in that 2 day window after the item is received, the buyer is required to contact the seller to report any deficiencies. If a prospective  buyer is not 100% certain of what they are viewing on any auction they would be well advised to pass on purchasing. We don't want anyone to buy an item, pay for it, then receive it, only for us to be required to wait 2 full weeks before it might be determined by the buyer that he or she suddenly and unexpectedly has  an issue. Blind siding sellers in this manner, will only stoke the possibility for certain dispute and argument regarding whether a potential return and/or refund  is justified. That places the seller in an awkward financial position as well and one that we would  prefer to avoid. It's been our experience in over 50 years of  collecting and selling, that there have been buyers, who we like to refer to as a "Knit Pickers", not to mention some of whom have been discovered to have  actually damaged the item purchased while in their possession (either accidentally or intentionally) and then tell us that "it was received that way". Therefore  it has become our policy that all items are always "PHOTOGRAPHED & INSPECTED" prior to packaging as a protective measure in an effort to avoid any any potential disputes.       (This is what we feel is a FAIR POLICY. If any potential buyer feels we've either omitted or not explained something properly,       or that we are being unfair in some way, please let us know how we can improve. Suggestions are always welcome. ... 6/17). Thanks for watching!     
 Our Catalog # HJ-3PT-AP70-GRAY66789
 Please watch for SPECIAL SALES, or where it applies,   please make your "BEST OFFER". Thanks for watching.
INSURANCE:  We do not typically provide insurance to any item due to the fact that this can amount to significant added cost. However,  this added service is available to any buyer requesting it prior to invoicing. If items aren't insured and are received damaged, immediately  make the shipper aware of the damage. Once the item is packaged, inspected by, and leaves the seller, one can only hope that it's handled  with care which is why insurance is always a good idea (if affordable and available in your country).
Grading "VINYL" records can at times be a bit difficult and is not an exact science since it is based upon someone's opinion. Since opinions can  differ, we want all buyers to know that whenever a purchase is made and the item is received,  if you feel that our listed grading (by seasoned  professionals) differs from what you feel it should be, ALWAYS contact us FIRST before filing a claim with Ebay. All items are inspected prior to  packaging to insure that our description is accurate. However, we're not perfect and once in a while, items with hard to detect defects, can slip  through the cracks, therefore friendly dialogue between buyer and seller is always the best remedy to seeking any satisfactory solution. We will  always make an attempt to achieve 100% customer satisfaction whenever possible. Remember that if you are not happy, we have not done our  job! Thank you for visiting our site! It is important to point out that when sellers on ebay set a price for any item, many factors are considered, one of  which is the fact that the SELLER FEE  can be up to 10% of the Sell Price.  So, when you think that the price listed  might be higher than anticipated, please keep this added cost in mind. Thank you for watching!
ALL ITEMS ARE PROFESSIONALLY PACKAGED! 
BUY WITH CONFIDENCE!
WE NEVER SELL FAKES, so BUY WITH CONFIDENCE !!!! So if you are looking for AUTHENTIC versions of this record, or a source for any other BEATLES Vinyl Records or CDs,  shop with us here at THE ELECTRIC STORE USA. DON'T PAY UNTIL YOU READ THE FOLLOWING: FREE SHIPPING:  Where "FREE SHIPPING"  is offered, it applies ONLY to the  "BUY IT NOW" price (as long as the item is "NOT ON SALE" at the time of  purchase) or ANY ITEM LISTED OVER $50.00. (Batteries are not included).  All others shall pay shipping charges to their destination. Please wait to be INVOICED through PayPal. Thank you.
ATTENTION ALL PROSPECTIVE BUYERS!  Thank you for visiting our site.  We want to remind everyone that if you currently don't happen to see what you're  looking for here on our site, it doesn't mean that we don't have it in stock  or can't get it for you. We simply cannot list everything we have all at once. So if you're looking for something in particular, simply send us a written request and we'll be happy to list it for you to buy. 
Current inventory includes THOUSANDS of VINYL LPs, PROMOS & 45s CDs, DVDs, EPs, 78s, Cassette Tapes, VHS Movies, Metal Stampers  and much more in the category that we would like to call "COLLECTIBLES". 
Thank you for watching and we look forward  to hearing from you anytime!
All vinyl records are sold on the basis of their collectibility, rarity, scarcity, with special consideration in some cases given  specifically to whom the artist happens to be. Also factored in is the physical and visual examination of play surfaces, labels,  outer jacket and the inner sleeve (where applicable)  and in most cases when there is obvious issues to the naked eye which  would most certainly affect play. This would be a part of the item's description (however unless a record is of extreme rarity  and does have value regardless of it's condition), we try to avoid ever selling severely damaged records. We point out that  "THE BEATLES" are in a category of their own and in cases with many of their extremely rare items, we've sold some of  their records even when they did have surface issues, however their value in any condition made these specific items  retain certain value and collectability and a buyer would be made aware of it before we would ever sell it. We don't play  test every vinyl since we have tens of thousands of vinyl records in stock, making it impossible to play each of them.  Please remember this when buying and always ask questions prior to finalizing any purchase.