Led Zeppelin HOUSES OF THE HOLY 1973 UK LP 1st A2/B2 With OBI MINT MINUS AUDIO

	£		512
	$		678

LED ZEPPELIN - HOUSES OF THE HOLY

IN MAGNIFICENT 2 PLAY CONDITION

ORIGINAL 1ST PRESS NO WARNER LOGO ON LABEL

A2/B2

ALL 1ST PRESS INDICATORS

INCLUDES THE RARE OBI STRIP

FULLY PLAY TESTED PRIOR TO LISTING

• CATALOGUE:ATLANTIC  K 50014
• MATRIX: K5004 A2 / B2 (EARLIEST MATRIX NUMBERS)
• STERLING ETCHED INTO THE DEAD WAX ON BOTH SIDES

I WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THE SUBJECT OF AN ALL ORIGINAL PRESS. WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THAT OVER TIME SLEEVES AND INNERS HAVE BEEN SWAPPED ON ZEPPELIN ALBUMS TO THE POINT THAT IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO IDENTIFY AN ORIGINAL ISSUE, YOU MAY WELL END UP WITH A HYBRID,

WELL FIRSTLY THE SLEEVE ON THE ORIGINAL PRESS WAS MADE OF A SLIGHTLY THICKER CARD AND THEREFORE SOMEWHAT STRONGER. IF YOU LOOK ON THE INSIDE OF THE SLEEVE THE ORIGINAL CARD IS SLIGHTLY A LIGHTER SHADE OF BROWN THAN THAT OF THE LATER PRESSES, BUT MOST OBVIOUS IS THE FACT THAT ON THE ORIGINAL ISSUES THE SLEEVE WAS UNLAMINATED, WHEREAS THE LATER SLEEVES WERE SLIGHTLY GLOSSY AND HAVE A SMOOTH FINISH TO THEM

THE INNER SLEEVES ARE TEXTURED NOT SMOOTH LIKE LATER PRESSES AND THEY ARE MADE FROM STRONGER PAPER. 1ST ISSUES ARE ALSO PRESSED UP BY MACNEIL Press Ltd

THE VERY VERY FIRST BATCH ALSO CAME WITH A JAPANESE STYLED OBI STRIP, WHICH HAD THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE REAR SURFACE

'This stereo record can be played on Mono reproducers provided either a compatible or stereo cartridge wired for Mono is fitted. Recent equipment may already be fitted with a suitable cartridge. If in doubt consult your supplier'

THE GREEN AND ORANGE LABEL IS THE DULLER LESS GOSSY FINISH AND HAS NO WARNER LOGO AT 3 O'CLOCK ON IT, AND THE MATRIX NUMBER MUST BE A2 / B2

THIS IS A PROPER FIRST ISSUE SET

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE GREEN AND ORANGE LABELS ARE IN MINT CONDITION. BOTH BASE COLOURS ARE RICH AND VIBRANT, AND THE WHITE BAND IS STILL WHITE AND NOT SOILED AT ALL. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS UNRUBBED AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. FINALLY THERE ARE JUST 2 MINISCULE SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINDLE HOLE SHOWING THAT THIS SUPERB VINYL HAS JUST HAD VERY LIMITED PLAY

THE VINYL

THE HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL IS IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION. IT HAS RETAINED ALL OF IT'S ORIGINAL SHEEN. IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS PRESSED. THERE ARE NO MARKS OR BLEMISHES ON THE SURFACE, AND EVEN WHEN PUT UP TO INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE APART FROM AFEW TINY WISPY HAIRLINES

PLAYING THE RECORD

THE LP PLAYS JUST SUPERBLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH SIDES, AND THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF DISTORTION, BACKGROUND CRACKLES OR CLICKS OF ANY DESCRIPTION. 

THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS JUST MAGNIFICENT. CRISP AND CLEAR WITH EVERY NOTE BEING HEARD AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED. 

NO EMBEDDED VINYL NOISE

NO LOUD CLICKS, TICS OR POPS

ALL I HEARD DURING THE PLAY WERE A COUPLE OF BARELY AUDIBLE SPECKS OF STATIC LIKE BACKGROUND

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS AUDIO MINT MINUS

THE SLEEVE

 UNLAMINATED STRONG CARDED UNLAMINATED ORIGINAL ISSUE SLEEVE. 

THE FRONT SURFACE IS FLAT AND CLEAN AND HAS NO HEAVY CREASES OR CREASE LINES. THE SLEEVE HISTORICALLY SUFFERS FROM COLOUR LOSS DUE TO RUBBING, BUT THIS HAS BEEN TOTALLY AVOIDED BECAUSE THE DELICATE SLEEVE HAS SPENT IT'S LIFE INSIDE A PLASTIC  OUTER SLEEVE WHICH HAS PROTETCTED IT AGAINST JUST ABOUT EVERY ISSUE THAT USUALLY RAVAGES IT

INCREDIBLY THERE ARE NONE OF THE PRESSURE LINES THAT YOU USUALLY FIND NEAR THE SPINE, AND AGAIN THIS IS ALL DOWN TO THE OUTER PLASTIC SLEEVE

NONE ALONG THE TOP EDGE, NONE ALONG THE BOTTOM EDGE, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES AGAIN ARE USUALLY RUBBED BADLY, BUT AGAIN DUE TO THE PROTECTION AFFORDED TO IT, HAS ABSOLUTELY 100% WEAR FREE EDGES. JUST A PIN PRICK OF WHITE ON THE RIGHT CORNER TIP ENDS

THE SPINE IS ALSO JUST IMMACULATE. FLAT. AND TOTALLY UNRUBBED. AMAZINGLY NO COLOUR LOSS WHATSOEVER AND ALSO UNLIKE MANY THERE HAS BEEN NO FADING OF THE COLOUR

THE OPENING EDGE IS AS SHARP AS THE DAY IT WAS PUT TOGETHER. NO SMALL THUMB NAIL NICKS ON ANY PART OF IT.

THE REAR SURFACE IS EVERY BIT AS MAGNIFICENT AS THE REST OF THE SLEEVE, AND IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT THERE IS NOT ONE JOT OF RINGWEAR, OR EVEN RECORD SHAPE THAT USUALLY PLAGUES THIS DELICATE SLEEVE

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS TWO MINT INNER PANELS

THE INNER SLEEVE HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY LOOKED AFTER FROM NEW.THE ORIGINAL OWNER DECIDED TO REMOVE THE LP FROM IT AND KEEP THAT SEPERATE IN A DIFFERENT INNER, WHILST PLACING THE TEXTURED INNER INTO IT'S OWN PLASTIC SLEEVE , WHICH IS WHY NONE OF THE SEAMS ARE SPLIT

THE ORIGINAL OBI STRIP IS ALSO IS TOP CONDITION. NO TEARS OR NICKS TO THE EDGES. CLEAR BRIGHT TEXT

.

A TRULY SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THIS  SLEEVE

THE SLEEVE GRADES AS MINT MINUS IT IS JUST THAT GOOD

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

GARRY