Sold Date: November 3, 2020
Start Date: October 27, 2020
Final Price: £194.00 (GBP)
Bid Count: 24
Seller Feedback: 115
Buyer Feedback: 425

This item is not for sale. Gripsweat is an archive of past sales and auctions, none of the items are available for purchase.

Deep Purple “Shades of” Withdrawn Dismembered doll sleeve. Very Rare!

12” vinyl LP

Possibly up there with the original mono copy of this classic first album with regards to rarity value.

This sleeve was issued in Nov 1987 as a replacement for the ‘rising strat’ Harvest Heritage re-issue of the album. However, it was withdrawn almost immediately, to be replaced again by the rising start cover.

As I understand it and as was reported at the time, story goes that this version was issued by mistake following a mix up at the EMI art dept/printers?.  

Originally the dismembered doll sleeve was meant to replace the old 1960’s group portrait head shot cover in 1977. However, the dismembered doll sleeve proofs were rejected (replaced by the first issue of the flying strat design) and this artwork was just filed away.

When a re-vamp of the flying strat sleeve was required the old dismembered doll sleeve was retrieved from the stores at the printers and with a new bar code away you go.

Needless to say once EMI HQ discovered the wrong sleeve had been printed up they allegedly ordered all copies be withdrawn, with only a few escaping into ‘the community’, Shades not being a huge seller back in the 80’s.

So there we have it.

This copy has been stored in a plastic sleeve in a cupboard for the last nearly 33 years, having never been played…other copies of Shades were in the collection if retro classic 60’s psyche progressive rock vibe required 😊.

Unfortunately, I have not had a turntable for almost 20 years, so have no means of test playing.

However, as can be seen from the photos both sides of the vinyl have a high gloss lustre, with only a very feintest of lateral radial mark towards the end of track 3 into track 4 on side 1. I will try to get a shot of this. Can only assume this was part of original packing process, as album has not been played, only stored.

No spindle marks on either side of the labels.

BlacK Harvest label with silver lettering.

Stamped on run out grooves:

Side 1  YEX 689-3 

Side 2  YEX 590-4

Plain white paper inner sleeve with Printers details at bottom on one side.

Sleeve: Near mint shop condition. No ring wear, corners sharp with very minimal  handling marks only – see photos.

Spine clean with no splits, very minor horizontal  ‘flexing’ stress marks – see photos. Lettering is clear.

Front very slight (barely perceivable) 6cm long curved shallow score indentation approx. 13cm up from bottom on left hand side, only really noticeable if sleeve moved in the light.

Edge seams glued and undamaged.

Cat No SHSM 2016 OC 054-04 175.

Bar code 5 099910 417515

Selling on behalf of my Dad (who supplied all the info) from his personal collection, from the olden days when he collected vinyl.

I aim to use recycled packaging when possible, but rest assure that your vinyl will be well packed and protected against the trials of postal travel!

Any questions or if you need more photos please ask.

If you have any  issues please contact me before leaving feedback as my intention is to give you the e-bay buying experience that I myself would want, i.e. customer satisfaction all round.