Sold Date: December 15, 2024
Start Date: December 8, 2024
Final Price: $867.99 (USD)
Bid Count: 27
Seller Feedback: 311
Buyer Feedback: 0

ORIGINAL 1st US APPLE RECORDS SW-3372 PRESSING FACTORY SEALED COPY

JOHN LENNON / PLASTIC ONO BAND (1970)

INCREDIBLY RARE (SPIZER APP.3372.S3) RED BACKGROUND 6½" X 5⅞" HYPE STICKER WITH THE INNER SLEEVE’S ARTWORK AND APPLE LOGO

AUCTION BONUS:

1st US APPLE RECORDS P-1827 PRESSING SINGLE “MOTHER / WHY” WITH A PICTURE SLEEVE

INCREDIBLY RARE ORIGINAL 1970 “MACLEN MUSIC INC. c/o Kirshner Entertainment Co.” JOHN LENNON / PLASTIC ONO BAND SONGBOOK

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Original 1st US Apple Records pressing factory sealed copy of John Lennon’s debut studio album backed by the Plastic Ono Band released on December 11th, 1970. The back cover contains an incredibly rare hype sticker. This sticker is so rare that if it weren’t for its cataloguing under the index“APP.3372.S3” in the Bruce Spizer’s “The Beatles Solo on Apple Records” book, it's most likely many collectors wouldn’t even know about its existence. Having a red background and measuring 6½" X 5⅞" this sticker contains the graphics from the inner sleeve, Apple Records logo, the album’s title and the first verse from album’s each song as well as the “All Songs Written by John Lennon” credit. The “SW-3372” catalog number is indicated at the bottom of the spine. The bottom left corner of the back cover has the album’s title, Apple Records logo and “Manufactured by Apple Records, Inc. 1700 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10019. Printed in U.S.A.” credits. This listing includes a bonus, original 1st US Apple Records pressing of the John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band “Mother / Why” single containing the edited version of the title track which was released on December 28th, 1970. The single is shorter than the album's version by 1:41 minutes due to the removal of tolling bells in the beginning of the song and quicker fade-out. The Side B of this copy contains Yoko Ono's "Why" and is recorded in Stereo, unlike "Mother" on Side A which is recorded in Mono. Apple Records prepared a straight cut picture sleeve, printed by Queens Litho, and was produced in a very limited quantity, which makes it one of the rarest solo Beatles picture sleeves. The front picture sleeve's image is identical to the one used on the "John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band" album and contains the text in the lower left-hand corner reading "John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band Mother Apple 1827" along with the Apple Records logo. The back of the picture sleeve contains a different photo from the same photo session with the text reading "Yoko Ono / Plastic Ono Band Why Apple 1827", credits "Manufactured by Apple Records, Inc. 1700 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10019 Printed in U.S.A." and the Apple Records logo. Original 1st print Apple Records bright green "Recorded in England" labels with the "Maclen (Music) Ltd. (U.K.) " credits. Unlike Side B, the "Stereo" banner is absent on Side A. The vinyl of this copy was pressed at the Capitol Records, Scranton, PA plant and contains the machine stamped "IAM in a Triangle" identifier on both sides. The mastering of this copy was performed by BellSound Studios, whose identifiers in cursive handwriting are also located in the runout groove on both sides. The full matrix number are as follows: Side 1 - 45-X-47426 Z1#2 BellSound sf IAM in a Triangle / Side 2 - S-45-X-47427 Z2#3 BellSound sf IAM in a Triangle. The second bonus included in the listing is the original “John Lennon / Plastic Ono Band” songbook with the original artwork released concurrently with the album. If you’re a collector, I’m sure you know how rare this songbook is published by Maclen Music, Inc c/o Kirshner Entertainment Corporation whose selling agent for the United States was Warner Bros. Music.

★

We grade the the factory sealed album as Mint minus. It's in stunning condition only having a slight push-in to the bottom corners. The picture sleeve of the "Mother / Why" single is in beautiful clean  Near Mint condition and doesn't have any splits, tears, wear, scuffs, ring wear, writing, soiling, residue or wrinkles. The vinyl retaining its glossy factory lacquer is graded as Near Mint Minus for Side 1 and Excellent for Side 2 as it has a few very light non-feelable surface scuffs from the picture sleeve. The Near Mint Minus labels are very clean and don't have any scuffs, wear or spindle marks. The vinyl plays amazing with a punch, vivid and dynamic sound. The incredibly rare original songbook is in great vintage condition with the fully intact pages not having any writing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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