Sold Date: February 9, 2014
Start Date: February 4, 2014
Final Price: $28.50 (USD)
Bid Count: 8
Seller Feedback: 2115
Buyer Feedback: 24
Audio Clips:
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 Om Kalsoum ~ Ala Balad, A 5258 / Om Kalsoum ~ Nasheed Farouk, A 5259 ALAMPHON. One of 4 Egyptian 78s I have for sale this week. Has a lead in groove so suspect it's 1930s or 1940s. V+ 

Payment is due within 3 days of the auction's end. If you are planning on bidding on items in the following week's auction (when applicable) and wish to combine shipping charges, please let me know ASAP.  

Sound clips are made from the actual record for sale and recorded on a califone 1925 plugged into an ion turntable plugged into my computer. Not a high tech recording system and not very audio friendly but it'll still give you an idea of the play condition of the record for sale. And imagine how wonderful they'll sound on YOUR system. 

Grading of 78s is a combination of visual and actual play with me. As a seller, how can you grade a 78 without being able to listen to it? I collect 78s and try to grade harshly, preferring to grade low rather than calling everything NM. I generally show the worse side of the label and record the lower grade side. I use a slightly modified Goldmine system as follows: 

E+  New Old Stock. Full gloss, perfect

E    Full gloss, a few stray light sleeve marks, an extremely well cared for 78

E-   95% gloss with a few short, shallow scratches and very minor scuffs

V+  Nice example, 75-85% gloss. Scuffs and scratches but not grayed

V    More heavily scuffed and marked, expect surface noise, 35-75% gloss, graying will be noted

V-   Grayed out and/or heavily marked, only sellable because it's a very rare 78  

WOL        Writing on Label

SOL         Sticker on Label

"soft"      Low end of gloss/mark grade

"strong"  High end of gloss/mark grade  

Shipping of 78s is precarious. I have had one 78 damaged in shipping in 10 years with over 1000 shipped. I break a higher percentage then that cleaning them. Record is placed in a clean sleeve, turned sideways in poly sleeve and secured to keep it from sliding it out. Then it's sandwiched between two thick custom cut styrofoam squares, floated in a 12 x 12 x 6" box or larger in packing peanuts. High quality day glo fragile stickers are placed on box sides. This system costs more, it's labor intensive and IT WORKS! Priority Mail assures less time in transit and a higher level of handling care. Final value fees subtracted by ebay and paypal combined with packing material costs has made the shipping of 78s overseas a break even proposition at best. Want to save a few bucks on shipping? PLEASE  buy it from someone who doesn't give a crap. You know how this works, you get a 78 in the mail in an album mailer and your can hear the pieces rattling around before you unpack it… Been there myself many times, very frustrating.  

Postage on orders  over $100 going overseas ship Priority International, NO exceptions. Priority is the default, I will send you an invoice after the auction with first class international as an option if final price is under $100. One record first class international is $22. Additional 78s will be $5 per.