Out & About Summer 2021

Out&About lifestyle

Picture sleeves While vinyl record albums usually include printed covers, most 45 RPM singles do not. It was not uncommon, however, for singles to be issued in special printed sleeves bearing the title of the song, the name of the artist and perhaps a graphic or photograph. These picture sleeves were often discontinued once sales of the record began to pick up. Some picture sleeves are harder to find than others and certain picture sleeves are rare – Street Fighting Man by the Rolling Stones, which was withdrawn prior to release, can sell for more than $10,000. Withdrawn releases Occasionally, record companies release an album or single, only to withdraw it from general release. Whatever the reason, such releases will naturally be scarce and in demand among collectors. Condition of the record When it comes to evaluating a vinyl record’s value, none is as important as the condition

to ensure that they reach radio stations prior to the commercial release. The albummay sell in the millions, but the few hundred promotional copies of that same record are collector’s items. Sometimes, promotional copies of a particular record may be different from the stock counterpart, such as the Beatles’ single Penny Lane , which had a different ending, making these rare copies quite valuable. Some records may be issued as promo only – they are usually sought after by collectors, though it is dependent on the artist. A promo-only Rolling Stones record, for example, will attract far more interest from collectors than one by Andy Williams. Sometimes records have sold so poorly in stores that the promotional copies are more common than the stock counterparts. The Beatles’ first single, My Bonnie , was credited to Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers. Promotional copies with a pink label are probably 10 times more common than the stock copies with black labels, of which fewer than 20 copies are known to exist. Label power Records by the Beatles were released by Capitol Records on

of the record. Most mass produced records sold over the past 60 years or so have been poorly cared for by their owners. They may have been played on low-quality equipment, stored outside of their covers and handled by their playing surfaces, rather than their edges. Record changers – playing up to a dozen records in sequence and popular in the 60s and 70s – added scratches and abrasions to a record’s playing surface. Covers were poorly stored and owners often wrote on the cover or label. In the case of many records from

a black label with a rainbow coloured perimeter, a green label, a red label, a custom Apple label, an orange label, a purple label and a new version of the original black label, all over a period of about 20 years. Collectors tend to favour original pressings with some exceptions. The red Capitol

label was commonly used in the early 1970s for a number of titles, but was never intended to be used for the Beatles. A few copies of the band’s Revolver and Yesterday and Today albums were accidentally issued with that label, and do sell for quite a lot of money.

the late 1950s and early 1960s, finding worn and nearly-unplayable copies of a particular record is easier than finding one in

mint condition. A mint copy might sell for 50 times as much money as a worn-out copy of the same record. Some collectors are willing to accept “filler” copies of a rare record in poor to average condition until they find a better copy, but most buyers will hold out for the best possible copy they can find. So if you have a box of “old records” and you want to know about their value, you’ll likely discover that they’re common titles in average to poor condition and not worth very much money. On the other hand, if you have a rare record that is also in exceptionally nice condition, you’ll likely be able to sell it for a premium price. n To speak to someone at SAS about your antiques and collectables you can either book an appointment at their premises off Hambridge Road, Newbury, or organise a video valuation by Facetime, Whatsapp or Zoom. Please call 01635 580595 or email: mail@specialauctionservices.com

Minor differences on labels can make a difference, as well. The first copies of Meet the Beatles to be sold in America were rushed to the stores without including publishing information for the songs on the record. Most records are pressed from black vinyl, but other colours are used and sometimes a special process is used to create a picture disc. With few exceptions, coloured vinyl and picture disc pressings are limited editions, and usually hard to find. In the early 1960s, Columbia Records would occasionally press promotional copies of both singles and albums on coloured vinyl in order to grab the attention of radio programmers. In the late 1970s, picture discs were often pressed as promotional items and became quite popular among collectors. Most of these were pressed in quantities of only a few hundred copies.

O&A SUMMER 2021

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