Black Sabbath MASTER OF REALITY UK FULLY COMPLETE NMINT

	£		235
	$		311

BLACK SABBATH - MASTER OF REALITY

IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION

LAMINATED BOX SLEEVE, WITH FIRST ISSUE POSTER

• CATALOGUE:VERTIGO 6360 050
• MATRIX:6360050 1Y // 1 420 1 1 6    /    2Y // 1 420  1 2 1 3
• BARELY PLAYED
• FIRST PRESS MATRIX NUMBERS
• STUNNING SLEEVE

ONLY THE VERY 1ST PRESSES OF THIS CLASSIC SABBATH ALBUM HAD POSTERS INSERTED INTO THE SLEEVES, AND OVER THE YEARS THINGS HAVE BECOME A LITTLE CLOUDY SURROUNDING THIS RARE COLLECTIBLE POSTER. OTHER COUNTRIES , GERMANY FOR EXAMPLE RELEASED THE ALBUM ON THE VERTIGO SPIRAL LABEL, AND ALSO INSERTED A POSTER WITH THE FIRST PRESSES, SO IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO HAVE A UK PRESSING WHERE SOMEONE HAS PLACED A FOREIGN (AND EASIER TO OBTAIN POSTER) INSIDE THE SLEEVE.

hOWEVER THERE IS ONE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE POSTERS AND THAT IS SIZE!!

THE FOREIGN POSTERS WERE A LOT LARGER THAN THE UK ISSUE ONES, AND FOR THE RECORD THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE UK POSTER IS NINE INCHES SQUARE WHEN IT IS IN ITS FOLDED STATE, AND 27 X 18 INCHES WHEN OPENED. ALSO THE POSTER IS FOLDED SO THAT THE FINAL FOLD REVEALS THE PICTURE SIDE OF THE POSTER AND NOT THE BLANK SIDE

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE BLACK AND WHITE SWIRL LABEL IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION. THE BLACK SIDE JUST COULD NOT BE BLACKER EITHER, AND THE BASE COLOUR FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. IT IS TOTALLY CLEAN AND IN MINT CONDITION.

THE WHITE TYPEFACE IS ALSO IN PRISTINE, UNRUBBED , AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE CONDITION.

THERE ARE 4-5 TINY SPIDER LINES CLOSE TO THE SPINDLE HOLE INDICATING JUST HOW LITTLE THIS CLASSIC ALBUM HAS BEEN ON A TURNTABLE

THE VINYL

THE VINYL GLEAMS LIKE NEW AND HAS RETAINED ALL OF IT'S ORIGINAL LUSTRE AND SHEEN. IN DAYLIGHT THE VINYL APPEARS FLAWLESS, AND ONLY UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION ARE THERE A FEW WISPY HAIRLINES AND A COUPLE OF BARELY VISIBLE TINY HANDLING LINES TO BE SEEN. A SUPER COPY OF THIS LP

PLAYING THE RECORD

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A FANTASTIC COLLECTIBLE VINYL, THAT YOU SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. I HAVE THEREFORE INVESTED IN THE SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO JUST THAT.

I HAVE RECORDED THE ENTIRE ALBUM FROM START TO FINISH AS I DO WITH ALL MY LISTINGS AS I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT BIDDERS WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID. THIS IS A SERVICE I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MY CUSTOMERS

THE LP PLAYS ABSOLUTELY MAGIFICENTLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH BOTH SIDES, AND IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT RIGHT AWAY THAT THE DELICATE 'SOLITUDE' PLAYS ABSOLUTELY CLEANLY AND FREE FROM ANY CRACKLES JUST A FEW TINY LITTLE TICS AS THE TRACK FADES OUT

AS FOR THE REST OF THE VINYL. THERE IS NO DISTORTION TO ANY PART OF THE SOUND, APART FROM THE GUITAR OF MR IOMMI WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SOUND THAT WAY. SERIOUSLY NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CLARITY OF THE FIRST PRESS AUDIO WHATSOEVER.

THE STEREO REPRODUCTION IS TRULY MAGNIFICENT AND EACH NOTE IS HEARD AS IT WAS INTENDED

THE VINYL PLAYS WITHOUT ANY VACKGROUND CRACKLE AND CLICKS, THERE IS A FEW ODD AND RANDOM SECONDS OF LIGHT AND BARELY AUDIBLE VINYL NOISE / STATIC, AND A COUPLE OF TINY DUST POPS THROUGH THE WHOLE THING

A SUPERB EXAMPLE AND ONE THAT I AM HAPPY TO GRADE NEAR MINT!!!

DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT THOUGH, TAKE A LISTEN AND JUDGE IT FOR YOURSELF

THE SLEEVE

THIS IS ANOTHER OF THOSE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET MINT SLEEVES. HERE HOWEVER IS ONE THAT SURELY RANKS UP THERE WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE.

STARTING WITH THE SHAPE: MOST YOU WILL SEE WILL BE DESCRIBED AS SQUASHED AND THIS MEANS THAT THE TWO SPINES HAVE BEEN FLATTENED WHICH EASILY HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN. THIS ONE HOWEVER IS ALMOST PERFECTLY SQUARE WITH JUST A VERY LIGHT LIST TO ONE SIDE, BUT AGAIN THIS IS FAR SUPERIOR THAN MOST. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE ORIGINAL OWNER CHOSE TO REMOVE THE VINYL FROM THE SLEEVE AND IN ITS PLACE WAS SITUATED A PIECE OF CARD, THAT HELPED MAINTAIN THE BOXES SQUARE APPEARANCE.

THE FRONT SURFACE IS OFTEN FOUND BADLY CREASED WITH SEVERE LAMINATE LIFT ON BOTH SIDE EDGES. THIS ONE GLEAMS LIKE A NEW SLEEVE DID, AND HAS ONLY VERY VERY MILD LAMINATE LIFT ALONG THE HIGH EDGE OF THE LEFT SPINE , AND NONE ON THE RIGHT HAND EDGE.

THERE ARE ONLY FIVE SMALL LAMINATE LINES ALONG THE PERIMETER EDGES. TWO ON THE LEFT EDGE , ONE ON THE TOP EDGE, AND TWO NEAR INVISIBLE ONES ON THE RIGHT EDGE

THE REST OF THE FRONT SURFACE IS ABSOLUTELY FREE OF ANY CREASES, CREASE LINES OR IMPEFECTIONS 

THE LEFT SPINE AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IS VERY NEARLY SQUARE, BUT IMPORTANTLY THE LAMINATE IS STILL FULLY PROTECTING THE SPINE, AND THE TYPEFACE IS ALL PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, THERE ARE JUST TWO MINISULE LAMINATE LINES ACCROSS THE SURFACE.THE TOP AND BOTTOM TIPS HERE ARE RUBBED

THE RIGHT SPINE ALSO HAS A COUPLE OF  TINY LINES ACCROSS IT, AND ON THIS EDGE THE LAMINATE FULLY STRETCHES RIGHT TO THE VERY TIPS WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE TUCK IN BOX FLAPS, AND SUCEPTIBLE TO TEARING AS OWNERS ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE OR REPLACE THE RECORD INSIDE THE SLEEVE. IT IS HERE THAT THE ORIGINAL OWNER'S DECISION TO KEEP THE RECORD SEPERATE TO THE SLEEVE HAS PAID DIVIDENDS. FIRSTLY THE TWO FLAPS ARE BOTH VERY VERY STIFF AND NOT LIMP AT THE HINGED AREA LIKE MOST, AND SECONDLY THERE ARE NO TEARS TO EITHER TOP OR BOTTOM FLAP.

THEY BOTH JUST HAVE 2-3 TINY LAMINATE LINES, BUT NO PEEL OR FLAKE TO THE LAMINATE.

THE REAR OF THE SLEEVE AGAIN IS HIGHLY GLOSSY AND LOOKS SUPERB. THERE ARE TWO AREAS ON THE RIGHT EDGE WHERE LAMINATE LINES APPEAR AND A TINY PATCH OF LIFT IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER. OTHER THAN THIS THERE IS NO OTHER ISSUE WITH THE LAMINATE

THE ORIGINAL SWIRL INNER SLEEVE IS THE CORRECT REVERSE COLOUR INNER, WITH THE BLACK SURROUND RATHER THAN THE WHITE ONE. THIS HAS TO BE PRESENT TO BE A CORRECT ISSUED INNER.

IT IS IN TOP CONDITION. TOTALLY FLAT AND UNSPLIT WITH BARELY A CREASE LINE ON IT.

THE POSTER WHICH WAS ONLY EVER INCLUDED WITH THE VERY FIRST BATCH OF FIRST PRESS RELEASES IS IN  NEAR PRISTINE CONDITION . THE SEAMS ARE RAZOR SHARP AND THERE ARE NO SPLITS, STAINS OR TEARS ANYWHERE. THE CORNERS DO HAVE PIN HOLES WHERE AT SOME POINT THE POSTER ADORNED A WALL

THE LP HAS BEEN PLACED INTO A NEW POLY LINED INNER AND THE ORIGINAL SWIRL INNER IS NOW INSIDE THE SLEEVE ALONG WITH THE POSTER AND THE SUPPORTING CARDBOARD

I AM VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THIS SLEEVE NEAR MINT MINUS

I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS INCREDIBLE VINYL AND SLEEVE WILL NEVER NEED UPGRADING

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

GARRY