George Harrison ALL THINGS MUST PASS UK BOX -1U MINT-

	£		205
	$		272

GEORGE HARRISON'S - ALL THINGS MUST PASS

IN MAGNIFICENT BARELY PLAYED CONDITION

AN ABSOLUTELY SUPERB UK BOX SET

UNIQUE UNHEARD OF GLOSSY FRONT SURFACE!!!!

• CATALOGUE: APPLE STCH 639
• MATRIX: YEX 817-1U / 818-1U / 819-1U / 820-1U / 821-1U / 822-1U
• MOTHERS / STAMPERS: 3 GMA / 3 GGL / 1 GRM / 2 GRA / 3 GDG / 1 GGD
• A VERY EARLY PRESS

THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CONFUSING ALBUM SETS TO DETAIL FIRST PRESSINGS, BECAUSE I HAVE EVIDENCE TO ALTER THE SUPPOSED THEORIES SURROUNDING THIS SET.

IT HAS LONG BEEN BELIEVED THAT THE LARGER UK BOXES WERE ALL GENUINE FIRST PRESSES, AND THAT ONCE THE UK BOXES HAD RUN OUT THAT THE  THINNER US BOXES WERE USED INSTEAD. I TOO HAD BELIEVED THAT RIGHT UP TO A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN I FOUND AND LISTED A UK SET WITH AN AMERICAN BOX, BUT HOUSED INSIDE WERE THE HEAVIER FIRST ISSUE VINYLS THAT HAD THE 2 LETTER STAMPER CODES RATHER THAN THREE. THOSE THAT KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS WILL REALISE THAT THE 2 LETTER CODES WERE PRESSED BEFORE THE THREE LETTER CODES. MANY OF THE UK BOXES THAT I HAVE COME ACROSS HAVE HAD THE THREE LETTER STAMPER VINYLS. THIS THREW A WHOLE NEW LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, AND I DEDUCED THAT IT WAS FAR MORE LIKELY THAT BOTH BOXES WERE IN PRODUCTION AT THE SAME TIME.

NOW I HAVE UNCOVERED SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER. NO THIS MAY BE A ONE OFF, A MISTAKE, OR A PROTOTYPE THAT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED, BUT HERE IS AN ADDITION TO THE FIRST PRESS FAMILY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS

EVERY FIRST PRESS BOX I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS HAS HAD THE MATT PICTURE OF GEORGE SITTING ON HIS STOOL IN HIS GARDEN, AND COLLECTORS WILL KNOW HOW IMPOSSIBLE IT IS TO FIND A BOX WHERE THIS IMAGE HAS NOT SUFFERED SOME KIND OF WEAR. MOSTLY IT WILL BE GRUBBY FROM HANDLING, BUT MANY ARE STAINED AS WELL, MAKING MOST COPIES UNCOLLECTIBLE

THIS FIRST PRESS UK BOX, WITH ALL OF THE FIRST PRESS CONTENTS INCLUDED HAS A GLOSSY STICK ON IMAGE WHICH OF COURSE CAN BE CLEANED OF ANY FINGERMARKS OR GRUBBINESS, AND WILL NOT STAIN BECAUSE IT IS NOT POROUS LIKE THE MATT FINISH. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE EVER!!!

EVERY DETAIL IS IDENTICAL TO THE FIRST PRESS BOXES I HAVE HAD AND LISTED BEFORE INCLUDING THE PRINTED TEXT ON THE UNDERSIDE OF LID BEING SLIGHTLY EMBOSSED WHEN YOU RUN YOUR FINGER ALONG THE TEXT. THE PACKAGE DESIGN AND PHOTOGRAPHY IS BY TOM WILKES AND BARRY FEINSTEIN, THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER FIRST ISSUE BOX I HAVE EVER HAD

THE CARDBOARD LINER THAT RAISES THE BOX TO SNUGLY ACCOMMODATE THE CONTENTS SITS OVER A PLAIN WHITE BASE. THERE IS SOME CONJECTURE THAT THE VERY FIRST ONES MADE HAD A PLAIN CARD BROWN CARD BASE, AND THESE I HAVE SEEN ALSO, ALONG WITH THE WHITE BASES, BUT THERE IS NOT A FIRST ISSUE WITH AN ORANGE BASE THAT I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS.

I WILL DETAIL THE REST OF BOXES 1ST PRESS INDICATORS BELOW IN THE SLEEVE SECTION

HERE THEN IS A VERY UNIQUE FIRST PRESS UK BOX SET IN STUNNING ORIGINAL CONDITION

THE RECORDS

THE LABELS

THE 6 PICTURE LABELS ARE IN ABSOLUTELY PRISTINE CONDITION. THERE IS NOT A MARK ON EITHER SIDE, AND NO COLOUR LOSS. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALSO PRISTINE AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. THE SPINDLE HOLES ARE UNWORN. DISC ONE HAS 4-5 SMALL SPIDER LINES AROUND THE HOLE WHILST DISC 2 HAS ONLY 1-2, AND DISC 3 JUST THE ONE. CLEARLY THE ORIGINAL OWNER PREFERRED THE VINYL WITH 'MY SWEET LORD' ON IT TO THE OTHERS

THE VINYL

THESE THREE DISCS LOOK AS GOOD TODAY AS THEY DID WHEN THEY WERE PRESSED IN 1971. IN DAYLIGHT THEY ARE FLAWLESS , AND ONLY UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION ARE THERE A FEW WISPY HAIRLINES TO BE SEEN. A BEAUTIFUL SET OF VINYLS IN EVERY WAY

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 3 ALBUMS AS I AM CONVINCED THAT BIDDERS WANT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE RECORD BEFORE LAYING A BID, IF THEY HAD THE CHOICE. I AM DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS SERVICE TO MY CUSTOMERS

THE LP'S PLAYS THROUGH MAGNIFICENTLY ON ALL SIDES, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A GOOD LISTEN TO THE SOUNDBITES WHICH DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW CRISP AND CLEAN THE DISCS SOUND. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BACKGROUND WHATSOEVER, ALL THAT YOU HEAR IS THE FANTASTIC STEREO REPRODUCTION WHICH IS PURE FIRST PRESS, AND THE CLARITY CRISP AND CLEAN.

THERE IS NO DISTORTION TO ANY PART OF THE SOUND ANYWHERE, SHOWING THAT THE LIMITED PLAY THAT THE SET HAS RECEIVED WAS COMPLETED ON A SYSTEM WITH AN UNWORN AND CORRECTLY TRACKED STYLUS

THERE IS THE VERY VERY ODD BIT OF BARELY AUDIBLE VINYL NOISE, AND NO MORE THAN 4-5 TINY TICS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAY, CERTAINLY NO LOUD CLICKS AND NO BACKGROUND CRACKLE AT ANY POINT

A SET OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCS THAT HAVE BEEN SUPERBLY CARED FOR AND PRESENTED HERE IN A MINT MINUS CONDITION BOTH VISUAL AND AUDIBLY

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

THE SLEEVE

WELL A BOX, NOT A SLEEVE. HOW HARD IS THIS TO FIND IS COLLECTIBLE CONDITION? NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. FIRSTLY YOU HAVE MOST OF THESE BOXES WITH TORN CORNERS AND SECONDLY THE POROUS SURFACE IS USUALLY VERY BADLY SOILED.SO AS I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE LISTING THIS ONE HAS A GLOSSY LAMINATED STYLE PAST OVER AND IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION

THIS ONE HAS SEVEN OF THE EIGHT CORNERS ON BOTH BASE AND LID IN IMMACULATE UNTORN CONDITION.WITH ONE OF THE LID CORNERS HAVING A SMALL SCUFF WHERE THE CARD SHOWS THROUGH UNDERNEATH

SO THE FRONT SURFACE IS IMMACULATE. IT IS WORTH POINTING OUT WHILST ON THE SUBJECT THAT THE FIRST ISSUE BOXES HAVE A RIDGE RUNNING DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE BOX ABOUT A HALF INCH FROM THE LEFT SPINE LIKE THE LATER ISSUE THINNER UK BOXES FROM A DECADE LATER. THE SURFACE HAS NO MARKS OR STAINS ANYWHERE AND IS STILL EXTREMELY GLOSSY

SO WHAT DOES A FIRST ISSUE BOX NEED TO LOOK LIKE

1.  LARGER DEEPER BOX THAN THE AMERICAN ISSUE
2. THE BLACK BASE HAS A TEXTURED FEEL, MORE LIKE A SKIN
3. THIS EXACT FINISH MUST APPEAR ON THE SIDES OF THE LID AND BASE (LATER ISSUES DO NOT)
4. THE BASE UNDER THE FILLER SHEET MUST BE EITHER MATT WHITE OR PLAIN CARD
5. THE INSIDE OF THE LID MUST BE ORANGE, AND HAVE A SLIGHTLY TEXTURED FEEL (WHITE HERE IS A REISSUE)
6. STAMPED RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ORANGE INNER IT MUST STATE 'MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN'
7. THE LID MUST BE AFFIXED TO THE BASE WITH A WEBBING STYLE TAPE (WHICH IS WHAT CAUSES THE RIDGE ON THE FRONT SURFACE) SOME REISSUES HAVE A SEPARATE LID
8. THE INNER SLEEVES MUST BE HEAVILY TEXTURED, WITH THE TOP OPENING EDGE HAVING ONE SIDE SLIGHTLY CURVED TO FORM A THUMB NOTCH
9. THE INNERS ARE ALL STAMPED 'PRINTED IN USA' IN A SMALL CIRCLE IN THE BOTTOM CORNER (NONE SAY UK)
10. THE POSTER MUST BE MADE ON MATT PAPER AND HAVE 'PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN STCH 639' IN PINK TEXT IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER

AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED ALL EIGHT CORNERS ARE NEAR PRISTINE, AND THE SPINES ARE ALSO UNMARKED.THE SPINES ARE FINISHED IN A JET BLACK MATT FINISH WHICH IS OFTEN FOUND SHELFWORN, BUT HERE THE BLACK IS STILL PERFECTLY BLACK AND UNRUBBED. THE LEFT SPINE WITH THE GOLD TYPEFACE IS ALL IMMACULATELY LEGIBLE, AND THE GOLD LEAF IS UNFADED

THE BASE OF THE BOX IS ALSO IN AN AMAZING  MINT CONDITION. USUALLY SCRATCHED AND COLOUR WORN THIS ONE IS IMMACULATE, SHOWING NO WEAR WHATSOEVER

AND IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THIS BOX HAS BEEN PROTECTED FROM NEW IN A SOME FORM OF PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVE, TO BE IN THIS INCREDIBLE CONDITION

OPENING THE BOX AND LOOKING INSIDE AT THE PANEL UNDER THE LID, THIS IS WHERE THE EVIDENCE OF THE UK BOX IS FOUND. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE THERE IS THE BLOCK CAPITAL TYPEFACE WHICH READS ' MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN'

THE SUPERB ORANGE SURFACE IS IN BEAUTIFUL RICH AND VIBRANT CONDITION, AND ALL OF THE TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE AND IN IMMACULATE UNRUBBED CONDITION. THE BASE OF THE BOX IS WHITE AND IMMACULATE AND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WEAR TO ANY OF THE FOUR CORNERS

THE FILLER SHEET OF CARD IS ALSO IN PRISTINE ORIGINAL CONDITION

INSIDE THE BOX THE THREE ALBUMS COME HOUSED INSIDE THREE VERY VULNERABLE ROUGH TEXTURED INNER SLEEVES THAT IN MOST CASES HAVE SPLIT ALONG THE SEAMS. ON THIS COPY HOWEVER ALL THREE INNERS ARE IN UNSPLIT CONDITION.AND THEY BARELY HAVE A CREASE LINE ON THEM ANYWHERE.JUST THE BAREST TRACE OF RECORD SHAPE

I HAVE REMOVED THE LP'S AND PLACED THEM IN POLY LINED INNERS TO ENSURE THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF THE ORIGINALS SUSTAINING ANY DAMAGE AT ALL

THE HUGE POSTER WHICH IS OFTEN MISSING FROM THIS SET IS IN MINT MINUS CONDITION. EVERY FOLD LINE IS RAZOR SHARP AND IT IS OBVIOUS WHEN LOOKING AT IT, THAT IT HAS NEVER BEEN PLACED ON ANY WALL, AND IN THIS CASE NEVER BEEN OUTOF THE BOX MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE. IT IS IMMACULATE APART FROM ONE TINY NICK TO THE CENTRE FOLD ALONG THE TOP EDGE

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS BOX AND ALL OF IT'S CONTENTS AS MINT MINUS

SO A REAL UNIQUE FIRST ISSUE OF THIS SUPERB ALBUM IN A HIGH GRADE COLLECTIBLE CONDITION

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

GARRY