HOLLIES Hollies LP 1965 PARLOPHONE 1st Press FACTORY SAMPLE

	£		50
	$		66

DETAILS ABOUT GRADING & BACKGROUND ON MY BUY IT NOW AUCTIONS (Please read!)

Hello and welcome to my auction!  This is part of a collection that has remained virtually untouched for years.  The previous owner only bought items he found interesting, so there was very little ‘dross’ in this collection.  Some of his records were Mint (and barely played at all!), and some were played a lot and have lower gradings.  Everything however is extremely interesting – and I have graded EXTREMELY strictly indeed!  So with this in mind - it is very VERY important to understand how my VERY strict grading system works!  I grade EVERYTHING standing on a chair directly under a 150 watt bulb which reveals everything!  Therefore if I grade a record 'VG' - it does NOT mean it is 'covered in scuffing and marks' - it will still be a VERY clean looking record indeed, and often barely played!  For example - if I hold a record under light and see a lovely black sheen, but a few of the VERY lightest paper scuffs, and 2 or 3 VERY light lines - I will still ONLY grade the record VG+.  So whilst you shouldnt expect MINT from my 'VG' records - you should still expect a VERY clean & bright looking record indeed!  And even my records graded only 'Good' or Good+' will be VERY presentable playable examples indeed!  And if I list a record in the condition most LPs seem to be in today (namely covered in general light scuffing - but still plays through absolutely fine with a few crackles & pops) - then I would ONLY grade this record Fair or even Poor+.  So I am very VERY strict on grading indeed - and almost NEVER use an Excellent grading unless the record looks virtually 'factory fresh' under light!  PLEASE ALSO NOTE - as these records have been sitting for many years, and have come direct to auction - so they may also be a little dusty (but NOT dirty!), and may benefit from a clean / dust off by the next owner (if so wished).  I also have no time to play these at all (visual grading only) - but it is VERY easy to spot any sounding marks under light, and I will mention anything that falls out of the grade given!  In short - if you buy one of my records, and expect the grade given you should be very pleasantly surprised indeed!  And in the unlikely event of a problem, any purchase is also covered by a refund including postage. 

I HAVE ALSO TRIED TO PRICE THESE RECORDS TO SELL - AND HAVE NOT SET THE 'BUY IT NOW' PRICE SLIGHTLY 'HIGH' HOPING THAT BEST OFFERS COME IN AT 'ABOUT THE RIGHT PRICE'....  I WANT TO GET THESE RECORDS SHIFTED QUICKLY - SO WHY NOT MAKE AN OFFER?  BE AWARE THOUGH - THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS MAY WELL FLY OUT IMMEDIATELY AT THE 'BUY IT NOW' PRICE ALONE (AS THEY ARE PRICED UP VERY CHEAPLY INDEED - AND WELL BELOW PREVIOUS AUCTION PRICES!), SO YOU MAY WELL HAVE TO BE QUICK!  IN SHORT - I HAVE TRIED TO GRADE VERY STRICTLY INDEED - AND PRICE THESE RECORDS TO GO!!!

So please buy with absolute confidence and take a look at this GREAT item on offer below:-

RARITY:-  One of The Hollies rarest LPs ever - and very VERY hard to find now!  This one is made even rarer still - as it is an ULTRA rare 'Factory Sample'!

FACTORY SAMPLE:-  'FACTORY SAMPLE' PRESSINGS WERE ONLY EVER PRESSED IN ABSOLUTELY TINY AMOUNTS (NO MORE THAN A HUNDRED COPIES AT THE VERY MOST!), AND WERE ONLY EVER USED FOR 'IN-HOUSE' USE BY EMI / PARLOPHONE THEMSELVES (FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES), OR VERY OCCASSIONALLY ONE WAS GIVEN OUT TO 'IMPORTANT VISITORS' TO THE FACTORY - SUCH AS PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS FOR EXAMPLE!  'FACTORY SAMPLES' WERE NEARLY ALWAYS THE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESSINGS EVER MADE (AS IN THIS CASE!) - AND ARE TRULY EXCEPTIONALLY HARD TO FIND TODAY!  BARELY ANY 'FACTORY SAMPLE' 1ST PRESSINGS OF THIS LP WERE EVER MADE - MAKING THIS LP OF THE UTMOST RARITY!

AUTHENTICITY:-  FACTORY SAMPLES ARE NOW VERY HARD TO FIND (ESPECIALLY GENIUNE ONES!), AND SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CHECK EVERYTHING IS CORRECT & AUTHENTIC.  FIRSTLY, THE 'FACTORY SAMPLE' STICKER IS DEFINITELY 100% GENIUNE - BEING OF THE CORRECT PAPER & COLOUR, AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF MOVEMENT.  THERE IS ALSO CLEARLY NOTHING UNDERNEATH THE STICKER AND NOTHING IS BEING HIDDEN.  IT IS UNCREASED, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SPINDLE MARKS RUNNING ACROSS IT (PERFECTLY IN LINE), AND THERE IS NO 'GLUE RESIDUE' OR OTHER INDICATIONS OF A 'RE-STICK'.  AND THOUGH YOU CAN NEVER BE 100% CERTAIN WITHOUT AN LPs FULL HISTORY, I AM VERY FIRMLY OF THE OPINION, THAT THIS 'FACTORY SAMPLE' STICKER HAS BEEN ON THIS LP ALL OF ITS LIFE, AND IS 100% GENIUNE IN EVERY RESPECT!

HISTORY:-  I ACQUIRED THIS LP FROM A RECORD FAIR ON HOLIDAY WAY BACK IN 1997.  I WAS BORED AND HAPPENED TO BE PASSING ONE IN THE TOWN CENTRE.  I SEEM TO REMEMBER IT WAS IN YORK, AND I PAID AROUND £20-£30.  I HAVE NO HISTORY PRIOR TO THAT.  

COUNTRY:-  UK

PRESSING:-  MONO 1ST PRESSING - YELLOW & BLACK PARLOPHONE LABEL, 1/1 MONO MATRIX ENDINGS, 'SOLD IN THE UK' LABEL TEXT, 'EMITEX' INNER SLEEVE, AND 'GARROD & LOFTHOUSE' FLIPBACK LAMINATED 'PATENTS PENDING' COVER!

ARTIST:-  THE HOLLIES

TITLE:-  HOLLIES

CAT NUMBER:-  PMC 1261

LABEL:-  PARLOPHONE

DATE:- 1965

SIGNS OF PLAY:-  LIGHT/MODERATE (One side has very VERY light signs of play ONLY - always carefully so!  The other side however has a few 'searchers' in the spindle mark department from careless placement of the records on the spindle.  There is no evidence of anymore play on this side - but the 'searching' spindle marks are more visible, and there is some VERY minor wear to the centre hole on this side.  There is also NO major defects to either label (NO sticker marks, NO tears, NO writing, etc!) and these are certainly still a VERY decent set of labels indeed!)

LABELS:-  EX+/VG (See details of labels in 'signs of play' above).

GRADING:-   G+ if not better (graded VERY strictly indeed, under a 150 watt bulb!).  At first glance, this record looks to be a VERY nice example indeed - and is VERY bright and shiny indeed!  However under light you can see - 3 or 4 VERY slight lateral hairline type marks, NO scufflines, a few VERY light hairlines, and only a few of the lightest paper scuffs only visible under light!  I also suspect this record may have been cleaned in some way at some point in the recent past.  The record plays with NO sticks, NO jumps, only a few light clicks/pops, and only some slight background crackle in places. Still a very VERY presentable example indeed, to which I have applied the VERY strictest gradings!

INNER:-  EX (Original Emitex Inner)

COVER:-   VG++++ if not better!  A truly BRILLIANT cover that most people would surely grade Excellent if not better!  The cover has NO edge wear, NO spinal wear, NO splits, only VERY slight corner wear, barely ANY creases AT ALL (cover is VERY flat looking indeed!), STUNNING shiny laminate, and NO writing!  The opening edge is beautifully straight with barely ANY feathering AT ALL!  And even the unlaminated back is in BRILLIANT condition - with SUPERB flipbacks, NO rubbing, NO ringwear, and NO writing!  In fact the only detail stopping this cover getting an Excellent grading from me - is some VERY slight yellowing to the reverse!  An absolutely BRILLIANT cover - and very VERY strictly graded indeed!    

DEFECTS OUTSIDE OF THE GRADE GIVEN:-  N/A

--ooOOoo--

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items (I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!) - PLEASE REMEMBER to contact with me FIRST, if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy!  Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again - Graham @ XXXRecords.