THE BEATLES - "White Album" with EXTRA WIDE SPINE - UK cover w/French stereo LPs

$

130

The Beatles "The Beatles"
aka
'The White Album
UK sleeve with EXTRA WIDE SPINE
contains French records
(sold like this on very first few days of release in France)


For sale is a complete and original 1st pressing of The Beatles eponymous studio album, referred to as 'The White Album'. 
What makes this version unique is that it combines an original UK 1st edition top opening sleeve with the very low 7 digit serial number No. 0030365 and a very rare wide spine but contains original stereo French records.

It appears that it most copies of the White Album sold in France upon release in 1968 were sold in German-manufactured sleeves, but the very first copies sold there came in sleeves directly exported by the EMI Hayes factory in England before the more common German sleeves were used!
So what we have now is an extremely unusual combination of a rare version of the UK sleeve containing French records.
The small yellow label inclosed with the package indicates the long gone record shop in Paris were the record was originally sold back in November 1968 and was glued to the UK sleeve but has come off of it over the years.
Here's a description of what this package includes
Record sleeve with with wide spine: PMC 7067 & PMC 7068 Sleeve: No. 0030365  The extremely rare sleeve looks great. All sides retain a glossy finish with bright colours. There is no sign of ring wear, fully readable wide-spine, top and bottom edge without wear.
Records: SMO 2051 (record 1) and SMO 2052 (record 2) Matrix numbers: YEX 709 2I / YEX 710 2I / YEX 711 2I / YEX 712 2I Condition: NEAR MINT. The records are glossy and clean. It seeems those records have never seen a record player. Absolutely no spindle wear. Both records come with 1st edition dark green Apple labels.

The audio is superb! There are quiet lead-ins to both sides and no noise in between tracks. There is great channel separation, clear vocals and punchy bass. There are no pops, skips or jumps. Those early French pressings are sometimes considered of higher audio quality than their UK counterparts!
Inner sleeves: no black sleeves as in the UK since the records were manufactured in France but the usual white paper sleeve used at the time by EMI Pathé-Marconi.
Photos: absolutely pristine conditions. Manufactured in the UK
Poster: Good condition except for a couple of brownish stains on the edge (see pictures).



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