Deep Purple FIREBALL UK 1ST PRESS GRAM SLEEVE/LP MINT-

	£		114
	$		150

DEEP PURPLE - FIREBALL

IN MAGNIFICENT BARELY PLAYED CONDITION

ASTONISHING MINT MINUS SLEEVE

COMPLETE WITH INSERT

• CATALOGUE:HARVEST SHVL 793
• MATRIX: SHVL793 A-2U / B-3U
• MOTHERS/STAMPERS:3 PD / 1 PR
• PEK ETCHED INTO THE DEAD WAX SIDE 2

THIS COPY OF FIREBALL HAS WITHOUT QUESTION THE BEST SLEEVE I HAVE EVER SEEN

IT IS WORTH SPENDING A FEW LINES DETAIL JUST HOW RARE IT IS TO FIND THIS SLEEVE IN THIS SORT OF CONDITION

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT EBAY AUCTIONS OF THIS ALBUM YOU WILL FIND THAT 99% OF ALL FIREBALL SLEEVES ARE IN POOR CONDITION

THE REASONS FOR THIS IS VERY SIMPLE. IT WAS MADE OF A VERY SOFT CARD, THEN COVERED IN A DELICATE DARK (DEEP PURPLE) COLOURED FINISH, THEN TEXTURED!! AND FINALLY LEFT UNLAMINATED. LOOKED ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC WHEN BRAND NEW, BUT SOON BECAME TATTY WHEN FILED WITH OTHER ALBUMS

THE FIRST THING THAT USUALLY GOES IS THE TEXTURED SURFACE WHICH RUBS AND LEAVES WHITE SHOWING THROUGH THE COLOUR, AND BECAUSE THE BASE COLOUR IS VERY DARK, ANY WHITE SHOWING STANDS OUT LIKE NOTHING ELSE. THE VULNARABLE AREAS ARE THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES, THE SPINE, THE PERIMETER EDGES OF THE FRONT AND BACK SURFACE, AND IN PARTICULAR RINGWEAR CAUSED BY THE PRESSURE OF THE RECORD AGAINST THE SOFT CARD LEAVING HIDDEOUS WHITE CIRCLES

THE SECOND ISSUE WITH MOST FIREBALL SLEEVE IS SEVERE CREASING, PARTICULARLY ON THE SPINE , BECAUSE OF THE SOFT CARD AND BEND WOULD INSTANTLY TURN INTO AN UNSIGHTLY CREASE AND USUALLY THE COLOUR WOULD GO AS WELL MAKING IT AN UNSIGHTLY WHITE CREASE. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SLEEVES WITH WHITE LINES PROTRUDING FROM THE SPINE OUT INTO THE FRONT SURFACE.

AGAIN THE SOFTNESS OF THE CARD ALSO ALLOWED AND SLIGHT BEND TO TURN INTO A DEEP CREASE WITH EASE.

THE FINAL PROBLEM IS THE SPINE WHERE 99% OF ALL COPIES ARE FLATTENED, WHICH CAUSES ONE OF THE FAR EDGES TO OVERLAP THE OTHER AND CAUSE MORE WEAR TO THE EXPOSED EDGE

WHAT THIS SLEEVE IS HOWEVER IS A STAGGERING MINT MINUS EXAMPLE AND IN MY OPINION IS PROBABLY THE BEST COPY OUT THERE.

IT HAS BEEN PROTECTED FROM DAY ONE INSIDE A PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVE, THE RECORD WAS REMOVED FROM THE COVER AND HOUSED BEHIND THE SLEEVE, THUS NO RINGWEAR.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY SQUARE WITH THE STRAIGHTEST SPINE I HAVE EVER SEEN ON THIS SLEEVE

I HAVE TAKEN MORE PICS THAN USUAL OF THE SLEEVE AND LESS OF THE VINYL TO SHOW IT OFF.

UNUSUALLY I AM GOING TO START MY DESCRIPTION WITH THE SLEEVE AND NOT THE RECORD

THE RECORDS

THE SLEEVE

SO HAVING THIS KEPT INSIDE PLASTIC FROM NEW HAS RESULTED IN A TRULY JUST OFF MINT EXAMPLE OF THIS SLEEVE

STARTING WITH THE FRONT SURFACE. AS SOON AS YOU HANDLE IT YOU KNOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL. THE TEXTURED SURFACE IS JUST PRISTINE. NO MARKS, NO SIGNS OF ANY BRENS OR CREASES OR CREASE LINES. NO WHITE AREAS, NO RUBBING WHATSOEVER. EVERY TINY BIT OF THE COLOUR IS 100% RETAINED AND LOOKING PRISTINE. NO FADING AT ALL

THE VERY TIP OF THE TOP RIGHT CORNER HAS A PIN PRICK OF RUBBING

LINES NEAR THE SPINE. NOT A CHANCE. THERE IS ONE REALLY TINY TINY ONE WHICH HASN'T LOST IT'S COLOUR SO IS STILL THE SAME DARK SHADE AS THE REST OF THE SLEEVE. YOU WILL SEE IT ON ONE OF THE PICTURES I HAVE TAKEN OF THE SPINE

THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES ARE BOTH NEAR PRISTINE. THE TOP EDGE HAS JUST THREE SMALL PIN PRICKS OF WHITE SHOWING THROUGH THE COLOUR, WHILST THE BOTTOM EDGE  HAS JUST THE LIGHTEST COLOUR LOSS ON THE TWO RIGHT CORNER TIPS ONLY

THE SPINE IS ALSO IN MINT CONDITION, TOTALLY FLAT AND CLEAN AND THERE IS NO FINGER TO THUMB SQUASHING WHICH IS VERY RARE. EVERY LETTER OF THE RED TYPEFACE IS PERFECT AND LEGIBLE.THERE IS NO COLOUR LOSS HERE AT ALL

THE REAR SURFACE LIKE THE FRONT HAS RETAINED ALL OF THE RICH DARK COLOUR. IT IS HERE USUALLY WHERE THE SLEEVE SUFFERS MOST FROM RING WEAR, BUT ON THIS SLEEVE THERE IS JUST THE BAREST SHADOW OF RECORD SHAPE NEAR THE TOP EDGE ONLY AND NO MORE ELSEWHERE

THE OPENING EDGE IS STILL RAZOR SHARP WITH JUST TWO SMALL THUMB NAIL NICKS WHERE THE LP WAS REMOVED A COUPLE OF TIMES.

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PERFECTLY CLEAN AND UNRUBBED INNER SURFACE. NO LOSS OF COLOUR AT ALL. THIS IS REALLY BECAUSE THE SLEEVE WAS PROTECTED FROM NEW, AND POSSBLY NOT OPENED SINCE IT WAS PLACED INSIDE

THE ADVERTISING INNER SLEEVE IS STILL IN ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION. NO SPLITS TO ANY OF THE SURFACES, AND NO SERIOUS CREASES. A VERY CLEAN EXAMPLE.

FINALLY THE SLEEVE IS COMPLETED WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE ORIGINAL INSERT SHEET. THIS IS IN NMINT CONDITION, NO CREASES

THIS REMARKABLE SLEEVE IS JUST OFF MINT CONDITION!!!

THE LABELS

GENUINE FIRST PRESS LABELS WITH 'THE GRAMOPHONE CO' RIM WORDING. LATER PRESSES HAD EMI RECORDING AT THIS POINT.

BOTH LABELS ARE IN PRISTINE CONDITION. THE GREEN HARVEST BASE COLOUR IS RICH AND VIBRANT AND IS UNMARKED AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, AND A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SPINDLE HOLE REVEALS JUST 3-4 REALLY SMALL SPIDER LINES, SHOWING THAT THIS LP HAS JUST NOT BEEN PLAYED MORE THAN A FEW TIMES  SINCE 1972

THE VINYL

FIRST PRESS FIREBALL VINYL IS FAR HEAVIER THAN THE LATER ISSUES, AND THIS ONE IS REALLY SOLID.THE ORIGINAL SHEEN HAS BEEN RETAINED AND THERE IS NOTHING TO SEE IN DAYLIGHT THAT WOULD CAUSE ANY CONCERN. UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION THERE ARE A FEW WISPY HAIRLINES  

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, SOMEHTING I AM NOW DOING WITH ALL MY LISTINGS. I AM CONVINCED 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 FIRST THING TO SAY IS THAT THERE IS NO DISTORTION TO THE SOUND WHATSOEVER, AND EVERY NOTE IS LOUD, CLEAN AND CRISP, JUST HOW IT WAS INTENDED TO BE HEARD.

THERE IS NO FRYING BACON, NOR ARE THERE ANY LOUD CLICKS

THE STETERO REPRODUCTION IS PURE FIRST PRESS

IN A COUPLE OF THE VERY QUIETEST PASSAGES I HEARD A LITTLE STATIC LIKE STUFF, AND THERE WAS A COUPLE OF TINY DUST POPS THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAY

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GRADE THIS VINYL MINT MINUS

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

THIS IS A VAULT CONDITION HIGH GRADE COLLECTIBLE THAT IN MY OPINION COULD NEVER BE BETTERED

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

GARRY