Led Zeppelin IV Red Plum UK 1st Press A3 B3 Peter Grant credit rare label EX

	£		400
	$		530

 This is from my own collection, I am not a dealer, in the next few months I am selling off part of my collection, some rarities and collectable, no filler! Thanks for looking!

You wont find a better copy this is the best we have seen in last 5 years!

Grades as Excellent

Please contact us with any questions you may have ....

To be clear this is version 1 of this pressing, the earliest possible, no earlier types were sold to the public. A3 B3

no stickers!

This is the rarest label version 1 with no band name on the top half of label,

after came 2 the "band name sticker version" on top of label, later on version 3 "misty mountain top" error" after version 4 red plum "top" corrected to "hop " Photos are of actual item for sale, what you see is what you get here. The striking difference is only version 1 has the famous Peter Grant Executive producer credits which came off promptly from version 2 onwards  (same as on Led Zepplein iii) 

The band name is only on the lower Plum part of the label (this varies on later versions) see photos its easy to identify a true 1st press this way! Also the "Peter Grant credits" on the label which came off after this version...
also credits go to "Kinney Music"  some later versions show "Kinnet music" for some reason-- -

this has on side 1 "Peco Duck" and side 2 "Porky" hand etched on the runout groove....

(this was a reference by the famous "Beatles Engineer" George Peckham)

whose stamp was "a porkys prime cut" Page was so impressed with what heard on the Beatles records he asked for George , employed then at Apple then 3 Saville Row, London who obliged on this occasion.

the sound quality of these rare first presses wipes the floor in our view with the new reissues but over to the listener....

like the Turquoise 1st Album the song credits help identify a true 1st press which this is and its a reluctant sale...

We hear that there were only around 2000 Led Zeppelin 1 turquoise 1st albums made now they are sky high in value and deservedly so how many remain--

We believe this version of the 4th album is rarer and if definatley harder to find than the turquoise one and that it's possible less than 1000 remaining ,  very few in good order, they don't come up very often! all were pressed in 1971 prior to release date Nov 1971 this one was bought at that time.

The Red Plums for Atlantic in UK started later 72 and through 73 so Red Plum labels are getting hard to find, from 71 you only get the very early and later corrected presses,



A3 B3 Matrix here is the very very first pressing!



look now on ebay and once you sift through to the "real thing" only 1 or 2 normally show up , all priced 300 + in various conditions , this is a keeper look no further! it is excellent (we never use mint or near mint on a 44 year old vinyl.)

  

This is rare rare and impossible in this condition, the vinyl is a keeper!

Led zeppelin IV recorded between their "mayhem tours" in USA in 1970 at Headley Grange England , this is very much the sound of a band settled and for many their best work.
The classic tracks are here by the bucketful, Black Dog , Rock n Roll, Stairway to Heaven, Levee Breaks all jump off the grooves with incredible clarity on this copy, the audio is awesome on our Rega 3.

Page got what he wanted here and the mixing done at various locations dictated by tour schedule are a credit to the producer, despite delays by mastering artwork and "no title" wrangles with Atlantic the album was released in UK end October Early November 71. This is one of those early early copies! we bought one in UK at the time like this.

This recording really put Zeppelin back on top following the cooler reception of the 3rd record (at the time) we have heard 1st hand some ageing critics waxing on about how much they love the 3rd (hmm but at the time guys you panned it!) no names as we know you know.

Atlantic by this time had given a blank cheque but when they found out the 4th record was planned untitled no band names etc. Ahmet Ergun hit the roof! and summoned Page and Grant to USA to "discuss" ...backed by the very large Peter Grant Page stuck to his guns and replied "if they didn't like the last one this this will wake them up but no band names, this rests on the music and the fans" he was right and Peter Grants Boys had done it again, to this day many regard this as "THE greatest rock album of all time..". judged for yourself but for us the audio quality of these 1st presses are vastly superior to the recent "deluxe super deluxe releases!"  just DAMN HARD TO FIND AT A FAIR PRICE!

Atlantic did a great job in 1971 with these, word is Peter Grant got the pressing plants to clean the master discs more regular (using a process normally reserved for classical recordings) rock and pop were still considered "passing phases" so it was not felt necessary to clean the pressing plates as often due to the volume they were recorded at with few quieter passages
.
Once again Grant broke the mold when he visited the uk pressing plant and "insisted" who would refuse him?

The job was done this way for the early runs in the first year or so... after...

Only the first presses came out with no band name on top the label only the 4 symbols. The spacing is different v later presses so easy to spot once you know, see photos,
all photos are of actual item for sale, what you see is what you get here, see our 100% feedback!

Grab yourself a piece of rock history!

These are getting harder to find in anything like this condition.

The Record

Excellent

A3 B3  the very first available crazy matrixes!

In excellent condition with some minor scuffs from sleeve removal over the years and some hairlines which do not affect play, no jumps or sticks on our Rega 3 bear in mind this is a 44 year old vinyl record! Nice fat pre oil crisis 70s vinyl wow ! nice flat and fat.

Plays fantastic with bright crisp sound may benefit from a professional clean (we don't do this as it's an individual thing) some background static is noticeable in the quieter passages but not many of those!

The labels are free of writing doodles or stickers and retain great bold colours with no fade we can notice under light.

The sleeve

Excellent

Having done it's job over 45 years the sleeve (stored upright in a smoke free home in its PVC sleeve)  has no visible ring wear (see photos) This is a beauty with hardly any handling wear (close to near mint)

There are no seam splits, colours are good and not a lot fading, the thick card has held up well, no writing , names or stickers. A fantastic sleeve one of the best we have seen!

The grey original "blotting paper inner" with Stairway lyrics is also in very good shape no splits or tears , very unusual to see at this age on a first pressing.

This vinyl is a keeper for someone looking for a wholly original 1st press of this great album. you could source a better cover and ...

Mint copies are almost impossible they come up seldom and now £800+ for anything half
decent £300+!

This is a great affordable upgrade and a keeper!

See photos.... Please note this item is advertised for sale elsewhere also

See my other Zeppelin albums for sale

Overseas yes we do! post cost is in GBP onl Any import taxes applied by your country are the buyers responsibilty