the freewheelin' BOB DYLAN withdrawn - CL 1986 1A matrix LP
  $   11,500

 


$ 11500 Sold For
Oct 7, 2016 Sold Date
Oct 4, 2016 Start Date
1 Number Of Bids
  USA Country Of Seller
eBay Sold at
 
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Description

The rarest - and most sought after - of all Bob Dylan albums.

That's right - this is the 1A matrix pressing which plays the four tracks that were withdrawn. It is NOT the Canadian pressing or timing strip issue which list the deleted tracks but play the standard cuts. The labels and cover here show the replacement tracks - which is consistent with the few other mono copies that have turned up over the past fifty years. However, check the picture which shows the vinyl for Side 1: the middle track is "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", and you should be able to see it is the widest band, since it is the longest song. On standard copies of this record, that track is sequenced last in the #6 position.

VINYL CONDITION:  visually VG+ [In regular room light, surface appears very clean with no serious defects. Under 100 watt bulb, one can see a number of light marks, some people describe as hairline or spidery, so there is evidence that record was played, as pretty much all copies of this popular album were, but not abused. There are no feelable scratches or marks that tick, pop, skip, stick, or thump.]

The cover is in excellent shape for this issue. There is minimal wear on front, and print on spine is not exactly centered due to how flat was glued in original manufacture.

Hear for yourself as we have uploaded sound files for the tracks. Occasionally there is some kind of surface noise, but it is minimal and the fidelity is remarkable, I suppose due to being such an early and limited pressing. I generally sell audiophile classical, jazz, and soundtracks so I am familiar with high fidelity deep groove monaural sound quality - Blue Note, Prestige, Bethlehem, Westminster - this is on a par with those.

Side 1

  1. Blowin' in the Wind
  2. Rocks and Gravel
  3. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
  4. Down the Highway
  5. Bob Dylan's Blues
  6. Let Me Die in My Footsteps


Side 2

  1. Don't Think Twice
  2. Ramblin' Gamblin' Willie (Gamblin' Willie's Dead Man's Hand)
  3. Oxford Town
  4. Corrina Corrina
  5. Talkin' John Birch Blues
  6. Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance
  7. I Shall Be Free

HERE IS THE STORY: last summer August 2015, a friend of mine was visiting his brother-in-law. They got to talking about old records, and the brother-in-law mentioned that he had a Dylan album that he remembered there was something unusual about. So they got it out and played it, and, sure enough, the songs did not match those printed on the label. So they Googled.

It didn't take long to get the idea that this was something special indeed - there was a post about a copy of the withdrawn Freewheelin' having been discovered and sold several years ago, as well as sites that described it a gave the verification clue - the matrix number ending in 1A scratched in the trail off groove. Lo and behold, this legendary anomaly had been sitting on the guy's shelf for more than 50 years. Fewer than a couple dozen have ever surfaced.

They got in touch with me since my friend knew I had been buying/selling/collecting vinyl for decades. And though skeptical at first, there was the photographic proof. I think all serious record nuts have heard of it - I had an old Goldmine GUIDE TO COLLECTIBLE RECORD ALBUMS by Neal Umphred from 1994 which  has an article entitled, "The World's Most Valuable Album"

So I have been researching for months, talking and emailing with nationally known Dylan and record experts. As far as I can tell no mono copies have ever been offered on eBay - at least none that have been auctioned in the past 15 years if one can rely on Popsike and CollectorsFrenzy. One of the only two known stereo copies was listed last October at $100,000 but did not get a bid and so was taken down by the owner, who is willing to wait it out, convinced that eventually the market will meet his price or more ( I talked to him, a really nice and knowledgeable guy). It was finally decided to put this one on consignment with me and list in conjunction with Bob's 75th (who woulda thunk it?).

Serious offers entertained. International shipping rate includes Registered USPS Mail. Unless they discover a box of these hidden away in the Columbia catacombs, this copy will someday sell for more than whatever is paid today -  the owner may change his mind and hold on for posterity. So here is what may be the chance of a lifetime.

Related content of interest::

Rolling Stone article May 27, 2016 about creation of FREEWHEELIN'


MY GENERAL BOILERPLATE: If you have specific questions about condition you cannot see, please contact me through eBay Ask Seller option.

PLEASE NOTE:  I have adjusted my settings so that as soon as you leave positive feedback for me, I will do likewise.

Make sure you realize this is a vinyl LP. If you are looking for cds, go to the cd category. If you bid on this, you will be obligated to buy.

I try to apply the GOLDEN RULE when grading*, but please e-mail or call if you have any questions.

M: Generally reserved for sealed records, but may be used for an opened record with absolutely no evidence of play
M-: May have no marks or a couple very light marks, which would not be noticed except for extremely close inspection, and which will not affect play.
EX: May have a few very light marks which are nearly invisible and most likely do not sound.
VG+: May have some visible light marks but no feelable scratches. May play with a minimum of noise during quiet passages

Note: items posted in the past may have slightly different grading abbreviations; however the old "NM" is the same as "M" defined above, "NM-" equals "M-", etc. I changed this so it would match up with the eBay naming conventions in the Item Specifics fields.

* This means that I try to consider what my reaction would be as a buyer, upon winning this auction and pulling the record out its sleeve the first time.  Please note that grades are visual.  It seems to me that play-grading is even more subjective and entails other variables, such as the sensitivity of one's equipment.  I have not listened to many of these records but will try to upon request.  There is not a huge amount of difference between M/M-/EX.  As anyone who has handled a lot of used records knows, some play better than they look and VICE VERSA.  If you have problem with something you receive from me (to err is human), please contact me through eBay, and we will most likely be able to work it out.

Shipping charges are the Buyer's responsibility.

ITALY - I am sorry, but no more records will be shipped. Bidding from Italy has been excluded.


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