By Susan Sliwicki

We’ve got a something for almost every collector’s tastes in this Market Watch countdown. Don’t believe us? We’ve got a canceled hard-rock 45, a boutique-pressing of a psych-folk LP, an incredibly rare spoken-word 78, a spiffy funk single and of course, a pricey frequent flier. But what captured the top spot? Guess you’ll have to keep reading …

5. $3,221.66 — Status Quo, “Fakin’ The Blues” b/w “Heavy Daze,” 45. This hard-rock U.K. 45 was pressed on the Vertigo label (QUO 31) — but it never was supposed to make it into collectors’ hands.

“I understand that the release of this was canceled back in 1991, making it an impossible-to-find single,” the seller wrote. This copy featured a NM disc that appeared to the seller to be unplayed, and an EX cover that  shows some creasing.

Thirty-six bids were exchanged before a winner was declared. But, if you’re dying to hear the songs themselves, you can find “Fakin’ The Blues” on the 2002 Spectrum record “Rock ’Til You Drop;” “Heavy Daze” is included in the 4-CD box set “Rockers Rollin’: Quo in Time.”

4. $3,278.36 —  Peter Howell and John Ferdinando, “Alice Through The Looking Glass,” LP. Alice proved to be a popular musical inspiration in the late 1960s for more than Jefferson Airplane. This rare, U.K.-pressed, psych-folk LP was the inaugural outing for Howell and Ferdinando, who later collaborated as Ithaca and Agincourt.

“Released in 1969, only 99 copies were made,” the seller wrote. “However, it’s very likely only a handful are still in existence.”
This NM copy bears the catalog number SNP LP 11/12. The cover, which shows some yellowing and light creasing, is in VG++ shape. The package includes a rare H&F Recordings calling card.

Same-batch pressings of this LP brought $1,322.83 in June 2010 and $982.75 in September 2010, according to Popsike.com. Numbered editions of this record, pressed in a 1,000-LP run by 10th Planet in 1969, don’t fare nearly as well, drawing between $35 and $78 in sales recorded by Popsike.com between 2006 and 2010.

The original cover (above) was printed with only black ink. The 10th Planet pressing’s cover shrunk the original Alice sketch, added smiling green trees at top of the front cover and a series of eight cards marching along the bottom of front cover.

3. $3,418 — Jimmy Lane and the Incredible 5, “Deal With It” / “What Kind of Man.” 45. Here’s another limited-number pressing, this time featuring soul-funk on the Little Records label of Schenectady, N.Y.

The VG/VG++ 45 originally was pressed in a batch of 500 copies in 1969 and carries the catalog number VSS-82043. It was part of a lot of records purchased near New York City, and, for the seller, one of the more appealing offerings.
“There were a number of Robert Barry Vibrasound Studios records in the lot … square dance, country, garage band, funk, soul and rock,” the seller wrote. “Unfortunately, there were multiple copies of the square dance record … but only one copy of this rare funk gem!”

2. $3,999 — Sun Yat-sen, “King of the King,” 78. Unless you speak Cantonese, chances are you won’t take a lot away from hearing this recording. However, if you’re buying it, it’s probably not because you wish the former Chinese leader would finally release his speaking engagements via iTunes.

This EX-condition 78 was made in China in 1924, under China post Shanghai, and it is the only known vocal recording of Sun Yat-sen, the seller wrote.

“You may only seen it at the Museum in China,” the seller wrote. “Only few copy been survive nowadays (sic).”

1. $4,055 — The Beatles, “Please Please Me,” LP. Clocking in at 2,372 words, this seller’s pitch earns the dubious honor of longest sales pitch this countdown, perhaps in Market Watch history.

On to the record. This stereo EX++++ copy of PCS 3042 is a first U.K. pressing. The seller was quick to point out how copies of “Please Please Me” are eBay regulars, then cited a Record Collector magazine article listing the 200 rarest U.K.-pressed records, of which this rated No. 12 at an estimated value of £3,000.

“This is only a suggestion, and as prices for black and gold stereos in the last year in similar condition to what I have here on auction have been reaching between £10,000 and £14,000,” the seller wrote. “This ultra-early yellow and black stereo variation will probably double the basic £3,000 variation in the very near future as more collectors around the world become are that this pressing does actually exist and that only 1,000 or so were made (if that) with this tiny 33-1/3 credit.”

By Susan Sliwicki

Elvis may have left the planet, but he’s still finding his way around the online auction circuit just fine, thank you, thank you very much. The King was one of the perennial favorite artists, along, of course, with The Beatles, who checked in for this week’s Market Watch countdown.

1. $5,858.99 — The Beatles and The Four Seasons, “The Beatles Vs. The Four Seasons” 2-LP set. A lot of sellers toss around the phrase “holy grail” with their descriptions, but this one definitely has earned the title. This still-sealed copy of the original 1964 Vee Jay mono U.S. pressing, believed to be complete with the original sleeves and poster insert, changed hands after 20 bids. “Bid now or weep forever!!!” the seller advised. The only discernible wear was a hint of yellowing on both sides of the record, a tiny piece of missing shrink wrap and a light wrinkle in one of the corners of the cover.

2. $4,910 —The Beatles, “Please Please Me” LP. This stereo pressing of PCS-3042 comes with Parlophone’s black and gold label and is in “stunning” condition, according to the seller. That could be because it’s had but one very careful owner. Other than a few hairline surface marks, the record appears to be virtually Mint, according to the seller.

3. $4,155 — Walter Wilson “Love Keeps My Crying” b/w “Not Now But Later” 45. It’s about time we saw some Northern Soul light up the countdown again, and this one is a beauty. This mega-rare DJ copy 45 is on the Wand Label (WND 1153) and clocks in at Mint condition, according to the seller. A record company executive had been receiving these records at the time they were released, the seller says.

4. $4,153 — Led Zeppelin, “Led Zeppelin I” test pressing with letter. Led Zeppelin fans love their cover art, but they’d probably be willing to pass up the trimmings in favor of the plain white cardboard cover housing this analog gem. This “colossally rare” test pressing, which comes complete with a letter from the Atlantic Records label, features the original 1968 Atlantic stereo mix released in the U.S. The album’s catalog number, SD-8216, appears in the dead wax, the seller said. “A careful Led Zep aficionado may be able to detect slight differences and subtle variations in the mix we were unable to locate,” the seller added. The vinyl checks in a VG++ condition.

5. $4,000 —Uncle Funkenstein, “Together Again” LP. Just the name Uncle Funkenstein is noticeable enough to catch our attention. But this still-sealed, signed LP caught the eye of plenty of bidders, too. Musician Russell Webster only removed enough of the seal to be able to sign the album cover. According to the seller, this privately pressed album is considered to be a hot ticket with soul, funk and jazz collectors.

6. $3,702 — George Harrison “A Concert For Bangladesh” 12-inch acetate. With the ominous warning of “bid now or lose your peace forever,” this seller offers up Record 3, sides 5 and 6, of the original 1971 Apple Corps “A Concert For Bangladesh.” This portion of the performance featured both Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton with Harrison. It is the same copy that was documented in Bruce Spizer’s new book, “The Beatles Solo on Apple Records.” What sets this apart from ther acetates is its size — 12 inches — vs. the previously documented 10-inch acetate of the same title. It clocks in at VG++ to Excellent condition, with minor scuffs on the surface, but free of dents, chips and breaks.

7. $3,549.99 — Kansas Joe and Memphis Minnie, “When The Levee Breaks” with “That Will Be Alright” 78. Man, we love great timing. Just happens this record is the topic of this issue’s Flashback column (see page 70). This beautiful copy of Columbia 14439 comes in at Excellent Plus condition, according to the seller. “One of the supremely great country blues guitar records,” the seller said. Apparently, that’s all buyers needed to know.

8. $3,500 — Elvis Presley/Jaye P. Morgan, 45 cover only. Billed by the seller as “quite simply the rarest Elvis cover in the world,” and one of only a few known to exist, this deluxe double pocket book cover features Elvis and Jaye P. Morgan together. The seller grades it at VG+++ condition.

9. $2,150 — Dead Weather “Hang You From The Heavens” test pressing 45. This limited-edition copy of the Dead Weather’s test pressing from Third Man Records is one of only 150 available, which may be part of its collectible appeal. Of course, the holes in its sleeve were made by an automatic weapon, the sleeve was signed by the band, and it comes complete with a photo booth strip, invitation and paper bag, according to the seller. It was given away only to invited guests at the Third Man Records opening night in Nashville in March 2009 and was not available for sale, the seller said. Hmmm. Makes us wonder what it’ll be worth in another 20 years!

10. $3,227 — The Fix, “Vengeance” b/w “In This Town” 7-inch single. This original single on the Touch and Go label is, you guessed it: “the ‘holy grail’ of hardcore records!” according to the seller. Since 32 bids passed before the dust settled on this 1981 release, that gives at least a little credence to its holy grail label. Only 200 copies of this record were pressed, according to the seller, and this one, which was purchased at a Fix show in Chicago in 1981, is in Excellent Minus condition. For the cover, there are the usual condition concerns, like minor edge wear and wrinkling. But this beauty boasts something that in any other genre would be considered a disfiguring disadvantage, but in punk is practically a selling point: a tiny faded stain that appears to be blood.

By  Joyce Greenholdt

1. $26,099 — The Beatles, Yesterday And Today

This is a sealed mono “first-state” butcher cover that was pressed in Los Angeles (indicated by the number ‘6’ on the lower-right corner of the back cover). Also included in the sale was the seller’s letter of authenticity and a copy of a letter sent from Capitol Records requesting the return of the original album. The letter indicates this was a review copy.

2. £3,500 (approximately $5,660) — The Beatles, Please Please Me

Another Beatles rarity, this copy of the original U.K. pressing of Please Please Me has the Parlophone name and logo printed in yellow on the black label, with a small “33 1/3” printed on the left side of the label, making this one of the rarer variants.

3. $3,161.11 — Dead Weather, Opening Night test pressing

This is one of 150 copies of a 7-inch, two-song LP given away at the grand opening of Third Man Records in Nashville, Tenn. Band member Dean Fertita signed the cover. The seller also included a copy of the invitation to the event, photos and a guitar pick used by Jack White.

4. $2,601.88 — Billy Byrd, “Silly Kind Of Love” b/w “Lost In The Crowd”

Next up is a northern soul 45 from the ’70s on the Scream label, in EX+++ to NM- condition.

5. $2,499.99 — Conner Cagle & The Bachelors Four, “Always Let Your Good Side Show” b/w “Nobody Wants To See You When You’re Down”

Our final entry is another bit of northern soul, this one on the Sunshine label. The seller notes this copy has a warp but still plays and is otherwise in EX condition. Another EX copy of this single sold for $1,136 in August 2009.

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By Robin Platts

1. $10,226.48 Sex Pistols — “God Save the Queen” b/w “No Feeling(s)”
First up is the ultra-rare A&M Records pressing of the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen,” in EX+ condition. 25,000 of these were reportedly pressed in 1977, but the single was scrapped and most copies destroyed. According to the item’s seller, a few copies were given to retiring A&M execs as golden handshakes in the late ’90s, and this copy was one of them (full provenance provided by the seller).

2. $6,295 Can — Monster Movie
Next up is a prog/psych/Krautrock rarity: This is the original private pressing of Can’s Monster Movie LP, vinyl in near-mint condition, sleeve VG++ to excellent. Pressed in Germany in 1969, on the Music Factory label, it’s one of about 500 copies.

3. $6,149 Walter Wilson — “Love Keeps Me Crying” b/w “Not Now But Later”
Back to northern soul, with a 1967 single by Walter Wilson on the Wand label, in mint-minus condition.

4. $3,751.01 The Misfits — “Horror Business” acetate
Next is an ultra-rare punk single: A near-mint 10-inch acetate of the 1979 “Horror Business” single by The Misfits. The band’s plan to release “Horror Business” in the 10-inch format was scrapped in favour of a 7-inch single and this acetate is reportedly the only 10-inch copy known to exist.

5. $3,652.31 The Factory — “Try A Little Sunshine” b/w “Red Chalk Hill”
We finish up this time with a U.K. psych rarity — an excellent condition CBS demo pressing of “Try A Little Sunshine,” the 1969 single by a Surrey group called the Factory, commercially unsuccessful, but much sought-after by psych buffs.

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