Black Sabbath Master Of Reality Vertigo Box LP + Poster

	£		71
	$		94

On offer here is the very rare original UK Vertigo Spiral pressing of Black Sabbath's 'Master Of Reality', in the box sleeve and complete with the spiral inner sleeve and ultra rare poster.

Released on Vertigo records in 1971, the catalogue number is 6360 050 and the matrix numbers are 6360050 1Y//1 and 6360050 2Y//1, which, along with the presence of the poster, confirms that this is the first pressing.

The fully laminated box sleeve is in generally excellent condition and still retains most of it's box shape (so many of these ended up completely flat and split), as I hope the photos below will demonstrate. There are the usual small areas or unavoidable laminate stretching/lifting around some of the embossed lettering, as well as a small amount of wear at 3 of the corners and a crease or two, but this sleeve has held up incredibly well considering how old it is and how many you find completely ruined.

The Vertigo spiral inner sleeve is the correct one specific to this pressing, with the inverted colouring, and is in very good condition. It shows signs of it's age, with a couple of small creases and tears around the centre which are visible in the pictures, and with 2 minor splits along one side. I have placed the record in a Nagaoka anti static inner sleeve inside the Vertigo inner in order to prevent and further damage.

The labels are in excellent condition overall, with absolutely no writing of any kind (do you remember taking your records to parties and having your name on them for identification purposes the next morning...?), just the usual spindle 'spider' lines from locating the spindle on the record player.

The vinyl playing surface is, again, in excellent conditon, with a few hairlines visible under bright light but no scratches at all, and it sounds absolutely superb. I have play graded this album using a Linn LP12 and grade it audibly as excellent, also, with a crisp and powerful sound with just some minor background crackles in some of the quiet passages (not that there are many of them!).

The poster was wall mounted by the previous owner and, unfortunately, they chose to neatly cut the corners to get rid of the tape used, but, other than these neatly clipped corners, it is in excellent condition and looks absolutely superb, as I hope the picture shows.

Overall, then, it is graded:

Sleeve: VG+/Ex-

Inner sleeve: VG

Labels: Ex

Vinyl: VG+/Ex-

Poster: VG

A superb album, in excellent overall condition and complete with the very hard to find poster, I'm starting this low and with no reserve, so a chance for bargain for someone!

The pictures below are of the actual item for sale.

Please could all overseas bidders contact me for airmail shipping prices BEFORE bidding, and understand that any customs charges are the responsibility of the winner of the auction to pay.

Please feel free to email me if you need more information, and please check my feedback and bid with confidence - I describe honestly (some would say harshly, as I prefer to err on the side of caution) and pack meticulously so the item will arrive with you in exactly the same condition it leaves me. I'm also very happy for items to be collected in person if you're able to.

No bidders with negative feedback please, and could all bidders with a feedback of less than 10 please contact me before bidding or risk having your bid cancelled. All overseas bidders MUST pay via Paypal - I will not accept any other type of payment from overseas buyers, and please don't bother me with the 'I will pay you 10x the amount via cheque and get my representative to pick up the item' scams.

Thanks for looking and happy bidding,

Chris.