Beatles - Set of Two Japanese RED VINYL Singles – RARE...

A highly collectible set of two scarce Japanese Beatles 7-inch singles, both issued on the early Apple / Toshiba Musical Industries label and both pressed on the striking translucent RED VINYL for which vintage Japanese Beatles records are so highly regarded. These are not the original 1965 Odeon-label releases. They belong to the early Apple reissue period, after Toshiba transferred the Beatles catalogue from Odeon to Apple and changed the catalogue prefixes from OR to AR. Early Apple copies carrying the Toshiba Musical Industries credit are a distinct collecting area in their own right, and the red-vinyl variants are considerably less frequently encountered than standard black-vinyl copies. Both examples also retain their distinctive original Japanese fold-open picture / lyric sleeves, with ¥400 pricing and unique Japanese artwork. 1. The Beatles – Help! / I’m Down – Apple AR-1412 An early Japanese Apple issue of one of the Beatles’ defining 1965 singles, pairing Lennon’s urgent “Help!” with McCartney’s explosive rock-and-roll B-side “I’m Down.” The original Japanese edition first appeared on Odeon in 1965. The AR-1412 Apple ¥400 version dates from the early 1970s, with specialist Japanese discographies placing the H ¥400 Apple issue around 1971. It uses the early Toshiba Musical Industries Apple label and retains the striking Japanese picture sleeve featuring all four Beatles. Sleeve: VG+ The original Japanese fold-open picture sleeve remains a solid VG+, showing normal light age and handling wear while retaining very attractive colour and presentation. Vinyl: NM The translucent red vinyl is in outstanding Near Mint condition, with excellent original gloss and extremely little evidence of previous use. A particularly strong example. 2. The Beatles – Act Naturally / Yesterday – Apple AR-1437 A very attractive Japanese Apple red-vinyl issue coupling Ringo Starr’s “Act Naturally” with Paul McCartney’s timeless “Yesterday.” The AR-1437 H ¥400 red-vinyl pressing is documented as an early 1971 Apple issue, using the dark-green early Apple label and Toshiba Musical Industries credits. It was issued in both black and red vinyl, with the red version representing the much more appealing collector variation. The Japanese sleeve is particularly memorable, showing the Beatles in their Help!-era winter clothing with bold yellow Japanese typography. Sleeve: VG+ The original Japanese fold-open picture/lyric sleeve remains in VG+ condition, with light age-related handling but a strong overall appearance. Vinyl: EX The translucent red vinyl remains in Excellent condition, retaining strong gloss with only very light superficial signs of previous handling or play.

Estimate:$34.81

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