Here is something we’ve never seen, in 45+ years of record collecting–a likely unplayed Stereo first pressing of Bob Dylan’s 1962 debut album, with the ‘six-eye’ Columbia label.  Dylan’s first album sold very poorly on release, especially in Stereo, which had not yet caught on.  Only the earliest pressings had the ‘six-eye’ label, with Columbia coincidentally changing their label design almost immediately after this album’s release.

Adding to its desirability, this copy comes from the collection of the late Theo Bikel, one of Dylan’s earliest supporters, who urged Dylan to travel to the American South to see the Civil Rights struggle up close, and when his manager, Albert Grossman, refused to pay for the trip, Bikel himself bought Dylan an airplane ticket.  Dylan, Bikel, Pete Seeger and The Freedom Singers participated at a voter registration rally in Greenwood, Mississippi, with Dylan performing “Only A Pawn In Their Game.”  Bikel was also an original board member of the Newport Folk Festival, and advised Dylan the day he “went electric” (http://www.providencejournal.com/features/entertainment/music/20141219-bikel-in-new-interview-recalls-advising-dylan-about-going-electric-in-newport.ece).

The disc here is in mint condition, and shows absolutely no sign of play, with no wear and not even a single spindle mark on either label.  The cover, in vg+ condition, has some light wear and Bikel’s white tape label with indexing notations, which he put on all of his records.  The cover has the Numeral 2 on the back right hand corner.

Very likely the cleanest surviving example of this extremely rare album, with exceptional provenance.  Our accompanying letter of authenticity will detail that we acquired this directly from Bikel’s estate.