Porgy And Bess Vol. 1

by George Gershwin · 1959

16 pressings6 countriesSoundtrackClassicalStage & Screen

Porgy And Bess Vol. 1 was first pressed on vinyl in 1959. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.

How to spot a first pressing of Porgy And Bess Vol. 1

1 pressing came out in 1959, the album's first year. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.

Germany

August 1959

Label and catalog number

Philips 429 642 BE

Format

7", EP, 45 RPM

Runout / matrix

C6 AA 429642Δ 1E=1//670 II C Made in GermanyLabel Side A

C6 AA 429642Δ 2E=1//670 II C 429642 BE Made in GermanyLabel Side B

Full details of this pressing

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 16 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1950s1 pressing

Year	Country	Label and catalog number	Format
1959	Germany	Philips 429 642 BEFirst year7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM

1960s3 pressings

Year	Country	Label and catalog number	Format
1960	Netherlands	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
1963	Netherlands	CBS EP 5.5177", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
1967	Netherlands	CBS EP 5.5177", 45 RPM, EP	7", 45 RPM, EP

Year unknown12 pressings

Year	Country	Label and catalog number	Format
?	Europe	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Europe	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Germany	CBS EP 55177", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Germany	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Germany	Philips 429 642 BE7", 45 RPM, Single, Mono · Mono	7", 45 RPM, Single, Mono · Mono
?	Netherlands	Philips 760 305 BV7", 45 RPM, EP, Stereo	7", 45 RPM, EP, Stereo
?	Netherlands	CBS CG 285.517 / CBS CBS CG 285.5177", 45 RPM	7", 45 RPM
?	Norway	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Scandinavia	Philips 429 642 BE7", 45 RPM, EP	7", 45 RPM, EP
?	Sweden	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Sweden	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM
?	Sweden	Philips 429 642 BE7", EP, 45 RPM	7", EP, 45 RPM

Tracklist

A1Summertime
A2I Loves You, Porgy
B1There's A Boat That's Leavin' Soon For New York
B2Oh, Where's My Bess?

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of Porgy And Bess Vol. 1 are there?

16 vinyl pressings of Porgy And Bess Vol. 1 are listed here, from 6 countries, released between 1959 and 1967.

When was Porgy And Bess Vol. 1 first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1959, in Germany. One of them is Philips 429 642 BE, released August 1959.

How do I tell if my copy of Porgy And Bess Vol. 1 is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use 429 642 BE) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, C6 AA 429642Δ 1E=1//670 II C Made in Germany and C6 AA 429642Δ 2E=1//670 II C 429642 BE Made in Germany. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is Porgy And Bess Vol. 1 on vinyl worth?

It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.

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