Vinyl Treasures Smash Records at Wessex Auction Blast!

A collection of some of the rarest vinyl records in the world has just been sold for record-breaking prices at an auction in Wiltshire. The auction took place at Wessex Auction Rooms on Friday, and the records came from the collection of the late Tony Calder. Calder was a well-known record manager who worked with legendary musicians such as The Beatles and Rod Stewart. The collection included Billy Nicholls' album Would You Believe from 1968, The Who's The Who Sell Out from 1967, and a special promotional pack of The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers from 1971.

Martin Hughes, the director of the auction house and a vinyl specialist, said it was an honor to be the temporary caretaker of such an important collection. He explained that Tony Calder played a big role in the UK music scene and that these records were a part of music history. The collection was put together by Calder's ex-wife, who kept the records from his time at Immediate Records, an independent music label. Unfortunately, Immediate Records did not last long because of financial problems, but it was known for working with some of the biggest names in music.

The auction saw some incredible prices. Billy Nicholls' Would You Believe sold for £8,060, which is the highest price ever paid for a copy of that album. The Who's The Who Sell Out, which was still unplayed and included an original poster, sold for £1,984, also a record price. A seven-inch single by The Fleu De Lys called Circles sold for £898, another record-breaking amount. The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers promo pack fetched £4,464. Tony Calder, who passed away in 2018, was credited with helping The Beatles get their first hit and later worked with other famous acts like Fleetwood Mac, PP Arnold, and the Small Faces. The auction was a big moment for music fans and collectors, showing how valuable and important these rare records are to music history.