Description 78RPM ORIGINAL The Masked Marvel Screamin’ And Hollerin’ The Blues/Mississippi Boweavil Blues Paramount 12805 This copy - found only yesterday at a Virginia house sale - becomes, according to very reliable sources, the 13th known copy. The last copy offered on eBay was in 2012. That it is credited to “The Masked Marvel” rather than Charlie Patton means, of course, that it comes from the original pressing(s), and is generally regarded as “less rare” than copies under Charlie’s name, but at 13 known copies, that’s relative at best! I am grading it as “G” using the VJM code { G = very high surface noise; difficult to listen properly} Caveat Emptor; the surface noise is very high, largely from intense steel needle wear and surface scratches, but it plays through without skipping or sticking on both a Califone 1430K and a Garrard 640S. There are no cracks, gouges, rim chips or other damage other than around the spindle holes as shown. If you possess high end equipment, you may well be able to draw more from it than I can. The accompanying photographs are of the labels from the copy offered, and you can see that though there is damage, they are both still readable. I wish I could offer it with a Paramount sleeve, but I cannot. It will be delivered in a decent replacement sleeve. Shipping fees for this item have been waved, worldwide, so that the price you pay will be just that, without added shipping costs. I pack very carefully, and this one will arrive in a sturdy, oversized box; within the USA, I will send it either FedEx or UPS (your choice); overseas via airmail. I ONLY ACCEPT PAYPAL AND DO NOT LOAD EXTRA CHARGES FOR USING IT - I ABSORB THAT COST. I WILL, HOWEVER, ASK THE WINNING BIDDER TO SEND THE MONEY VIA THE “FRIENDS & FAMILY” OPTION FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. THIS WILL NOT INVOLVE YOU IN ANY EXTRA CHARGES For the few who may not know, here’s the background to the Masked Marvel saga. “On 14 June 1929 Charlie Patton recorded fourteen titles, a production which almost filled the entire day’s recording quantum. Walter Hawkins recorded an additional four songs. The first songs Patton recorded were ones he already had been playing over the last nineteen years: “Mississippi Bowevil Blues”, “Over The Sea Blues” (issued as “Down The Dirt Road Blues”), “Banty Rooster Blues” and his signature song, “Pony Blues”. The latter two songs were his first to be issued on Pm 12792 by late July, only a month after the metal masters had been shipped to Port Washington, on 29 June. Within six weeks Patton turned out to be a major selling artist for the NYRL, as his second record became part of a record contest, which listed Patton as “The Masked Marvel”. An indication for an expected big seller may be the ten thousand blank entries that were ordered for printing on 24 August 1929 at the local printer (possibly The Port Washington Herald newspaper, which also printed occasional orders for Paramount record labels) by the NYRL. The ten thousand blank contest entries were stuffed with the record sleeves, indicating a first pressing of the record of at least that same amount. Another seven thousand pinkish-coloured posters were sent to Paramount Records Dealers all over the country, showing a masked face similar to that of Charlie Patton’s portrait, asking for the Masked Marvel’s identity. Anyone who knew the right answer had to fill in such an entry and if correct could pick a record of free choice at their record dealer or send a coupon to the NYRL’s 12 Paramount Building address in Port Washington. The NYRL had held contests like these for Ma Rainey and must have felt that with Patton they had something. Surely Art Laibly, NYRL recording director and sales manager, had been waiting for this to happen, since he could not produce another big selling artist after the discovery of Blind Lemon Jefferson. The record contest was shown in the Chicago Defender of 7 and 14 September. The contest closed on 15 October. According to researcher Gayle Dean Wardlow the NYRL pressed such an amount of the Patton records because “Pony Blues” had sold so well, as had the Elder J.J. Hadley record on Pm 12799. Pressings of Pm 12805 exist with Patton’s name on the label instead of “The Masked Marvel”, indicating that Pm 12805 surpassed the ten thousand copies that were initially pressed” – Alex van der Tuuk, noted Paramount expert Please feel free to ask any questions before bidding – I will answer promptly. 40 years of experience in packing and shipping 78’s. Check my feedback!