




Ralph McTell - Not Till Tomorrow Apple Records Acetate (2nd Cut)
Ralph McTell – Not Till Tomorrow Apple Records Acetate (2nd Cut)
An original Apple Records lacquer acetate of Ralph McTell's 1972 album Not Till Tomorrow, housed in its original plain studio sleeve and annotated in red ink “Ralph McTell – 2nd Cut.” The blank centre label is further handwritten “Side One - 1st Cut,” offering an insight into the album's mastering and production process.
Released on Apple Records in 1972, Not Till Tomorrow arrived at the height of McTell's commercial success following the enduring popularity of “Streets of London.” Produced during his tenure with Apple, the album further established McTell as one of Britain's leading folk singer-songwriters and remains one of the label's most admired non-Beatles releases.
Unlike commercial records, acetates were individually cut in extremely limited numbers for artists, producers and engineers to evaluate recordings before final production. Their lacquer coating made them inherently fragile and never intended for public sale, making surviving examples exceptionally rare.
This acetate carries outstanding provenance. According to the consignor, his late father-in-law worked as caretaker at a block of flats in Courtfield Gardens, Kensington, where Tony Visconti and Mary Hopkin maintained a flat that was occasionally used as a recording space. The acetate was reportedly recovered after being discarded, remaining in the family's possession ever since.
The acetate has been auditioned and confirmed to contain Ralph McTell's Not Till Tomorrow.
Key Details & Collectability
- Original Apple Records lacquer acetate
- Contains Ralph McTell - Not Till Tomorrow
- Original studio sleeve hand-annotated “Ralph McTell – 2nd Cut”
- Blank centre label handwritten “Side One – 1st Cut”
- Original annotated mastering sleeve with matrix reference 1644210 A/B ÷ 2
- Direct family provenance from the former Courtfield Gardens recording premises associated with Tony Visconti and Mary Hopkin
- Rare production-stage artefact from the Apple Records era, never intended for commercial release
Pairs well with
Provenance
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