Duophonic Reissue Appraisal

This Is Dean Martin! Vinyl LP (Duophonic Reissue)

This is a 12-inch vinyl long-play (LP) record album titled 'This Is Dean Martin!' released by Capitol Records. The cover art features a large, close-up photographic portrait of a smiling Dean Martin in a brown suit and tie against a dark, moody background. Notable markings include the 'Capitol Records High Fidelity Recording' starburst logo on the right and the 'DUOPHONIC' banner across the top, indicating this is a fake-stereo reissue of the original mono recordings typical of the early 1960s. The tracklist is prominently printed under the title, including hits like 'Volare' and 'Return to Me'. In terms of condition, the jacket shows significant shelf wear, particularly visible along the spine and edges. There is a noticeable circular mark or adhesive residue on the center of Dean Martin's forehead, along with small white scuffs and ring wear across the dark parts of the cover. Light yellowing or foxing is visible on the white border, consistent with paper aging from the mid-20th century. The catalog number 'DT 1047' is visible in the upper right corner, confirming its status as a Duophonic pressing. This specific version represents the music industry's transition period where mono tracks were electronically reprocessed to appeal to the growing stereo market of the 1960s.