Golden Years Album Appraisal

Billie Holiday: The Golden Years Album

This item is a vintage vinyl record album, specifically 'The Golden Years' by Billie Holiday, released on the CBS 'eye' label. The album cover features a large black-and-white (or sepia-toned) image of a young Billie Holiday on the left, smiling, rendered in a purplish tint. To the right, the album title 'BILLIE HOLIDAY' is prominently displayed vertically in bold white letters against a light background, with 'THE GOLDEN YEARS' in a contrasting orange/gold typography below it. Further to the right, there are two smaller, black-and-white photographic insets of Billie Holiday, likely from different periods. A detailed text block lists numerous 'Featuring' artists, indicating a compilation or collaboration, including names like Red Allen, Buster Bailey, Bunny Berigan, Chu Berry, Joe Bushkin, Harry Carney, Al Casey, Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Teddy Wilson, Lester Young, and 'THE ENTIRE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA'. The album cover exhibits significant wear consistent with its age and frequent handling. Visible condition issues include heavy edge wear, particularly along the bottom and corners, with fraying and loss of cardboard material. There are also creases and surface scuffs across the front cover. The 'CBS' 'eye' logo is clearly visible in the top left corner. The overall aesthetic suggests a release from the mid-20th century, likely from the 1950s or 1960s, a common period for compilation albums of jazz artists. The craftsmanship is typical of mass-produced vinyl record jackets of the era, made from printed cardboard.