Johannes Brahms – Quartet No. 1 In G Minor For Piano And Strings, Op. 25

About this record

Columbia Odyssey's 1978 US demonstration promo of Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 carries white labels with black text and the words DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE across the top, and a gold promo stamp on the back cover sets it apart from the retail copy. Catalogue number Y 34638 is the identifier to match against the label, and the runout inscriptions XAX 1, XAX 2, XAX 1-2 A and XAX 2-2 A are the marks to confirm it is this promo cut rather than a store release.

Rudolf Serkin and the Busch Quartet are the performers credited on the sleeve data.

What drives its value

The price guide places this promo across a wide band, from 12.85 USD for an M copy down to 0.68 USD for a P copy, with VG+ at 8.79 USD and VG at 6.09 USD. The current market snapshot lists 3 copies for sale, with the lowest asking price at 3.15 USD.

Community data shows 11 owners and 1 collector wanting a copy, which suggests supply and demand are both thin for this specific item. Because the release notes tie it to a promotional white-label run rather than a commercial issue, its value rests on being a genuine promo copy with the stamp and labels intact.

No other pressings are listed in the input, so there is no comparison to draw against an original or reissue. Buyers should treat the 3 listings as a narrow sample and check whether each seller's copy matches the printed label and stamp details before paying near the top of the range.

How to appraise this pressing

Confirm the pressing first: the label should be Columbia Odyssey, the catalogue number should read Y 34638, and the white labels should carry black text with DEMONSTRATION NOT FOR SALE at the top. Check the back cover for the gold promo stamp, which the release notes describe as a defining feature.

Next, read the dead wax against the recorded runouts XAX 1, XAX 2, XAX 1-2 A and XAX 2-2 A on each side. The input does not supply a pressing plant code, so do not rely on one; match the runouts and label printing instead.

Grade the record on the standard M, NM, VG+, VG, G+, G, F, P scale, judging the vinyl, sleeve and labels separately, since the white labels and stamp can show wear independently of the disc.

Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.