Mastering reference tapes of Prince's debut album, recorded in Sausalito, are currently up for auction.
Nate D. Sanders Auctions is offering two reel-to-reel tapes featuring songs from 1978's For You album recorded between October and December 1977 at the Record Plant, the now defunct studio where bands like Journey, Fleetwood Mac, Metallica and Santana have laid down legendary works.
The album clocks in at just over 33 minutes, includes singles "Soft and Wet" and "Just as Long as We're Together" and features Prince singing and playing a multitude of instruments, including electric and acoustic guitar, waterdrums, orchestral bells, singing bass, clavinet and a wide array of pianos.
According to Prince Vault, the Record Plant album sessions cost $170,000, which was most of the $180,000 Warner Brothers had given Prince to record his first three albums.
The item description posits that only five copies of the tapes were likely made. The minimum bid was $1,000 and appears to be currently holding at $1,210. Five percent of the proceeds will be donated to charity.
Late Wednesday, it is the only item that has any bidders in an auction of Prince-related memorabilia, much of it belonging to his ex-wife Mayte Garcia. Other items on the block include their wedding china, several outfits worn by Prince on stage, and his old 1959 Gibson L-Series guitar.
The auction closes at 5 p.m. PST on Friday.
