When I was a student at UCRiverside in 1967, and doing all the electronic maintenance in the music department, I ran across the DGG ARCHIV classical catalog. The faculty member in charge of the library (Edward H. Clinkscale, surely a suspect name for a music professor!) had purchased almost the entire line, hundreds of flawless recordings of music from many different centuries.

I fell in love with Bach's B Minor Mass. First, it came in a cloth-bound cover almost an inch thick. Second, the music is astounding and the performances are better than astounding. Third, there are three LPs to this set and about two hours of music. I soon had bought my own.

This was what I wore out.

A few years later, after I installed a set of Rogersound speakers at the iconic Hollywood Tower Records, the manager (Charlie) told me I could have whatever "record" I wanted. Mine actually was worn out, so I asked for that. Despite its being three records with a retail near $30, he agreed. I still have that copy, and in fact also its reissue on CD.

Here's what the package looked like: