Vinyl: Bing Crosby – I’ve Got the World on a String – 10” Single-Sided Acetate B-12991-

Up for auction is an extremely rare single-sided 10” acetate test pressing of Bing Crosby’s “I’ve Got the World on a String,” matrix B-12991-B , cut at 78 RPM.

• Artist: Bing Crosby

• Track: I’ve Got the World on a String

• Matrix Number: B-12991-B (hand-etched in runout)

• Format: 10” Acetate / Lacquer Disc (single-sided)

• Speed: 78 RPM

• Label: Plain studio reference label with handwritten details

• Date: Originally recorded 1933 for Brunswick

• Type: Reference / Test Pressing — never intended for sale

💡 Why It Matters:

This is a single-sided acetate, a format used by studios for test evaluation or radio use. Such discs were cut in tiny quantities, often unique or one-of-a-kind. “I’ve Got the World on a String” is one of Crosby’s most iconic early titles, making this piece a museum-level artifact of pre-war American popular music.

🔎 Condition (Visual Grade): VG

• Gloss present, with visible handling marks and scuffs

• Expected surface noise for a 1930s acetate but no skips

• No cracks or warps — plays through cleanly

• Reverse side blank (lacquer base visible)

• Comes in archival protective sleeve

🎶 Collector’s Appeal:

• Rare single-sided acetate test pressing — incredibly scarce.

• Significant early Bing Crosby title tied to his 1930s rise.

• Highly desirable for collectors of Crosby memorabilia, pre-war jazz/pop, and acetate/test pressing