I have come across a collection of records that defy time.

They belonged to a collector who was buying in the mid to late 60's through the 70's and 80's

However his family have said that he didn't own a record player until the mid 80's.

Very strange I know, but what it means is that the early records have in most cases never been played or at the most one play.

Naturally people's tastes in music change and that's why the 80's albums have had more play than the 60's

There are some incredible records in this collection

I aim to release one per day and will list them at 8pm UK time so that they don't get confused with my other listings

I will also be playing each record and recording IT. My very very careful test play will go undetected however

JETHRO TULL - STAND UP

IN MAGNIFICENT 1-2 PLAY NEAR MINT / EX CONDITION

PINK ISLAND (EYE) LABEL

THE VERY 1ST PRESS

 

CATALOGUE:ISLAND ILPS 9103 MATRIX: ILPS 9103 + A / +B 1969 VERY FIRST PRESS

 

THE RECORDS

 

THE LABELS

THE ISLAND ROUGH TEXTURED LABELS ARE IN MAGNIFICENT CONDITION, THE PASTEL  PINK COLOUR IS UNBLEMISHED AND FULLY STRETCHES INTO THE UNWORN SPINDLE HOLE. THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS ALSO CLEAR AND PERFECTLY LEGIBLE, AND  THERE ARE 2-3 TINY SPIDER LINES AROUND EITHER SIDE OF THE SPINDLE HOLE.

HAVING THE EYE LOGO ON THE LABEL GUARANTEES A VERY FIRST PRESS OF THIS CLASSIC ALBUM

THE VINYL

IT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED FACT THAT EARLY ISLAND VINYL WAS POOR QUALITY, AND THUS IT IS REALLY HARD TO FIND A COPY OF ANYTHING FROM THIS AGE THAT DOESN'T HAVE INHERENT VINYL NOISE. THE VINYL HERE LOOKS MAGNIFICENT .IT GLEAMS LIKE A POLISHED MIRROR, AND IN DAYLIGHT LOOKS TO BE FLAWLESS. WHEN PLACED UNDER INTENSE ILLUMINATION IT STILL LOOKS SPOTLESS. NO MARKS OR LINES ANYWHERE, WHICH MAKES THE FEW NOISES THAT IT DOES MAKE WHILST PLAYING ALL THE MORE ANNOYING

THIS IS A ROCK SOLID BARELY FLEXIBLE VERY FIRST  PRESS

PLAYING THE RECORD

THE FIRST THING TO POINT OUT IS THAT THE CLARITY OF REPRODUCTION IS SUPERB. THE CRYSTAL CLEAR INSTRUMENTATION AND VOCALS ARE PURE FIRST PRESS. THERE IS CERTAINLY NO GROOVE WEAR TO THIS RARE RECORDING WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SOME DISTORTION TO THE SOUND. THERE IS NONE.

ISLAND RECORDINGS HAVE LONG BEEN LAMBASTED FOR THE POOR QUALITY OF VINYL USED IN THEIR EARLY LP'S WHICH HAVE OFTEN RESULTED IN UNWANTED VINYL NOISE EVEN WHERE THERE ARE NO MARKS. THERE IS THE BAREST TRACE OF THIS IN THE QUIETEST OF MOMENTS,WHICH IS LIKE A VERY LIGHT STATIC, AND ACTUALLY I HEAR IT ONLY BECAUSE I SIT NO MORE THAN 18 INCHES FROM MY SPEAKERS AS I TYPE THIS OUT, MOVING TO NORMAL LISTENING DISTANCE AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THIS IS ELIMINATED, BUT AGAIN THIS IS ONLY DUE TO THE VINYL USED AND NOT ANY MAN MADE ISSUE.

THERE IS A LITTLE EMBEDDED VINYL NOISE IN THE LAST TRACK SIDE TWO

A FEW TINY ROTATIONAL TICKS IN TRACK THREE 

AND A FEW RANDOM POPS DURING THE PLAYTHROUGH

I AM VERY HAPPY TO GRADE THE PLAYTHROUGH NEAR MINT / EX

 

 

 

 

THE SLEEVE

 

NON LAMINATED POP UP SLEEVE

THE FRONT SURFACE IS CLEAN AND HAS NO MARKS OR STAINS ON IT WHATSOEVER. THERE ARE NO HEAVY CREASES NOR ARE THERE ANY CREASE LINES EITHER.

ALL OF THE DELICATE COLOURS HAVE BEEN RETAINED AND THERE IS NO RUBBING OR SHELF WEAR, AND NO RING WEAR OR EVEN RECORD SHAPE.

THE FOUR CORNERS ARE STILL SQUARE WITH A PIN PRICK OF RUB ON THE RIGHT TWO

THERE ARE JUST TWO INVISIBLE AND TINY PRESSURE LINES BY THE SPINE

NONE ON THE TOP EDGE, NONE ON THE BOTTOM EDGE, AND NO THUMB LINES NEAR THE OPENING EDGE

THE TOP EDGES ARE IN PRISTINE UNRUBBED CONDITION

THE BOTTOM EDGES HAVE VERY LIGHT SHELF RUB AT THE RIGHT CORNER TIPS

THE SPINE IS UNWORN AND ALL OF THE BLACK TYPEFACE IS PERFECTLY LEGIBLE. IT IS ALSO PERFECTLY FLAT AND UNSQUASHED

THE OPENING EDGE IS RAZOR SHARP AND UNBLEMISHED AND SHOWS WHY THIS LP HAS BARELY BEEN PLAYED.

THE REAR SURFACE DOES HAVE SOME VERY LIGHT SIGNS OF HANDLING TO THE WHITE SURFACE ON THE EDGES 

OPENING THE GATEFOLD REVEALS A PRISTINE INTERIOR PAIR OF PANELS WITH A MINT POP UP SECTION OF THE BAND. THE POP UP HAS NO BENDS OR CREASES TO ANY OF THE ARMS

THE CORRECT INNER SLEEVE IS INCLUDED AND IS IN NEAR MINT CONDITION, BARELY A CREASE LINE AND 100% UNSPLIT

THE SLEEVE  GRADES NEAR MINT

 

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BID IF YOU CHOSE TO GO FOR IT

GARRY