I will declare a lower amount on the customs form for all countries so as to avoid/decrease high import charges.  However, in the case of the EU all purchases are subject to VAT which eBay collect at point of sale.  No shipping to Russia currently.

ELP Emerson, Lake & Palmer : Pictures At An Exhibition A-1U / B-1U 1st Press

This first pressing plays with incredible audio and is almost 'as new' all the way through.  The clarity is exceptional and the power is just off the scale!  The only 'intrusion' are a couple of light statics moments on one S2 intro and that is the only background.  This is also from the same collection I purchased recently where the owner looked after his records so well and this one is no exception!  The vinyl is visually stunning with no spindle wear and can hardly have been played, if at all!

The same applies to the cover which has also been so well preserved.  It is still so strong and robust and has only minimal rubbing on one bottom edge.  It really is in remarkable condition.  I doubt if the inner sleeve is the original but it is nonetheless in great condition.

This first pressing has the pink 'i' labels and no Island Records credit on the labels either.  It has the A-1U / B-1U matrix with the PORKY / PECKO etched on the runs offs.  This relates to George Peckham, who IS the the most famous cutting / mastering engineer of them all!  His 'cuts' are known for their sonic quality and are always very collectable.

HELP 1  A-1U  L 1  PORKY (etched)   /   HELP 1  B-1U  RD 1  PECKO (etched)

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T3 intro Near Mint-)

The gatefold is is Near Mint-

The inner sleeve is Ex+

The labels are Mint-

Visual description

The vinyl is in lovely condition and still has a fine glossy sheen with no marks or scratches.  Under a strong bright light I can only see a handful of ultra faint hairlines and there is nothing that stands out.  There is no groove or surface wear and the run out grooves are very clean also.  The pink 'i' Island labels are practically 'as new' with only a couple of tiny specks on the S2 label and they have no spindle wear.  It is worth mentioning that the vinyl has a minor 'bowl' affect but you only notice it when you play S2 and it has no impact on the stylus or audio.

Play grading

The spoken / audience intro has no background and then 'Promenade' plays with exceptional power and depth.  Turn it loud I have never heard a pipe organ play so well on an album!!  A Mint start.

'The Gnome' plays with stunning quality also and even the brief silences have not so much as a dust tick.  Once again the depth and resonance of the audio is mind-blowing!  It has that CD like aesthetic quality but with the warmth and depth you only find on vinyl.  Mint

The very quiet organ intro on the next 'Promenade' is 'as new' and Lake's vocal is equal to that.  Incredible really when you consider how quiet the majority of this track is. So clean and precise from start to finish.  Mint

I do not want to labour a point but 'The Sage' is 'as new' with no background of any kind.  A very gentle acoustic number it plays beautifully through every vocal and instrumental section.  100% Mint

'The Old Castle' and 'Blues Variation' end S1 with sublime power and definition.  Again.  There is no distortion and both instrumentals could not play any better.  Another easy grade, Mint and that includes the long quiet fade out.

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The third 'Promenade' plays perfectly with zero intrusion and 'The Hut Of Baba Yaga' then plays so dynamically with no distortion and of course no interference.  Mint

The intro on 'The Curse Of Baba Yaga' does have a couple of light static 'moments' but there are no ticks, clicks or pops.  As the volume increases the playback is faultless and it proceeds in the same way.  It's loud and yet the audio does not suffer for it and Lake's vocal is very strong and clear.  I'll grade the intro as Near Mint- but the rest is undoubtedly Mint

Another '...Hut Of Baba Yaga' which happens to play perfectly, it grades as Mint, and then the opening vocal on 'The Great Gates Of Kiev' has no background either.  The following quiet passage plays with sublime clarity as does the second vocal.  It continues to play with real quality and the very quiet mid instrumental is a prime example of that.  Incredible clarity!  It then builds with superb power and depth and the remainder is of the same high end standard.  A STUNNING Mint version.

After a very loud and raucous audience reaction 'Nut Rocker' ends this fine album with stunning precision from start to finish.  There is no inner groove distortion and the sound quality could not be any stronger.  Tremendous work from Palmer and Emerson here.  A Mint conclusion.

The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve

The cover is in superb condition with hardly any wear.  Only the bottom edge of the back cover has a little rubbing towards the right corner, the others are pristine.  The wide spine is also in fantastic shape with no real wear and the corners are near perfect, a couple of tiny 'rubs' that is all.  The opening edge is very clean with just one minor rub and the front cover is immaculate with no marking and the back cover is just as impressive.  The inside of the gatefold cannot be faulted either, it is stunning.  A superb cover that deserves to be graded as Near Mint-

The plain white die-cut inner has no side splits or tears, barely any marking and only a little creasing.

Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT-VM95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine

HELP 1  A-1U  L 1  PORKY (etched)   /   HELP 1  B-1U  RD 1  PECKO (etched)

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

Recent Feedback

Postage & Packaging

I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping.  This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage.  The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered.  Any over-payment will always be refunded.

The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD).  An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known.  Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing.  Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.  Many thanks.

All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection.  They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection.  I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.

The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each.  There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up!  Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!

UK Postage Rates (First Class Recorded - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £6.50 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item 

EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £13.95 then £2.00 per extra

USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £22.95 then £2.50 per extra 

REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)  

LPs/12" singles : £21.95 then £2.50 per extra

If you are not entirely happy with your purchase please contact me before leaving feedback and I will always resolve any issue, 100% guaranteed.  If you would prefer to send the item back I will also pay the return shipping cost if I am at fault, I am only human after all!!