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Shirley & Dolly Collins : Love, Death & The Lady A1/B1 1st Press 1970 No EMI

This relatively rare first pressing plays with stunning audio for the vast majority with a clarity that is so impressive for such a quiet album - there is no background static getting in the way of the audio.  There are only 6/7 isolated clicks but as detailed below they are not loud - the playback is extremely clean throughout.  The vinyl is also very impressive visually with no marks or scratches.

The laminated G&L cover is in great condition with only minimal wear and the inner sleeve is also in superb shape.

This is one of the earliest first pressings to have been produced as it has an R stamper on S1 and G stamper on S2.  This album obviously wasn't made in vast numbers and there cannot be many around as 'clean' as this!

As this is a geuine first press there is no EMI logo on the labels and has 'The Gramophone Co. Ltd...' around the rim of the labels and 'Made In Great Britain' at the foot of each label.

SHVL 771 // A - 1 / B - 1 // R 1 / G 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2, T3 & T4 Near Mint)

The audio S2 is Mint(-) for the majority (T1 & T5 Ex+ / T4 & T6 Near Mint)

The gatefold is a very strong Ex

The Harvest labels are Near Mint

The 'Plastic Bags...' inner sleeve is Near Mint-

Visual description

The vinyl is in lovely condition with a very impressive glossy sheen and there are no marks or scratches.  All I can find under a strong light are some faint hairlines which you would expect on a vinyl of this age.  The run out grooves have only minimal marking and the yellow/green Harvest labels are close to perfect with only a couple of faint spindle traces on each.

Play grading

The gentle piano intro on 'Death And The Lady' plays beautifully with no intrusion and Collins' opening vocal is just as clean.  It continues to play with sensational clarity and from start to finish I only detected 3/4 barely audible dust ticks that's how clear and precise the audio is.  Only accompanied by a piano of course this is such a quiet track and yet there is no background static and I could not even hear the stylus running over the grooves.  A stunning Mint start to the album.

'Glenlogie' is very close to Mint and plays with sublime quality throughout.  I heard just one light click and one minor tick so will grade as Near Mint accordingly.  Still no static.

The vocal only 'The Oxford Girl' again impresses on so many levels and is nigh on perfect apart from one light static click.  Once again though it's the total lack of any other 'background' that stands out, the clarity of sound is superb. Near Mint

'Are You Going To Leave Me?' plays to the same standard with barely any intrusion.  No static just one light click and 3/4 barely audible ticks near the beginning.  Another Near Mint track but again the vast majority is much better than that!

'The Outlandish Knight' plays with sublime quality and there is no interference of any kind.  This album is 53 years old this year and yet the audio is unbelievably clean and 'fresh' sounding.  'As new' is a correct description and Mint is very much deserved here.

'Go From My Window' plays with exceptional clarity (again!) with only a couple of insignificant light ticks.  Mint-

The final track on the side 'Young Girl Cut Down In Her Prime' once more shows how infrequently this vinyl has been played and is 'as new' from start to finish with no 'background' of any kind.  The vocals are faultless and the instrumentation is equally as impressive.  Even the fade out has no dust ticks etc!  This is Mint every day of the week.

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The intro on 'Geordie' plays without interference and Collins' opening vocal has just the one very light click.  From then on it plays so clearly with just one click just after the mid instrumental.  Apart from the two clicks there is no other intrusion on the audio and I think Ex+ is a fair assessment of the audio overall.

'Salisbury Plain' plays beautifully with only a couple of barely audible dust ticks.  This is easily a Mint- track.

A little more up-tempo with 'Fair Maid Of Islington' and it plays with exceptional audio with no sign of any interference. Mint

'Six Dukes' is close to this with just one light click during the third verse but aside from that plays without fault. 'Took out his bowels...' - what a line!  Near Mint

'Polly On The Shore' is very similar to this as there is one click and a handful of mega light ticks.  As I often say I only mention these kind of ticks because I list all 'background' even if totally non-intrusive which this is.  Ex+ is fair here even though 98% to 99% is better than that!

The intro on 'Plains Of Waterloo' plays with incredible clarity and the first vocal is just as good.  This 8 minute track then plays with great precision with barely any 'background'.  I heard just two light ticks which are not intrusive and a small number of dust ticks.  This is Near Mint at the very least.  A fine end to the album.

In summary this first pressing plays with superb audio and with very little intrusion.  There are 6/7 isolated clicks but none that are overly loud and apart from that the clarity is stunning!  For such a 'sparse' album as this with very little musical accompaniment I think that is very impressive.  There cannot be many versions of this album that play with no static and the vast majority does indeed play with remarkable clarity and precision.  Not my usual type of sale but this is certainly an album that impresses on many different levels.

The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve

The Patents pending G&L laminated cover is in lovely condition with very little shelf wear.  The edges have no marking and the spine has been preserved so well with only the bare minimum of compression.  The corners are in great shape and the opening edge has only minimal handling wear.  The front cover is very clean overall with just one small mark near the spine, a handful of very faint spots which the photos probably won't even pick up and some very light fading near the top edge.  The back cover is in fantastic condition with no obvious wear, just a hint of minor fading near the bottom edge again.  The inside of the gatefold is close to perfect with only a couple of very faint spots.  A great cover for over 52 years old!

The poly-lined 'Plastic Bags...' inner has no side splits or tears, no marking and very little creasing, a superb example!  It is dated 0671 so I'm not sure if this originally came with the LP.

Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

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

SHVL 771 // A - 1 / B - 1 // R 1 / G 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.

THE ROYAL MAIL ONLY INSURE ITEMS UP TO THE VALUE OF £250 SO IF AN ITEM SELLS FOR MORE A COURIER SERVICE MAY BE USED (e.g. Parcelforce, DPD).  AN EXTRA INSURANCE PREMIUM WILL BE REQUIRED BUT I WILL NOT KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT UNTIL THE FINAL SALE PRICE IS KNOWN.  HOWEVER, SOMETIMES I WILL ESTIMATE A COST AND THIS WILL BE STATED IN THE LISTING.  PLEASE WAIT FOR THE INVOICE BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GET IN TOUCH.  MANY THANKS.

ALL VINYLS ARE PACKAGED IN STRONG CUSTOM MADE OVER-SIZED MAILERS WITH EXTRA CARDBOARD PROTECTION. THEY ARE PUT IN SEPARATE POLY-LINED INNERS OUTSIDE OF THE COVER SO AS TO AVOID SEAM SPLITS. THEY ARE ALSO PLACED INSIDE A PVC SLEEVE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PROTECTION. I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY HIGH QUALITY PACKAGING AS MY FEEDBACK TESTIFIES AND IF ANY CUSTOMER HAS ANY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS I WILL ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO HELP.

I ONLY USE HIGH QUALITY MAILERS AND THESE COST ME £1.00 EACH. I WILL OFTEN USE 3 OR 4 CARDBOARD STIFFENERS AND THESE COST AT LEAST £0.15 EACH AND THEN THERE IS THE COST OF THE POLY-LINED INNER AND PVC SLEEVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. IT ALL ADDS UP! NOT FORGETTING EBAY TAKING 10% OF THE SHIPPING FEE ALSO!!

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

LPs/12" singles : £5.95 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item 

EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £17.45 then £2.00 per extra 

REST OF WORLD (Tracked - Max 2kg)  

LPs/12" singles : £25.95 then £2.50 per extra

I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AFTER PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE, NONE OF THIS WAITING BEFORE I RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM YOU - I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN MY LISTINGS!  IF YOU ARE NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH YOUR PURCHASE PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE LEAVING FEEDBACK AND I WILL ALWAYS RESOLVE ANY PROBLEM, 100% GUARANTEED.  IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO SEND THE ITEM BACK I WILL OF COURSE OF COURSE PAY THE RETURN SHIPPING COST IF I AM AT FAULT.  I AM ONLY HUMAN AFTER ALL!