DULCIMER And I turned As I Had Turned As A Boy 1971 UK NEPENTHA 1st press SUPERB

	£		284
	$		376

DULCIMER - AND I TURNED AS I HAD TURNED AS A BOY

Increasingly rare & highly sought after truly excellent plus condition copy of this 1971 UK 1st press 12" LP folk/prog gem, on the UK NEPENTHA label, STEREO, 6437003

Matrix Numbers : Side 1   6437003  6310003 (etched) NEPS 900 1Y//1 420 1 1 2 

 Side 2  6437003  6310003 (etched) NEPS 900 2Y//1 420 1 1 3 

Both sides of the flat and nicely weighted vinyl gleam with the original jet black lacquered sheen, and appear to be in virtually unmarked condition. It is only with close inspection under a bright light that it is just possible to detect the odd very wispy hairline (there is a 1.5cm hairline on the first track of side 2 which is slightly more prominent but still only identifiable when the record is tilted at an angle in a good light) and the occasional extremely light paper scuff...each very trivial, strictly surface only, non-feelable and not impinging upon the brilliant STEREO audio quality at all. Clearly this record has been sparingly played and well looked after and I have no hesitation in grading the appearance and quality of the vinyl as a solid EXCELLENT (EX)...probably excellent plus, actually.

The condition of each of the labels is EXCELLENT PLUS (EX+). Beautiful condition...side 2 is pristine and the only "blemish" that prevents me from similarly describing the side 1 label are three very, very light spindle trails - only visible under a bright light.

The condition of the gorgeous Linda Glover designed non-laminated outer sleeve is EXCELLENT PLUS (EX+). All of the edges remain firm with no scuffing other than x2 tiny "nicks" on the top reverse side edge and some very light and non-obvious scuffing towards the corners, and the opening edges remain similarly firm with no fraying. Each corner remains a near perfect right angle with barely any rubbing, there is no creasing, all colours remain rich and vibrant and crystal clear as does the beautiful art work/photos/text. The spine is faultless with all of the spine text in perfect order, and the inside of the gatefold would be pristine were it not for a tiny "dot" nick half way down the left side and 5cm from the spine which has stuck and produced a mirror image of itself on the right side...very, very, very trivial! Terrific!

The audio quality is stunning. No skips, repeats, pops, clicks, or jumps and any background crackle is at an absolute minimum (most would say non-existent, I am sure) - just the hint of some extremely mild and background interference during a couple of the quieter moments during the first half of side 2, but this really is negligible and does not impinge upon the overall superb stereo quality one bit. Great tone and clarity throughout even at higher volume and frequency. And great music too - more folk than prog and this LP is full of outstanding musical highlights...no wonder first pressings are so highly sought after. Hard to believe that a 52 year old piece of vinyl such as this remains in such wonderful condition and plays so beautifully with such great tone and clarity...but it is and it does! EXCELLENT PLUS (EX+).

The track listing is :

Side 1:

1. SONNET TO THE FALL

2. PILGRIM FROM THE CITY

3. MORMAN'S CASKET

4. GHOST OF THE WANDERING MINSTREL BOY

5. GLOUCESTER CITY

6. STARLIGHT

Side 2 :

1. CARAVAN

2. LISA'S SONG

3. TIME IN MY LIFE

4. FRUIT OF THE MUSICAL TREE

5. WHILE IT LASTED

6. SUZANNE

Comes complete with original "PLASTIC BAGS CAN  BE DANGEROUS" inner sleeve correctly dated and with correct "British Patent..." and "MADE IN ENGLAND" horizontal text,  in excellent condition with no seam splits, no tears, no edge fraying, barely any creasing and just a little age discolouration towards the edges and corners..

An overall solid excellent plus condition copy of this increasingly rare and sought after UK original 1st press folk/prog classic - a worthy addition to any serious vinyl collection.

Note that I always insert the vinyl(s) into a new plain white poly-lined inner sleeve in order to protect the original during postage, and separate this from the sleeve itself  to prevent seam splits. I use thick cardboard stiffeners and take great care in my packaging to ensure as far as possible that these precious records reach their destination in exactly the same condition as when they leave me.

POSTAGE COSTS :  

For the UK £5 using Royal Mail 1st class signed for; 

for continental Europe £14 using Royal Mail 1st class tracked and signed for, 

and for the rest of the world £21 using Royal Mail 1st class tracked and signed for. 

NOTE : Henceforth I will ship to Italy via courier (Parcelforce or UPS) for a flat fee of £16 (this includes tracking). 

I do provide posting and packaging discounts for multiple purchases. I make no profit from postage.

 If you require any further information, including photos, then let me know and I'll do my best to oblige. 

If this record interests you then take a look at my other listings for more 60's and 70's classic vinyl.

A bit about myself : I have been collecting UK vinyl for over 52 years from a variety of sources : my own collection, friends and family, car boot and garage sales, door-to-door leaflets, and even through placing an advert in my wife's costume hire shop window! I believe that my ebay feedback speaks for itself so rest assured that you are buying from a trusted seller and in the very unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase just e-mail me and I will sort out the problem. I offer a "no questions asked" refund policy. If you require any further information, including photos, then let me know and I'll do my best to oblige. There is NO RESERVE on this item. Richard

Descriptions of any records I sell comply with the Rare Record Price Guide grading guidelines :

Mint  The record itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent  The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.

Very Good  The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good  The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discoloration, etc.

Fair  The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents will be torn, stained and/or defaced.

Poor  The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents will be badly damaged or partly missing

Bad  The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler.