FOREST 1st SELF TITLED FOLK PSYCH HARVEST NO EMI GATEFOLD
  £   133
  $   176

 


£ 133 Sold For
Nov 16, 2023 Sold Date
Nov 6, 2023 Start Date
12   Number Of Bids
  Great Britain Country Of Seller
eBay Auctioned at
 
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Description

 

 

PLEASE READ THE GRADING/POSTAL NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LISTING SO YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY MEAN!!.

THE PHOTOS FORM PART OF THE DESCRIPTION

ALWAYS HAPPY TO COMBINE ITEMS TO SAVE ON POSTAGE

FOREST  SELF TITLED FIRST ALBUM
ISsued in a gatefold cover; first pressing on dark green and lime green Harvest labels without EMI logo.
1st PRESSING ON THE HARVEST ABEL.
Matrix SHVL 760 A-1G // SHVL 760 B-1G STAMPERS 1G 1A
Label/Format: Harvest - original labels format with no EMI and Gramophone Co Ltd on the rims. 
Label Conditions: Both in stunning condition: very clean and attractive with only tiny and ultra faint spindle traces and no wear around the hole area.  Cat Number: SHVL 760.
Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.
Weight of this Record: 141 grams.  These days, many modern Audiophile reissues are pressed on super-heavyweight 180 gram vinyl.  Only a small percentage of ‘vintage vinyl’ was ever pressed this heavy. Records pressed in the 1960s averaged around 135 to 145 grams.  Records pressed in the 1970s were usually lighter and averaged more around 115 – 125 grams. 
Country of Manufacture: England.
Rarity: Very Rare and this classic early Harvest album will rarely be seen or offered again. The cover goes beyond beautiful, just look at the artwork .  it will prove near impossible to find better these days. The record, apart from a  couple of noticeable paper  scuffs  and storage traces defies it),  is wonderful and plays the same.
Matrix Nos: SHVL 760 A-1G / SHVL 760 B-1G Earliest possible matrices.
Stamper Codes: 1 G / 1 A
Musicians: Martin Welham - 12-string guitar, organ, harmonium, piano, pipes, percussion;  Derek Allenby - mandolin, harmonica, pipes, harnonium, percussion;  Hadrian Welham - guitar, harmonica, pipes, cello, electric harpsichord, harmonium, percussion, organ, mandolin.
Brief Info: Not strictly ‘progressive’ but one of the earliest and most prized and wonderful albums from the vintage Harvest catalogue, a label noted for its progressive music and one of the most difficult to find.  
 This will be immediately apparent and obvious to any serious collector if they are lucky enough to win this gem. From 1967 the psych wave was drifting into all forms of music from pop to folk and was no exception.  Groups like the Incredible String Band (ISB) started the revolution and others like Dr Strangely Strange and now Forest  followed their lead. They made just two albums, both on Harvest and are both extremely rare and  difficult to find, they have eluded many collectors for years only selling in very small numbers.  Their career was pushed forward by John Peel and eventually they got their chance with the progressive Harvest label, this debut was recorded at the Abbey Road studio, all the songs were original and brilliantly captivating. The stunning artwork was done by Joan Melville. Peel does the comprehensive sleeve notes. Musically haunting, the some strangely-strange melodies and great improvisations.
 This has long been a connoisseurs prog-folk albums and highly sought after. I have always found this much harder to find than the second album and only ever seen a couple of copies before and none even in the same class or league as this example.  Truly a cover for the connoisseur influenced by The Pre Paphelite Brotherhood in its style.  Minor shelf wear as seen in the photos.  and the  record plays supremely well with hardly anything unwanted.  Only a couple of tics at the start of side two. These acid-folk albums are hard to find like this with nowhere  for unwanted sounds to hide amongst the delicate acoustic and vocal music, this gave a fantastic performance throughout.     The cover is amazing and quite beautiful cover. 
This Cover’s Potential for Wear: Very High: textured unlaminated without any doubt, one of the most eerily beautiful and charismatic covers in the classic Harvest catalogue  and this one does it maximum and full justice.
Cover Grade and Format: Probably even undergraded at EX. Only minor edgewear 
Cover Front: This front is simply spell-binding 
Cover Back: The back is even more revealing but is pretty much the same again.   Any traces of discolour or rubbing barely even register, the odd tiny mark if you look right  up close but little more. The lack of grubbiness or ringwear and creasing is astonishing to say the very  least.  Please see my close-up shots of the details, how many covers this great age, now 54, could withstand such close scrutiny?
Cover Inner Gatefold: Both faces are also practically as new with no wear or ageing.
Top Edges: Both unworn up to the corner tips, both very straight also.
Bottom Edges: Ultra light and fine surface rubs, probably from entering into and out the plastic cover, but look hard to see them.
Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with barely any traces of wear, no feathering. Record enters on this back edge.
Spine and Text: This is solid, very straight, uncompressed and square, both right edges meet up perfectly together and parallel. All text is perfect and unworn.
Corners: Tiny tips rubs but nothing more, the spine pair have barely anything at all and all retain superb shape and great neat definition.
Cover Summary: Up there with the very best covers I have seen or offered, Few will ever survive like this 

Vinyl Condition/Visual/Play Grading: EX/EX. There are some sleeve removal marks and the odd hairline but plays EX+/ EX a couple of tics at the start of side two. That's all.
Album Played For Grading: Yes. I play ALL records I offer before submitting to Ebay, also the record is played in its entirety unless clearly stated otherwise.  
 The vinyl plays as EX+/EX (See below for definition)  
  • EXCELLENT ~ The record shows some signs of being played but there is very little lessening of the sound quality. There may be some light crackle but NO major problems like LOUD clicks. Occasional soft tics are acceptable. There may be hairlines. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and/or creasing.

I have just played this through for these listing purposes and I have to say is nice player with great stereo audio. Needless to say absolutely no sticks or skips etc.
THIS IS AN VERY RESPECTABLE PLAYING ORIGINAL EXAMPLE OF THIS LANDMARK ALBUM. 
I try to be accurate in my grading as I know what its like to buy miss graded items but won't insult you by writing song lyrics etc. If you feel I have not described this correctly I am happy to refund you providing I receive the item back in the same condition as it leaves me.

LABELS. As seen in the photos.                                     

I PLAY ALL MY RECORDS IN THEIR ENTIRETY AND DO NOT GUESS AS TO HOW THEY SOUND.

Please see my other items.

If you have bought from me before you will appreciate the quality of my items

and these will be similar.

 

And of course there is my NO QUIBBLE MONEY BACK GUARANTEE IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED

GRADING NOTES - POSTAL RATES.
  • Records:- strict Record Collector gradings.

  • NEAR MINT ~ visual inspection has revealed that the record plays noiselessly. If there are any surface marks these will be noted in the listing. 
  • EXCELLENT ~ The record shows some signs of being played but there is very little lessening of the sound quality. There may be some light crackle but NO major problems like LOUD clicks. Occasional soft tics are acceptable. 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 and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items without any major defects is acceptable
  • Sleeves:- as per photos.
  • UK - £4.99 Royal Mail Signed for.
    . Multiple items will cost more. Please ask.
  • EUROPE £13.99 International signed thereafter £1.50 up to a maximum of 5 LPs per parcel.If the item or combination of items sells for more than £80 then  the EXTRA cost on top of the postal charge is £2.50 This is to protect your valued purchase.
  • ROW £19.99 International signed for thereafter £3.00 up to a maximum of 5 LPs per parcel.If the item or combination of items sells for more than £80 then the EXTRA cost on top of the postal charge is £2.50, This is to protect your valued purchase.
  • USA £22.99 International sigtned Thereafter £3.00 up to a maximum of 5 LPs per parcel.If the item or combination of items sells for more than £80 then the EXTRA cost on top of the postal charge is £2.50, This is to protect your valued purchase.
  • Goods will be dispatched within 2 days and often the same day.
  • We accept no responsibility for goods delayed due to the services of Royal Mail or Parcelforce.
  • .


GOOD LUCK!


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