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.

Ian Carr : Belladonna 1Y1 / 2Y1 1st press 1972 Vertigo

This is another immaculate first pressing up for auction here.  I clean every record I sell and play them in full and I can categorically say this plays with stunning precision with no sign of any background.  It is a FINAL UPGRADE in that the clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is phenomenal in every sense.  I do not use the term Mint lightly but in this case it is 100% deserved.  There is barely any spindle wear and it patently obvious this vinyl has hardly been played based on the beautiful condition of the vinyl and the 'high end' sonic quality.  A pristine example!

The gatefold is a piece of art also!  It has been so well preserved with next to no wear and has kept it original shape and structure perfectly, it easily deserves a Near Mint grading.  The original Vertigo inner is also in great condition.

6360076  1Y//1  1 1  5

6360076  2Y//1 1 1  5

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The gatefold is Near Mint

The Vertigo inner sleeve is Ex+

The Vertigo labels are Mint-

Visual description

The vinyl is in lovely condition and stills holds an immaculate glossy sheen with no marks or scratches.  You would not be disappointed if you had just bought this record brand new!  Remember it is 53 years old!  Even when I look under a bright light I cannot locate any hairlines, it truly is a stunning vinyl!  The Vertigo labels are almost 'as new' with barely any spindle wear, it can hardly have been played.

Play grading

The title track 'Belladonna' plays with stunning clarity and depth through every 'part'.  The vast majority of the opening section is so quiet and yet the clarity is astounding, there is no underlying static at all.  The intro can only be described 'as new' and I only heard a couple of minor statics and one light static tick on the remainder, it truly is a superb start to this track.  The bass guitar signals the start of the next section and it plays with unrivalled clarity and the following brass section is equally as good.  It continues to play with a sonic quality that cannot be faulted and I cannot overstate just how clean and precise the audio is.  The audio separation is equal to that of an un-played record, the playback is STUNNING!  It gets 'busier' and yet you lose nothing, the sonic 'landscape' is breath-taking and the final quieter passage then plays beautifully with no intrusion.  This has to grade as Mint- such is the quality of the music.  A remarkable version!

Once again the intro on 'Summer Rain' plays with wonderful precision and this high end level is kept up as it progresses.  The clarity and warmth of the audio is second to none and it seems a little harsh to grade as Mint- but I will include the minus because there are a couple of minor statics near the beginning albeit barely audible.  No ticks, clicks or pops obviously and no background static either.  Superb work from Holdsworth here by the way.

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'Remadione' begins very quietly and yet there is no background at all, not even a dust tick, a perfect intro in other words.  As Thacker joins in on drums there is no drop in quality and once again you can only marvel at the clarity and definition on offer here.  A long fade out but again not so much as a dust tick.  This is Mint from start to finish.

'Mayday' again plays 'as new' with zero intrusion on the audio.  This is why I am happy to grade as Mint because the original sonic quality is still very much there with no interference.  Simple as.

I'm running out of superlatives now!  The very quiet opening section on 'Suspension' plays with unbelievable clarity and warmth, there is not one single negatives.  It continues in the same way and it demonstrates perfectly how well a vinyl of this age can play if well looked after.  It helps being a Vertigo pressing of course!  The extremely quiet bass ending is a case in point, stunning clarity.  Mint

'Hector's House' concludes the album in fine style with audio of the highest standard once more.  From the outset there is no interference and it proceeds in the same way with that same clean, clinical sound.  A sensational album in so many ways and another Mint instrumental.

The Gatefold & Vertigo Inner Sleeve

The cover is stunning and has no obvious wear, it is practically pristine!  It has been so well cared for and it's hard to pick a fault!  The edges and wide spine are so clean and if I had to say anything - minimal rubbing on the corners perhaps but certainly nothing that stands out.  The opening edge has no handling wear and the front and back cover and the inside of the gatefold are immaculate.  A stunning example!

The original Vertigo inner is in lovely condition also with only some of the usual age related fading around the edges.

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

6360076  1Y//1  1 1  5

6360076  2Y//1 1 1  5

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 : £12.95 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!!