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.

In The Court Of The Crimson King A2 / B3 1969 Pink 'i' Island Label

An Observation By King Crimson

This first pressing plays to an incredible standard with only one small section of intrusion.  This is during 'Moonchild' but even then the vast majority still plays with supreme quality and that is a rarity for this quiet track.  You can hear some light ticks for about 40 seconds caused by a small hairline mark but as for the rest of the album?  Wow!  The clarity, depth and power of the audio is STUNNING and for once there is no distortion on the top end.  The high octane moments play with such precision and this is easily one of the finest first pressings I have heard in a long time.  The majority of the album is 'as new' and that is no exaggeration.  Please see below for a 'complete' audio grading, you will understand what I mean!

The iconic cover is in excellent condition with only minimal wear and still has its original shape and structure.  The original inner sleeve is also in excellent shape.

The most commonly seen pink 'i' pressing is the A2/B4.  The A2/B2 is the most sought after but the A2/B3 (this one) is definitely the second most collectable and especially in this condition.

ILPS 9111  A▽ 2  1 2 2 5

ILPS 9111  B // 3   1 1 6 9 1

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T1 intro Ex+ for 4/5 seconds)

The audio S2 is Mint(-) (T1 Ex- in one section)

The gatefold is Ex+

The pink 'i' labels are Near Mint-

The original 'Plastic Bags...' inner is Ex+

Visual description

The vinyl is in lovely condition and still holds a very strong glossy sheen with no actual scratches.  Under a bright light there are a small number of very faint hairlines and one small 'squiggle' type hairline on S1.  The iconic pink 'i' Island labels are very clean with not too much spindle wear so it has definitely not been over-played and that is reflected in the audio.

Play grading

The super quiet intro on '21st Century Schizoid Man' has only a handful of quiet dull ticks but this lasts for only 4/5 seconds - they are very in the background and non-intrusive in my opinion.  As the volume increases the audio is superb and the opening vocal section is just as strong.  It continues in the same precise way and you really notice the power and depth of the audio.  The first part of the extended instrumental is just stunning!  The sonic quality is as good as a Mint copy - every facet is working in perfect harmony - Giles' percussion along with Fripp's guitar and Lake's deep bass are so strong.  The next staccato section is flawless and even the brief 'silences' are totally silent!  This entire instrumental is 'as new' and the final vocal is just as impressive.  The end instrumental is comparable - it is of course very 'busy' and yet the power, clarity and definition of the audio is outstanding.  I will grade the intro as Ex+ but from then on Mint is very much deserved.

The gentle 'I Talk To The Wind' plays beautifully from start to finish with no intrusion.  The intro has no background and the opening verse / chorus play with wonderful clarity also.  The standard does not drop and you could not wish to hear a more 'complete' version as there is nothing that detracts from the crystal clear sound.  Every vocal and instrumental section plays with impeccable quality and I am 100% confident in grading this as Mint as it just could not play any better.  The final instrumental and long fade out is a prime example of that...

The segue into 'Epitaph...' can also be described 'as new' and the Lake's opening vocal is just as 'clean'.  An example of this is on the final 2/3 lines of the first verse - a delicate acoustic guitar is very much in the background and yet you can hear it so clearly, each and every note.  The first 'chorus' is faultless and as the volume increases during the '...I fear tomorrow I'll be crying...' the sonic quality is again exceptional.  There is no distortion on the top end and the second more powerful verse has no intrusion either.  The crescendo section that soon follows is just STUNNING and the next instrumental as not one dust tick even, that is a measure of the clarity on offer here.  The repeated first verse is perfect and the closing instrumental to this classic plays with infinite power and depth also.  Of course there is a long fade out here but again there is no background, amazing clarity of sound.  This has to be graded as Mint it is the definitive version you could say.

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'Moonchild...' is so often affected by interference, which is well documented, but this has to be the finest version that I have heard in many a year.  The intro is so clean without any background and opening two verses are on a par with that, the clarity is stunning.  Perhaps a couple of barely audible dust ticks that is all.  The following brief instrumental plays perfectly and the next two verses keep up this high end standard.  The quiet section that begins the long instrumental has some very light ticks for about 40 seconds but it still plays very clearly and is not that intrusive.  From that point on you would not believe the clarity!  The 'music' is of course so quiet and yet it has an almost CD clean aesthetic quality about it but without the warmth and depth that you only find on vinyl.  You can hear every subtle nuance in the music, every note is so clean and precise.  This quiet section is so long which makes the clarity of sound even more impressive in a way and apart from the statics at the beginning there is nothing that impacts on the audio.  This vinyl is 55 years old this year and for this instrumental to play so clearly is a genuine rarity in my opinion, the vast majority is 'as new' no exaggeration.  I mean it's difficult to single out any section but from when the percussion comes back in right to the final note is just staggering!  The clarity of sound is STUNNING.  I will grade that one section as Ex- but the rest has to grade as Mint I don't think I have heard anything like it before!

The classic intro on 'The Court Of The Crimson King...' is flawless and the opening verse is equally as strong.  With not one dust tick it could not play any better and the next high octane section has no intrusion.  So far so good!  The second verse is indeed perfect and it continues to play with breathtaking accuracy.  The first long instrumental passage plays with a clarity, power and resonance that is second to none and the third verse / instrumental / final verse all play like they have never been played before much like the rest of the track!  The following 'louder' section is faultless and the quiet percussive piece then plays with sublime quality.  The few seconds of silence are pristine i.e. no background and the quiet 'pipe' section is equal to that.  The classic finale is so strong and powerful and you can easily ramp up the volume without if affecting the sonic quality.  In all honesty I noticed things here I have never heard before and that again shows the clarity of sound that is so distinctive here.  There is NO inner groove distortion and it really does play with phenomenal sonic quality right up to the end of the end crescendo.  This is another definitive version and it grades as Mint in every single way.  What. A. Version.

In summary this very collectable first pressing is so close to perfect.  Yes there are some ticks during that one section on 'Moonchild' but the rest of this 12 minute track plays with stunning quality and the other tracks are indeed exceptional.  When you find a clean vinyl like this one you know why they are so collectable because this level of clarity, depth, power and warmth is not replicated on the later pressings / reissues.  I cannot emphasise enough how well it plays and if not for that one section (the ticks are not even loud) this would be a final upgrade album.  It is still one of the finest examples I have ever listened to and the total lack of distortion is another decisive factor.  Like I say the power and definition of the audio is so strong.  This classic album will add to any high end collection.

The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve

The iconic E.J. Day cover is in excellent condition with only minimal wear.  The edges have some light rubbing with only a little more noticeable by the right hand corners.  The wide spine is very clean with only minimal wear on the corners and is only slightly compressed in the middle.  It's only the lower right corner on the front / lower left on the back that has a little more wear / creasing but even then it is not excessive as can be seen and the opening edge has only minimal handling wear.  The front cover is stunning, it is unmarked and the colours are still vibrant and strong and the back cover is just as impressive.  The inside of the gatefold is in lovely condition and has barely any of the fading around the edges that you so often see.  A fine example overall.

The original poly-lined 'Plastic Bags...' inner sleeve is in excellent condition with no side splits or tears, hardly any creasing and only a little age related fading.

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

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

ILPS 9111  A▽ 2  1 2 2 5

ILPS 9111  B // 3   1 1 6 9 1

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

Recent Feedback

THIS IS WHAT A SELLER SHOULD BE LIKE ON HIGH END VINYL! Exactly as described if not better ! I could not be a happier customer .. well packed for international flight .. and shipped and received very fast .. No worries here this guy is the tops

GREAT AS DESCRIBED BEST SELLR OF ALL THE UK PEOPLE AND I HAVE BOUGHT FROM ALL OF THEM

Beautiful record as described, fast safe delivery, top seller. Cheers Steve.

Another fantastic LP from this seller - condition exactly as shown and the audio as described! Fast delivery, vinyl properly and carefully packed. Very highly recommended A++++

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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 : £5.95 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item 

EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £15.95 then £2.00 per extra

USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)

LPs/12" singles : £24.95 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!!