King Crimson COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, Original Pink Label UK Island LP, A2/B2

$

500

This is the very first UK issue of King Crimson's 1969 progressive rock masterpiece 'In The Court of the Crimson King'. The 'A2/B2' variant offered here is claimed by many to be the earliest, rarest, and most desirable pressing of this title.

The E.J. Day gatefold is in very well-preserved condition and has much less wear and tear than is typical for a light cardboard cover from this time period. I have provided high-resolution scans of both the front and reverse so you can inspect this album's cover in detail. The sleeve's only significant flaws are some light wear on all four corners, a slightly snubbed corner at the top of the spine and lower right corner on the front, a horizontal 6cm.-long crease near the upper left edge of the reverse, and another slight crease and some high-spot wear at the bottom of the reverse (please refer to the scans). None of these flaws detract at all from the album's very pleasing overall visual presentation, however. Holding it in your hands, it looks absolutely brilliant.

The rough-paper pink Island label has some light spindle marks on both sides, and a very small 'chip' missing from the top edge of the label on Side 2 (see photos). The original plain, plastic-lined inner sleeve has significant age-toning but is entirely sound. (This record apparently pre-dates the early blue Island-branded inner sleeves.)

Playback is what counts most, though, and on this disc, it is truly awesome. :-) It's no mere hype – what you've heard about this pressing is 100% true. The clarity, volume, and sheer POWER of the audio noticeably surpasses any subsequent release. The vinyl sight-grades as VG++ (Side 1) to EX (Side 2). The only visible mars are two small (<1 cm.) superficial parallel surface blems on Side 1, but they are NOT audible and actually not even visible except under very close examination. The vinyl play-grades 'A-'. In terms of surface noise, there are some slightly static-y bits and quiet clicks here and there on both sides, but they are not troublesome, and by all accounts, this issue seems to be endemic to this particular pressing. Whatever, a few soft clicks aside, the overall audiophile experience with this record is nothing less than orgasmic.

Matrix indicia are as follows (please see photos, as well):

ILPS 9111 A?2 14
ILPS 9111 B//2 1 5

The reserve price is $500. Even crappy A2/B2s routinely sell for $600+ here, so I think $500 is a quite reasonable minimum.

Due to the record's extreme rarity, I will be packing this treasure for shipment with my special box-within-a-box method. The inner box is my usual mailer and is custom-cut for shipping record albums. Its dimensions are 13"x13"x2". The inner box will be surrounded with bubble wrap, then placed inside an outer box with dimensions of 15"x15"x4". Rest assured - you will receive this record in exactly the same condition as it has been in my record collection for the last 40 years.

Alternate domestic shipping options will be available upon request. Full-value insurance will be provided free of charge.

Terms (Please read before bidding!):

1) Payment is by PayPal only, and is due within 3 days of the end of the auction.

2) By default, I ship by USPS Media Mail with Tracking. If you prefer Priority Mail or UPS, those options are available, too.

3) ALL international shipments will be handled by eBay's Global Shipping Program; no exceptions. International buyers are responsible for all associated expenses and customs duties, and for informing themselves about the particulars of the Global Shipping Program prior to bidding.

4) I am happy to combine multiple items into a single shipment, but only on items that end on the same day and are purchased at the same time.

Bidding in this auction constitutes acceptance of the terms of sale as listed above.

Prompt payment ensures that your item will be shipped the next business day!

Please note:

I do not accept offers to close auctions early, or conduct private sales outside of eBay's auction system.

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A postscript about my music auctions. I am not a dealer. The records I'm now offering on eBay are from my personal collection which I acquired in the 1970s and early 1980s, and most have remained unplayed in the 30+ years since.

My records have never been in storage, have always been kept inside my (non-smoking) house under climate-controlled conditions, and have never been exposed to direct sunlight. The covers themselves have been conserved in archival plastic sleeves, and the vinyl has only ever been played on my own audiophile turntable.

I consistently under-grade my records. 'EX' to me means it's essentially perfect; like new, the creme de la creme. 'VG' means a super-nice specimen with minimal flaws; very desirable and collectible. 'G' means quite acceptable; it may have some noticeable cover wear and/or marks on the vinyl, but is still worth collecting. Something I'd grade as 'F' (Fair) is your typical 30-year-old used record, and I don't sell albums in this condition unless the title is very rare.

I am very conscientious when I pack these LPs for shipment. I only use cardboard shipping boxes that are custom made for record albums. Additionally, I use cardboard inserts as stiffeners and bubble wrap inside the box for maximum protection. Rest assured: I will make certain that you receive your record in exactly the same condition as it is shown/described here.

I am quite confident that no one will be disappointed with a record they buy from me. I only sell the best possible, because that's all I ever collected in the first place.