SHIRLEY & DOLLY COLLINS Love-Death-Lady N/M Harvest LP

	£		121
	$		160

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Artist or Band: SHIRLEY and DOLLY COLLINS

Album Title: Love, Death and the Lady.

Producer(s): Austin John Marshall.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Death & the Lady; Glenlogie; The Oxford Girl; Are You Going to Leave Me?; The Outlandish Knight; Go From My Window; Young Girl Cut Down in Her Prime.

Side 2: Geordie; Salisbury Plain; Fair Maid of Islington; Six Dukes; Polly on the Shore; Plains of Waterloo.

Label/Format: Harvest – original no EMI logo and ‘Gramophone Co Ltd’ text on rims. (Please see my label scan).

Label Conditions: Both immaculate: ultra clean and highly attractive. I am struggling to see a noteworthy spindle trace and this is a truly stunning copy that looks barely even played.

Cat Number: SHVL 771.

Mode / Speed: Stereo / 33.3 rpm.

Warps: Assume all records I offer have no warping of any significance and all tracking is easy and effortless and should play on all turntables and even ‘budget’ decks.

Weight of this Record: 129 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. Some records pressed around 1973 were very thin and light due an oil crisis and shortage around this time. Some records were even issued on recycled vinyl from this period and sounded poor with crackle and surface noise evident from the very first play. If any record I buy is deemed ‘recycled’, I will never offer it, I have a very simple test to detect these records if I suspect this to be the case other than audible imperfection. Some records from this period were even pressed on other materials the most notable was ‘Dynaflex’, used by RCA around this time. Although inferior to vinyl, this at least mostly sounded reasonably acceptable but pressings on this material were wafer thin and flimsy. Beyond the 70s, many records often became thinner and lighter still but most played fine but were never quite the quality as from the ‘Golden Era’]. (This was based on ‘average’ weights for 50 records from these eras.

Country of Manufacture: England.

Rarity: Rare: seldom seen or offered and try finding a much better example than this.

Original Year of Release: 1970

Matrix Nos: SHVL 771 A-1 / SHVL 771 B-1

Mother & Stamper Codes: 1 M / 1 G

Musicians: Shirley Collins - vocals; Dolly Collins - flute-portative pipe-organ, piano; Chris Hogwood - harpsichord; Alan Lumsden - sackbut; Adam Skeaping - bass viol, violene; Roderick Skeaping - bass viol; Eleanor Sloan - rebec; John Fordham - recorder; Terry Cox - percussion; Peter Wood - concertina.

Brief Artist & Album Info: The Harvest label was more well-known for ‘progressive’ acts, but did diversify into some more obscure folk acts. This, without doubt one of the most beautiful folk albums I have ever heard on vinyl. Shirley Collins has the most distinctive and charismatic folk voices ever, here she is again accompanied by her sister Dolly, who plays the most haunting and expressive instrument, the flute-organ. A small Mediaeval-type instrument – one hand worked the bellows, the other played the keys. The model played by Dolly is a modern electrically-blown adaptation by the church-organ builder Noel Mander. Its pipework, scales and tone are reproduced from an instrument built in Bucharest in 1689. This was the second of two albums made on Harvest, the first Anthems in Eden is equally as rare and both are notoriously difficult to find in top conditions. The songs are mostly traditional and very dark, they cover the usual spectrum of British folk music – war, tragic events, lost loves, murder and harsh capital punishment – yes it could be said the subject-matter is bleak, it’s certainly compulsive listening but not easy, it climaxes with the brilliant ‘Plains of Waterloo’. No music lover could fail to be moved by this wonderful record, even non-folk fans. Shirley once commented ‘It wasn’t easy music to listen to, I’m surprised anybody bought any of it at all’. That haunting little organ is addictive and this album will rarely ever be heard better than this. A record that could almost pass for new and with a gorgeous cover. This is one for the Harvest connoisseur and never underestimate the rarity of this one especially when seen and heard like this. These pre-EMI Harvest gems are all elusive and this is one of the diamonds in the crown. Issued even before the illustrated inners that promoted these albums up to 1970. So many of them disappeared into obscurity and only a small few were later repressed. This and other such records rarely surface in such sublime conditions, so when they do, grab them fast. This one merits my highest recommendation and must be regarded as a traditional folk masterpiece. Being on Harvest, it just has that little ‘alternative’ type sound and quirkiness that you would expect from one of the greatest and most innovative labels ever made.

Cover Grade and Format: Even with the odd tiny blemish, I easily grade this gorgeous cover Mint(-). A gatefold format with both front and back being laminated. The inside is matt finished. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse and includes the ‘Patents pending’ text.

Lamination – Front & Back: This really is exceptional and I feel certain it has not seen light-of-day for decades. The laminate is fresh, clear and very shiny with any traces of dulling or friction rubs very faint indeed. Anything present only on the back and only just visible under angled light. All is fully adhered with no lifting or blistering at all and barely a crease to be seen. Even the ends on the opening that are exposed are ultra clean and ungrubbied. The front is simply stunning, the laminate so new looking it almost appears as ice with super-smoothness and intense shine and lustre. The back only a whisker behind. Cover protected from new and there lies the difference – this is connoisseur standard and will prove immensely difficult to find better.

Cover Inner Gatefold: I think I have mentioned a blemish?, well yes, a tiny stain trace on the bottom right corner but there is little else to fault. The laminate ends on the top edges and this is as solid as when made with no sticking or grubbiness of note. Being so white with no set-off or grubbiness or darkening, makes for an exceptional all-round cover of the highest possible class.

Top Edges: Both practically as made.

Bottom Edges: As above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, very sharp with no wear or feathering, both guaranteed untrimmed. Record enters on this back edge.

Spine and Text: Again in stunning condition. Rock solid, dead straight with no compression of note. A very faint central recess crease has just formed from opening – this being somewhat critical – but all laminate is immaculate. No peeling or scuffing, clear and shiny, no text was printed on this spine and all artwork is pristine. My fingertip test reveals not a single blemish at all, this is silky smooth and the practically the same goes for the top and bottom edges too. Folded a fraction off-square so a tiny overhang lies on the right edge corners, this being a manufacture blemish.

Corners: The odd tiny tip crease but barely any traces of wear and all retain superb shape.

Cover Summary: A Harvest gem, how many will survive quite like this has to be few, of those that do, most will be locked away in prized collections never to be offered. A beautiful all round example of this very elusive early 70’s cover, one that will prove immensely difficult to find much better. This beautiful item should please most-all collectors.

The Inner: The original plain white unlined inner is included in superb condition. Slight edge toning and one corner crease, this apart, little else to fault with no tear or edge splits (the bottom corners are vented in manufacture).

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: A strong case for grading Mint, but with utmost scrutiny under angled light the odd faint surface trace can be seen. So Mint(-) applies, but if a better available copy can be found, well treasure it. A superb visual copy that is super clean, shiny, intense black and very solidly pressed. A copy barely even played, but typical from where it came from, this is barely run-in in vinyl terms and visually a super record that should please most-all collectors again.

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. I do NOT play snippetts or joining grooves to check for sound quality and quietness – I play from the beginning to end via clinically revealing B&W speakers that include the legendary tweeter from their awesome Nautilus range that reveals every blemish or miniscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This truly outstanding Harvest record plays up to its high visual grading with nothing to fault. Strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. A beautiful recording and superbly produced, this will rarely be heard this good from such an early-pressed original record. Any surface sounds are minuscule and no pops or clicks were noted and this is an exceptional clean pressing for what is clearly a challenging album. No loud instruments to mask audio flaws – but none needed – this is simply gorgeous. Even on a highly revealing Linn-Naim system, this excels and this is a record time has overlooked. Few copies will even match, let alone outperform this early pressing I feel sure. Both channels are clean and sharp, I am certain this record has been played very lightly (and arguably at all) and has been clearly well stored and carefully handled, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, an audio delight of the highest quality and a rare opportunity for the collector of those prized early Harvest classics. Even the discerning folk collectors will treasure this one, for many, Shirley Collins is the queen of folk vocalists and this legendary recording reitterates that still further. This copy will prove nigh-on impossible to find better and my highest possible recommendation is mandatory.

Now one of the most established sellers on Ebay and still offering the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. I pride myself on offering a variety of genres to keep my site as interesting as possible. I will rarely offer any record that falls below a true Excellent grading, unless its of a certain rarity which will justify offering a lesser grade. I try, to the best of my ability to describe as accurately and as honesty as I can all items I offer for sale with all the relevant information I can think of to help any potential bidder and collector. You may notice I only submit records sparingly on Ebay - on average ONEADAY, a couple more at weekends if time permits, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirety, not just bits to guess a grade - visuals alone do not always tell a true or full story. I will mention any defects or flaws no matter how small that I notice to be fair as possible to any interested collector – I am very fussy and my buyers have the right to be too. Every record I offer, whether it be a common or rare item deserves the same respect as far as I am concerned and will be treated the same - just because an item is rare does not always mean its good. I get just as much pleasure offering a relatively common record in stunning near mint condition as the real rare items. All the pictures I use for your guidance are taken with a digital camera or scanned - they are NOT improved, cleaned-up or made better looking than they are with camera trickery or enhancing with digital programmes. What you see is what you get and scanned labels will give a more accurate representation of the genuine colour than flash photography where light is variable. I cannot guarantee total accuracy for colours however but most will be very close. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert and vice-versa. I hope the item below is to your liking - any questions can be emailed and I will do my very best to answer you. I am enthusiastic, and have a fair degree of knowledge about many genres and I promise quality items - bid with confidence - excellence comes as standard and so does Near Mint regularly. Please assume all records I offer have NO jumps, sticks, warps or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Deck: Linn LP12 with Ittok Mk IV arm and Ortofon Samba Moving Coil cartridge (tracks at 1.8 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional Moth vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too.

First-time, zero-rated bidders, who do not ask permission to bid, will be cancelled immediately and blocked – NO exceptions. For winning bidders who I consider excessively slow to make contact or submit payment, I will use my right to block future bids. If any bidder who wins in the final seconds is present to do so, surely they can at least email me to inform of intention and payment method? If swift or promp payment is a problem, please do not bid.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET - PLEASE SEE MY TYPICAL PACKING BOX PICTURE.

What You Get: To confirm to the strict Ebay rules on shipping, I must now send ALL my packets ‘Signed-For’ with NO exceptions. Both buyers and sellers want their packets to have a safer journey and this is not a bad thing.

I now offer the fastest possible posting, often the very next day after payment is received or within two to three days maximum (unless on holiday). I only use FIRST-CLASS Mail. The record’s cover will be placed within a BRAND NEW heavy duty soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my Moth Pro vacuum system to give ultimate clean grooves and playing surfaces and the best possible looks and ultimate sound quality. You will NOT get tired, dull looking, dust infested records inside worn and foggy covers with tatty inners from this seller and that’s a promise and guarantee. All records are posted in professional thick boxes (NOT Mailers or Cruciforms, these do not offer maximum protection). The record(s) REMOVED from their main cover to avoid edge splits and placed within a brand new polylined inner. The record’s original inner will be included if available. The boxes are then reinforced with THREE or EVEN FOUR ULTRA THICK stiffeners for maximum extra protection – these are FOUR TIMES thicker than commercial stiffeners and are custom-made for oneadayrecords. Really rare and expensive albums will even be Double Boxed if deemed necessary and possible. The thick record and stiffener ‘sandwich’ is then thickly embedded into bubble-wrap to bulk out the record inside the box to centre the item inside to reduce the risk of damage still further. Printed address labels are used for clarity as well as a sender label. Customers requests or special needs for P&P will be respected if at all possible but ‘Signed-For’ posting is NOT an option anymore. Please see my picture of a typical finished box packet that will now be used on ALL transactions as from now. I do not profit on posting and the cost of this lavish packing is NOT even charged for, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. These boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffners and bubble wrap make a near impregnable fortress for safe shipping and this is used inland and overseas for ALL my records, not just the rare and expensive. I will invoice any winning bidder as soon as possible after the auction ends. My ‘loss’ or ‘damage rate’ is less than one in two thousand based on over 6,000+ items sold in over 8 years of Ebay trading and I consider that pretty exceptional. The only damage rate acceptable for this seller is ZERO and I think my packets will offer just that. It would take a vicious postman or postal service to damage these for sure. Even one of these stiffners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 3 or 4 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FOUR records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). I will not respond to questions on shipping costs as all the details are included here and on ALL of my adverts. Details below:

NOTE: First Time Bidders: I will cancel ALL first-time bidders with no feedbacks or excessive negatives who do not ask me if its OK to bid first – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please Note: I will now offer any item to the runner-up after the mandatory Ebay 3 days if no contact is made by the winning bidder unless prior notice of any delay is given beforehand. The same applies if no payment is received within the mandatory 7 days so any bidder who has just lost out can still email me to reserve the item as priority second chance – it’s always worth asking.

SHIPPING COSTS & CONDITIONS – THESE comply with EBAY’S RULES - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Posting & Packing: UK & CHANNEL ISLANDS all now sent via Recorded Delivery:

1 LP (FIRST-CLASS Recorded Delivery with Standard Royal Mail Insurance) [Signed For] = £4.

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: EUROPE & SCANDINAVIA. (Airmail Only):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£39 maximum]) = £8. (insurance optional extra £3). Add £2 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); Australia; Canada; Japan and other Far East; (Airmail Only: I NEVER use Surface Mail):

1 LP (Small Packet ‘Signed For’ with Standard Royal Mail Insurance [£39 maximum]) = £12. Add £3 per extra LP. (insurance optional extra £3)

Payment Conditions:

I prefer PayPal or cheque from UK winning bidders. I can accept PayPal from overseas bidders or direct payment into my bank account.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. A maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if not I will relist the item or offer to the runner-up. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask and thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: If any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer, so read the item description carefully. If any overseas collector does not understand anything in my listing, please email and ask me to help. Thank You.

SOME GENERAL GUIDES TO WEAR AND CONDITIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE

My Use of Description Terminology: Surface Marks = Superficial, usually light marks, hairlines or light scuffs that rarely sound. Scratch = a needle mark that goes below the record’s surface, some will sound, some will not, my play-grade will inform. Original = a record that has been pressed with the first label design which does NOT neccessarily mean a very first pressed record. First Pressing = A record that I believe or know to be a genuine very first pressed record. I do not claim to always know for sure, and that’s why I state the stamper and matrix numbers if at all possible, for those who claim to know what they all mean, the information is there for the collector to decide. I prefer to use terms like ‘Early Copy’ rather than ‘First Pressing’ if I am not totally sure. Surface Sound = Mild, light sound, usually light crackle or similar. Distortion = Break up of the actual sound caused by groove wear or damage from a chipped stylus – the most undesirable form of unwanted sound, vintage mono records were the most prone to this happening but not exclusively so. The symptoms of distortion are high frequency clipping, moderate constant crackle or an echo type sound quality. Violin, piano and vocals are most prone to groove-wear distortion. Feathering = Fraying or softening of the entry edge of a cover. Covers with feathered entrance edges are more likely to have had the actual record inserted and removed more than a non-feathered, sharp-edged cover which are always far more attractive. Set Off, actually a printer’s term for dark ink leaving mild residue on pale or white ink when rested upon. e.g. when a gatefold cover has black ink closed against white, this can leave some black residue on the pale area – this is mostly unavoidable or course.

The Argument for Vinyl Original sound and mix (mono mixes are rarely available on CD), high quality sound on clean copies (played on a hi-end dedicated analogue system – breathtaking sound!), beautiful, large format covers, artwork, inserts and even full size posters etc; huge investment potential, and the pleasure of owning ‘the real thing’.