THE KINKS Arthur - RARE ORIG UK 1968 STEREO LP with SUPERB N/M VICTORIA INSERT.

	£		127
	$		168

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World £16.50 (£3 per extra record). All boxes signed for in quality, safe packaging – I NEVER use mailing envelopes that offer virtually no protection at all. More details on this nearer the end of the listing.

Posting to Russia: Yes, I do post to Russia. But delivery can take up to 4 to 6 weeks from the UK. So please be patient. I will submit a tracking number to the winning bidder, and when the packet arrives there it can be followed online using the Russian post website.

ALSO: I now apply the Ebay ‘4-day’ rule for non-payment. I try to keep my P&P prices as low as possible even yet another Royal Mail price hike, I will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably a little heavier.

Artist or Band: THE KINKS

Album Title: Arthur (or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire).

Producer(s): Ray Davies.

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: Victoria; Yes Sir, No Sir; Some Mother’s Son; Drivin’; Brainwashed; Australia.

Side 2: Shangri La; Mr Churchill Says; She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina; Young and Innocent Days; Nothing to Say; Arthur.

Label/Format: Pye – original UK stereo first issue with matt, smooth surfaces.

Label Conditions/Info: Both very clean, fresh and attractive, spindle marks are light+ and moderate, most quite fine as seen under angled light, but a few a little thicker on side two. I feel sure, these only tell half a story. A plain and simple fact, many owners used the labels as a guide to locate the spindle, especially so on radiogram type record players where the spindle was more obscured, these furniture-type units were very popular towards the end of the 1960s into the 1970s – my parents had one. This record does have a few marks, but all but one have NO sound. Just one ultra fine one has around a dozen light clicks. That apart, and hardly a travesty for a 45-year-old, the rest plays with SUPERB very clean stereo sound. All clear and fully focused with hardly even surface sound at all. Beautifully pressed by Pye, these thick heavy records more able to withstand marks better than some. Being as scarce and elusive as this wonderful album is, it will prove immensely hard to find better – that also includes the cover and Victoria insert (more detail on conditions further down).

Cat Number: NSLP 18317.

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: 135 grams. A very good solid weight for any record.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity & Overview: Rare: a wonderful album that sold poorly. UK copies are immensely hard to find, especially with a half decent cover that is flimsy and very understrength. Most are seen literally falling apart, tatty and torn. This one intact, neat and attractive. Even the spine is solid and includes ALL the text, also few laminate issues which is almost unheard of. The inclusion of a superb Victoria lyric insert is always great news, this often missing of badly damaged. It even includes the top pull-tab atop the queen’s crown, this untorn and very solid indeed with NO repairs, a little creasing impossible to avoid as it does this simply by closing the cover. Most seen have this detail and fragile part sheared off or crudely repaired (or lost altogether). Also the record, the few light clicks apart quite near the beginning, this has little else to fault at all and plays superbly with all the detail, fidelity and separation all crisp and focused – I enjoyed this immensely. Even the polylined inner sleeve is in very fine condition, so a complete copy – even including the stereo sticker on the back to cover the dedicated mono cover – in lovely all-round condition. Not perfect, but will any 1969 original ever be? But this will take some beating and these over recent years have become rarer and rarer.

Original Year of Release: 1969.

Matrix Nos: NSPL 18317 A-1 *T STEREO / NSPL 18317 B-1 *T STEREO (the tiny stampers are Y 1 & Z 1)

Brief Artist & Album Info: By 1969 The Kinks had largely fallen from public grace in the UK, a bizarre fact made even more inexplicable as Ray Davies was at the height of creative brilliance. Still receiving high critical acclaim, this album, and the previous masterpiece Village Green Preservation Society failed to capture the imagination of record buyers. Still writing honest pop songs about everyday events no longer appealed to early Kinks fans and both albums flopped with minimal sales. Arthur is a brilliant concept album, it was up against The Who’s Tommy, but neither Davies or Townshend knew about each other’s works. The beautiful packaging did little to help sales either. Playing this album brings home that fact again of just how could this album fail to do well, every song is a classic, perfect songs performed – well – perfectly. Maybe the album should have been retitled: Arthur, the decline and fall of the one of the greatest popular bands of the 1960s [in sales terms, not quality, they were seldom much better than this]. Rarely ever has there been such an injustice of two albums failing to sell in the quantaties they clearly should have done. Now some 44 years after issue, there are hardly enough vinyl copies to go round for the collectors who ignored this all those years ago and new fans wanting them too. Complete intact UK examples rarely come up, especially copies with not a great deal to fault. The record has some marks, already mentioned this I know, all but one are ignored and this sounds superb. Collectors needing these late 1960s classics, well it is best grab them while they are offered, because they are fast disappearing altogether.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT: and possibly the highest I have ever graded an original UK Arthur cover. This is so flimsy and understrength to store a heavy record, finding any quite this intact is immensely hard. A gatefold format with front and back laminate, this covers all the folded edges and ends inside on the right edge. No stereo covers were initially made, so a ‘STEREO NSPL’ sticker placed over the mono prefix on the back as seen in close-up. The inside is matt and smooth finished, entrance for the record again is VERY cover unfriendly via the inside centrefold. Thus most are seen torn and shredded with spines in tatters. Printed and made in England by Garrod & Lofthouse. This includes the spectacular Queen Victoria shaped and folded lyric-graphic insert sheet. Lastly, for good measure, the original polylined inner sleeve is also here in super condition.

Cover Front: Thin single thickness soft card, few will escape heavy creasing, laminate lifting and peeling, well this front shows little of any. It remains solid (one very small thin lift on the spine edge, any others tiny and very few) with excellent shine, freshness and clarity. The artwork looks terrific as there is hardly any dulling or friction rubs at all. The only creasing of any real note on the corner tips, and how many will ever avoid that as the barest minimum? No peeling and very few marks. Okay, it does not lay totally flat with the top and bottom corners risen a little simply due to laminate tightening over time. But this front will take a huge amount of beating for looks and lack of damage, there are NO tears at all.

Cover Back: The back is very similar: a little more lifting on the spine edge and a few light cracks and small peels, but not many at all for this, truly, this is as close to impossible to avoid as it ever gets. I would say this spine is one of the best I have seen and it remains intact. The lack of dulling, marks or creasing elsewhere are all huge positives, this has aged little overall. The stereo sticker has never been removed or even picked at, a little darkened around the edges but little else to fault. It is semi-transparent to reveal the NPL number below. Incredibly, any rim impression is only light on the thinnest of card, I doubt if I will find this uncompromising and fragile back much better.

Cover Inside: The fantastic kangaroo graphic artwork looks superb and is very clean and fresh looking. Just to reitterate the fragility and thinness of this card, if you hold the front up to light, you can actually see the front artwork through the coloured kangeroo graphic – yes, true. Wafer thin but no tears, a little edge burring and a little softened on the top and bottom of the central hinge and storage area. This has not been sliced by removal or insertion of the record, a little fine creasing the very least to be expected. The laminate end on the right neat and the graphic retaining rich colour and highly attractive. Again, this will not prove easy to find much better.

Top Edges: The folded back neat and unsplit, also straight. The single thickness front a little thickened with gentle burr traces seen viewed end-on. Also with curl to the right that is a normal trait of thin laminated card as it will try to contract over time. Placed inside a protective outer sleeve (provided with all my records), there is no issue.

Bottom Edges: All very similar to above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Both crisp and sharp with only end curl that I doubt if any will not have to some degree. The back fold unsplit with no repairs. The front against the odds still neat and unfeathered and guaranteed untrimmed or enhanced. It has been naturally protected as it has leaned a little left as the spine has flattened, as just about all will be.

Spine and Text: Yes the spine has compressed and flattened a little, being one of the most fragile ever made, it will be near impossible to have done. But still solid (but very delicate and flimsy), intact and neat, even quite straight with ALL text unworn under laminate. This barely peeled (bar the tips) and solidly adhered with hardly any cracking or creases. The surface quite smooth and even the shape highly respectable, simply flattened a little, it will again prove immensely difficult to find better.

Corners: The corners have a little tip creasing and the odd laminate peel. The bottom front right tip a little softened but barely feathered. Even fine shape is retained considering many are seen rounded or even torn off altogether.

Cover Summary: With the majority of UK examples tatty, shredded, badly worn, torn or crudely repaired, often with major laminate issues and bare textless spines, this is a chance to view this cover in almost exceptional condition. Few close to perfect ones will ever be seen or offered, existing ones locked away in valuable collections. This is not perfect, but it still sets a very high standard for one of the 1960s most fragile and rare covers. It should please many, if not most collectors, indeed even with some lightish wear, it could prove a significant upgrade for many.

The ‘Victoria’ Lyric Insert: MINT(–): (and probably undergraded as such), this is a beauty and would have been graded full Mint, bar a crease on the pull tab which remains full intact and very solid. As stated, this will always crease by closing the cover as the tap sticks out to grip for removal. That is why so many were torn off almost from day one, so finding this detail and delicate part intact is so difficult. A large format, shaped lyric sheet that has one manufactured fold. This classic insert often missing altogether and rarely seen fully intact. This one almost as clean and fresh as when made, the colour on the graphic is simply breathtaking. Barely any other creasing,no tears and appears hardly even handled, even the dark picture side. Barely aged at all, the white lyric side incredibly clean and still white, not off-white, toned or yellowed, with all edges super crisp and sharp, try finding this classic insert better.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(+): a heavy-duty polylined white inner. Clean, fresh and barely aged at all with no toning, splits and two crisp neat window circles. The lining clear with any crinkle modest and light. This is UK patented with ‘Foreign Patents Pending’ text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(-): with some surface marks that can be seen. But DO NOT be put off, these more visible marks are all superficial, surface and non-sounding. Just one very fine hardly seen mark sounds near the start of side one with around a dozen light clicks. That brief blemish apart, this record plays beautifully with hardly anything unwanted at all. In fact, the sound is superb, minus the light clicks, this would have been as good as I have ever heard from an original UK copy. Very clean and retaining an impressive shine with an intense black finish and very solidly pressed on robust and tough Pye vinyl. Guessing number of plays is pointless, but I would strongly suggest, less than the moderate spindle marks may indicate. This is still a very impressive looking record, and few 45-year-old discs will not have a few marks. When most-all have NO sound, why worry, I want to hear the music, not worry about relatively minor visual imperfections.

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 snippets 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 rare Kinks album plays above it’s visual grading with practically nothing to fault bar the aforementioned brief dozen-or-so early light clicks from the one very fine mark that does sound. It offers strong, distortion-free sound, with all frequencies are sharp, clear and fully focused from beginning to end. Sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Barely any surface sounds or crackle, no groove wear at all and this is an exceptional clean pressing for a fairly difficult album. Few copies will match or outperform this lovely example. Very little spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this almost ‘lost’ Kinks classic. If the brief few light clicks are acceptable, the rest will blow you away, and nothing beats the detail and presentation of an early pressed copy. So you pays your money, you takes your choice – as we say in the UK. The record, cover, insert and inner all set a very high standard with all the facts considered. My highest recommendation (the very few clicks apart), is mandatory – this is Ray Davies and The Kinks at their very best.

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/Hercules/Cirkus with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Rondo Red moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2 grams). Amps: Naim Nait 5i with Project USB phono stage and Chord interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Terrarium Black terminated cable). All records I offer on Ebay are cleaned on a professional VPI-17 vacuum machine before play-grading for the cleanest and best possible sound and will include a brand new lined inner and protective cover too. Pictures taken with a Nikon D5000 SLR Digital Camera.

PACKING - THIS IS WHAT YOU GET.

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 soft protective sleeve and the actual record will be professionally cleaned on my new VPI-17 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 boxes (NOT Mailers, these do not offer any real protection). The record(s) are 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 at least TWO, 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. When larger boxes are used, 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. 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. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 10,000+ items sold in over 12 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 stiffeners cannot be bent by hand, so what chance 2 inside a box? Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE. I discount of course for multiple purchases with a maximum of FIVE records per box (one double can sometimes be included subject to total weight). All postage costs are below and at the top of the listing.

NOTE: First Time Bidders: Please ask me first.

PLEASE NOTE: I now exercise my right to open a dispute after the Ebay rule of FOUR days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the, again after the mandatory FOUR days and then offer the item to the runner-up or relist. The non-payer will also be blocked from my Ebay site and they take the Ebay consequences (a strike or removal from the system). Small businesses need prompt payment to trade and these strict rules WILL be applied.

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] = £4.75

1 LP (Special Delivery with Standard £500 Maximum Insurance) [Signed For, Next Day] = £8. (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 [£50 maximum]) = £12.50 (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an optional extra £3). Add £3 per extra LP.

Posting & Packing: ALL OVERSEAS (non-European) e.g. USA (ANY PART OF); South America; New Zealand; 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 [£50 maximum]) = £16.50 (£17.50 for double sets). Add £3 per extra LP. (enhanced Royal Mail insurance is an 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: I will cancel any bids I feel are time-wasters. 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 necessarily 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’.