2 LP Box: Tchaikovsky Nutcracker, ANSERMET, UK ED1 London CSA 2203 (SXL 2092-3)

$

33

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[A winner of my eBay items may combine shipping with items purchased at audiophile-lpcd.com and receive a 10% discount on those combined-shipping items purchased at audiophile-lpcd.com.  If you wish to purchase any items at that website, please let me know by a message on eBay so that I can give you the discount.  Also, the prices on the items on that website will be substantially reduced in the next few days.  Even if you have recently visited the site, you may wish to do it again in a few days.  The return policy on the website will be changed also to allow for returns/refund.  The items on that website are from the same collection -- i.e., my personal collection -- and are of the same nice quality as the items that I list here for auction.]


2 LP Box: Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker (complete), Ernest ANSERMET conducting L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, UK ED1 (first edition) London BB (blue back box) WBG (wide-band grooved "ffss" labels) CSA 2203 (exactly the same as Decca SXL 2092/2093, except for the US-made blue back/inside box), with the dead wax matrices ending "1E" for each of the 4 sides (i.e., the very first mastering for each side, just like the very 1st Decca pressing).  This was pressed by UK Decca and is EXACTLY the same as the SXL 2092/93 1E/1E/1E/1E first pressing, except for the US-export labels, the US-printed blue back/inside box and the fact that Record 1 has Sides 1 and 4 and Record 2 has Sides 2 and 3 (which was done to accommodate the custom in the industry in the U.S.).  This set has excellent sonics and is one of my two favorite vintage stereo recordings of this ballet (the other one being Dorati's on Mercury Living Presence).  This is the cleanest of my personal collection copies.  

Vinyl Conditon:  EX/NM/NM/NM- for Sides 1/4/2/3, respectively, visually, with about 3 to 5 spindle trails on each side.  Side 1 is only visually graded EX due to 3 non-feelable marks that do not affect play AND a tiny pressing bubble that creates about 7 repeating, mild "heartbeat" sounds.  This has been played about 7 times and it play grades NM- overall.  This is the cleanest copy of the 5 copies I have owned over the years.

Box Condition:  EX; the box is solid and clean, but shows tiny bits of dirtiness on the back and tiny bits of cracking beginning to form at the "spine" of the box; the inside (which is also "blue back") is clean (see photos).  The original thick poly-lined inner sleeves are solid and clean.

At least 50% of my buyers are located outside of the United States, and I WELCOME BUYERS OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.  However, I still reserve the right to refuse to honor bids by buyers from countries where shipment routinely gets lost, damaged or delayed and buyers who have a pattern of nonpayment or negative feedback.  Please contact me before bidding should you have any concerns.  I also reserve the right to end the listing early if there is no bid on the item, in accordance with eBay policies. 

GRADING POLICY FOR LPS:  Grading is for the cover/box and for the record.  The record may have two grades, one for visual grade and another for play grade.  [For an explanation of the grades, please go to:   www.audiophile-lpcd.com/pages/page ].

 I have never played some of these records and some records may only be visually graded.  The grading for the record will be relative to a mint record of the period manufactured by the same record company.  Therefore, the standards will not be the same between, for example, a Japanese Pioneer/Holland Philips/German Teldec pressing of the early 80’s (which are on super quiet vinyl) and a U.S. ABC/MCA pressing of the late 70’s (which are typically noisier).  A Near Mint graded late 70’s U.S. ABC or MCA record will play with considerably more background noise caused by cheaper vinyl material than a Near Mint graded early 80’s Japanese Pioneer, Holland Philips or German Teldec record. 

SHIPPING POLICY:  All records have been cleaned on my VPI 16.5 record cleaning machine and will be placed in a poly-lined or rice paper sleeves, unless the records are sealed or the record already comes with a clean poly-lined inner sleeve.  The LP will be packed in a cardboard box LP mailer manufactured by ULINE (not the cheap, thin or flimsy kind but the more expensive, sturdy and bigger kind).  Unless the winning bidder requests otherwise, the record will be placed outside of the LP outer jacket so that it will not damage the cover during transit. 

For U.S. destinations, the shipping cost for 1 record delivered via US Postal Service Media Mail will be $4 for everyone in the Continental United States, and the cost for USPS Parcel Post will be $6 if your State touches the Pacific Ocean, $8 if your State or Commonwealth touches the Atlantic Ocean, and $7 if your State touches neither Ocean.  For each additional record, add $1 for each for up to 5 records.  (Each LP mailer will fit up to about 5 records.)  For example, for a boxed set containing 3 records, please just add $2 to the shipping cost of the first record.  If you would like your item shipped using a different option offered by the US Post Office (e.g., Priority Mail or Express Mail) or a private courier service (e.g., FedEx or UPS), please contact me.

For destinations OUTSIDE of the U.S., below are the prices for US Postal Service First Class Mail and Priority Mail.  Please contact me regarding the cost if you would like your item shipped using a different option offered by the US Post Office or a private courier service (e.g., FedEx or DHL). (Please note that the weight limitation for one package is 4 pounds, including the box mailer, packaging material, etc.)

I will NOT be responsible for UNINSURED items lost, damaged or delayed during transit.  If you would like to pay for insurance, please contact me regarding the cost.  

Cost of international shipping via USPS First Class Mail, which usually takes about 2 weeks but may take as much as 4 weeks: 

Canada

Asia

Europe

1 record

$7

$13.50

$13.50

2 records

$10

$20.50

$20.50

3 records

$12

$23

$23

4 records

$14

$26

$26

5 records (assuming less than 4 lbs.)

$16

$29

$29

Cost of international shipping via USPS Priority Mail, which usually takes about 1 week: 

Canada

Asia

Europe

1 to 2 records

$23

$31

$31

3 to 4 records

$25

$34

$34

4 to 5 records

$27

$38

$37

6 records

$29

$41

$39

PAYMENT POLICY:  I accept PayPal and U.S.-negotiable cashier’s check.  Payment must be made within five (5) business days after the bidding for the item ends.  If that timing does not work for you (because, for example, you will be on vacation, etc.), please contact me BEFORE bidding.