CRESSIDA Asylum 1Y1/2Y1 1st PRESS VERTIGO Strong VG++ COVER & Incredible AUDIO
£
681
$
902
£ 681
Sold For
Oct 26, 2025
Sold Date
Oct 16, 2025
Start Date
15
Number Of Bids
Great Britain
Country Of Seller
eBay
Auctioned at
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Description
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. Cressida : Asylum 1Y1 / 2Y1 1st Press 1971 Vertigo
This rare and collectable first pressing plays with stunning quality and any intrusion is kept to an absolute minimum. The clarity, depth, definition and power of the audio is on a level I do not think I have heard before on this album. I have sold 3 or 4 of these over the last ten years and this one has to be the 'cleanest' most complete version I have listened to. The vast majority is breathtaking and only a couple of intros on S1 have minor background. S1 still plays with incredible audio and S2 is the same and then some! Sonically it is so strong and I cannot praise it highly enough. Not quite a final upgrade but not far from it!
This is of course one of the classic Keef covers and it has retained its original shape and structure perfectly. It has a little marking in the top right corner and on the inside there is also some light marking in the top corners but aside from that it is in excellent order. I have graded it as VG++ but it is close to Ex- in my opinion. The original Vertigo inner has some wear but not an extensive amount.
This first pressing has the early 'stampers' 111 on both sides. It doesn't get much earlier than that!
6360025 1Y//1▽ 420 1 1 1 -- 6360025 2Y//1▽ 420 1 1 1
The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 intro Ex+ / T5 intro Ex-)
The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T1 Near Mint)
The gatefold is VG++ The Vertigo inner sleeve is VG+
The Vertigo labels are Near Mint
Visual description
The vinyl is in very good to excellent condition. I say between the two because under a bright light you can see some faint swirly hairlines and a small section of 'bag rash' on S1 also but this is all superficial as it has no impact on the superb audio. There are also four small 'heat' type spots by the run in grooves on S1 and just a little more on S2 but again... zero affect on the audio. In 'normal' lighting the vinyl is very impressive and there are no scratches anywhere. The Vertigo labels are very clean with no marking and minimal spindle wear.
Play Grading
The acoustic intro on 'Asylum' is perfect and Cullen's opening vocal is equally as clean and precise. The mid instrumental then plays with stunning clarity, depth and warmth with not so much as a dust tick. I cannot emphasise enough just how pristine the audio is! Even when the volume decreases into another brief acoustic section there is no background not even a dust tick. The final vocal is flawless and the concluding instrumental is deep and powerful with zero intrusion, a perfect fade out also. I am 100% confident in grading this as Mint such is the quality of the audio.
The quiet intro on 'Munich' plays very clearly with only a couple of minor statics and one light tick and the first vocal section then plays with impeccable clarity and definition... again. The strings add so much to the sound and so far sonically this is STUNNING! The chorus is 'as new' and the instrumental keeps up this fine start with wonderful audio! Sublime solo work from Culley and the rhythm section of McCarthy and Clark add the perfect accompaniment. Seriously this entire section could not play any better, the sonic quality remains unaffected despite the record being 54 years old. There is no 'muddiness' to the sound, no distortion and the playback is crystal clear. There is quiet passage towards the end of this classic instrumental predominantly featuring Clark on bass and again there is literally no background. I can't quite believe what I am listening to! Cullen's next vocal is free of any background as is his acapella vocal that soon follows. A couple of very quiet statics in the during the next instrumental and the final vocal / 'orchestral' ending is just INCREDIBLE! I know I can get a little verbose at times (!) but I can be forgiven with audio as stunning as this on such a rare and collectable classic. I will grade the intro as Ex+ but the rest has to grade as Mint- at the very least and it would be Mint but for those two barely audible statics! What a version!
'Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye' plays with sublime clarity from the word go. The acoustic intro is faultless and the opening vocal is just as strong and clear. It continues in the same precise way and the piano interlude is a prime example of the 'as new' clarity on offer. It's a great track, folk prog I would say! Every section plays with impeccable precision including the end 'bomb'. Another Mint track again no need for a minus even.
The organ intro on 'Survivor' has no background and from then on the playback is flawless. Again I can't help but marvel at the sonic quality here. The powerful ending is superb, there is no distortion at all. Mint
The intro on 'Reprieved' has one light tick and a static click but otherwise plays very clearly with no static etc. From then on this 'jazzy' number plays with great quality. Superb work from Jennings on the piano and the clarity throughout is of such a high standard aside from that brief 'moment' at the start so I will grade the intro as Ex- and the remainder as Mint
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The intro on 'Lisa' plays so clearly and the depth is so impressive. The opening vocal is perfect and it continues in much the same way. Listening to this album you can see why it is so collectable! The tracks are so strong and instrumentally they are superb. As the volume increases into the more melodic section the audio is 'as new' and the quieter mid vocal section plays with great clarity also. There is one static tick and a handful of minor statics but overall the playback is so clean and precise. The rest plays with infinite precision and again the closing instrumental is STUNNING! I will grade as Near Mint but as I often say it's a case of the vast majority being much stronger than that!
'Summer Weekend Of A Lifetime' begins with no intrusion and the opening vocal has no background either. Culley's mid solo is superb and you really notice just how clean and distinct this instrumental is, you miss nothing - each note sounding like they would have done when first pressed! The final vocal is perfect and there is only one barely audible static on the fade out. Mint- but could it play any better? I think not!
The acoustic opening / vocal on 'Let Them Come When They Will' plays with stunning clarity, there are only a couple of mega quiet statics. The first 'chorus' is just as impressive and the following instrumental is breathtaking! The audio is so deep and warm, I cannot enthuse enough about it! The sonic 'landscape' is phenomenal - you can play it loud without it affecting the playback, there is no distortion. The percussive section is out of this world! You then have a very quiet section which plays beautifully with no background can you believe and the next vocal is exactly the same. A true prog classic and thus far it is playing with remarkable quality. As Cullen's vocal gradually gets louder there is no drop in quality and the very gentle organ instrumental plays with great clarity, not far off perfect truth be told! A handful of very quiet statics that is all, nothing intrusive of course. Stunning in other words. The percussive / bass section then plays without fault and the concluding vocal sections / instrumentals end this classic with no interference. A genuine Mint- version and a STUNNING finish to one of the finest prog albums ever written!
The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve
This iconic Keef cover is in excellent condition for the most part and there is really only one obvious 'section' of wear. The front cover has some light marks in the top right corner and it looks like some form of removal has been attempted. This has caused a little 'smudging' of the colour but it's minimal. Aside from that the front cover is very clean. The edges have hardly any rubbing / wear - there is just a little on the bottom edges by the right hand corners - and the spine is in superb condition. The corners are very clean, apart from the light rubbing bottom right, and the opening edge has next to no handling wear with only a hint of minor feathering at the top. The back cover is in superb order with only minimal wear in a couple of corners and the inside of the gatefold is quite impressive with only a little marking in the two top corners. The vast majority of the white background is very clean indeed. Not a perfect copy, there can't be many, but a very respectable one nonetheless.
The Vertigo inner (dated 1070) has no side splits but does have one small tear on the top edge and some browning / discolouration. A price has been written in one corner and the poly-lined inner is a little loose also.
6360025 1Y//1▽ 420 1 1 1 -- 6360025 2Y//1▽ 420 1 1 1
Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT VM-95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine
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 topsGREAT 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 : £6.50 up to 1kg then £1.00 per extra item
EUROPE (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £13.95 then £2.00 per extra
USA (Tracked - Max 2kg)
LPs/12" singles : £22.95 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!!
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