FAIRPORT CONVENTION What We Did On Our Holidays Orig LP

	£		164
	$		217

Hi, I am Mike, I am 46 and have been a music collector and enthusiast for over 33 years now. We all wish we could turn back the clock and buy those wonderful brand new records from the 60s and 70s, but alas, this is not possible; so I always try to offer the finest and most accurately described and graded records I can find. No vinyl/music lover really would choose to buy second-hand, but this is only way now to own these valuable, prized and ellusive items now. 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, hence the name - time rarely allows for more as I Play-Grade virtually every record I offer in their entirity, not just bits to guess a grade (on a Rega 3 deck with Ortofon cartridge) - 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 reader – 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. The only thing I cannot guarantee one hundred percent is exact colour matching - this depends on the lighting at the time and that is out of my control, but I feel sure most items will be very close to the actual real item. Variation can sometimes occur too in colour of the label scans and labels taken next to the sleeve with a digital camera, the scanned full label pictures should be the most accurate. If any picture I take looks more flattering than the actual item for any reason, I will clearly state the fact in the advert. 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 or sticks or writing on covers or labels unless clearly stated to the contrary. Thanks for your interest and Good luck – MIKE.

Please read all the information carefully - these adverts take an age to compile properly - so it’s well worth a few minutes of your time to read the details thoroughly. I really cannot take any responsibility if any bidder fails to read any facts that are clearly stated in the advert - Thankyou.

Artist or Band: FAIRPORT CONVENTION

Album Title: What We Did on Our Holidays

Track Listing: Fotheringay; Mr Lacey; Book Song; The Lord is in This Place…How Dreadful is This Place; No Man’s Land; I’ll Keep it With Mine; Eastern Rain; Nottamun Town; Tale in Hard Time; She Moves Through the Fair; Meet on the Ledge; End of a Holiday.

Label/Format: Island (First pressing full pink format with eye logo and rough finish, outline island type).

Label Condition: A stunning pair and so rare to find on this album. A gorgeous delicate true pink pair that appear close to unmarked with only very light spindle traces. Even more importantly, wear around the centre hole is zero, all ink is fully intact and this is still a tight fit on my Rega deck. The rough texturing is very clearly defined and may even show up on my scans on a high resolution screen. These are superbly clean and are contenders for the best yet for any first Island format I have yet offered, handling appears to have been minimal and this pair can be proudly shown off with great pride. A small manufacture chip on side one is the only ‘blemish’ I can see (Please see label scans for all information needed, have you ever seen these looking better?

Cat Number: ILPS 9092.

Mono or Stereo: Stereo, not issued in mono in the UK but in the US it was issued for a time in mono (where the cover was totally different too).

Country of Manufacture: England, UK

Rarity: Rare, I personally consider this Fairport’s rarest album as a first pressing, even harder to find than the Polydor debut, and that’s pretty rare too (the mono version of the debut maybe is equally rare, maybe more so in top condition). This was pressed three times on the Pink format and several times beyond on Pink rim and later versions. This very first original first pressing is very ellusive, it did not even chart in the UK or US which is a remarkable statistic - how can masterpieces like this fail to chart? This landmark album is essential, rare and seldom offered as an original.

Original Year of Release: January 1969

Matrix Nos: ILPS 9092+A and ILPS 9092+B

Brief Artist & Album Info: I almost feel honoured to even touch vinyl of this quality. This remarkable band’s second album and first on Island. An album that boasts an embarrassment of influences and riches, binding together to make their own. This was their beatnik phase, treading the psychedelic underground and featuring some stunning songs including Sandy’s beautiful ‘Fotheringay’. Examples of electric traditional songs too in the equally brilliant ‘Nottamun Town’ and ‘She Moves Through the Fair’ - neither song, as a by-the-way, was British. Dylan’s masterpiece ‘I’ll Keep it With Mine’ is covered too with a delightful version. Significantly too, Richard Thompson’s development as a unique sounding guitarist and song writer began to bloom. As stated, this remarkable album failed to sell well, and failed to even break into the charts (this fact still astonishes me). This would not have been available long on this label format and how many copies circulate will be few - available copies in strong condition will be rare. Folk fan or not this record should appeal to all rock and classic vinyl collectors. This is more progressive folk-rock with psych overtones too. It’s only my second available copy to offer and its a privilege to do so. This is a strong copy that looks and sounds tremendous. All is explained fully below.

Cover Grade and Format: EX+++ and oh so close to Mint(-), single format, laminated front only. This cover has the eye logo on the back - later versions of this cover varied on the back as the label variations progressed.

Cover Lamination: Very clean and shiny, some light dulling traces that remain invisible under normal viewing, only the fact the cover artwork is so dark does it make any dulling visible at all. No peeling or dry areas and virtually crease-free which is vitally important. Being a very dark cover, heavy, even moderate creases would ruin this vintage sleeve. This laminate has no indentations and even surface traces are minimal and any pressmarks from the record are light as they possibly get this age.

Cover Front: A bizarre cartoon cover, and this strange, self inflicted micky-take off themselves if pretty wonderful too. This is very attractive with little to fault. It’s very clean with little wear and even the thin end of laminate area on the edges is neat and unfaded or soiled. A very fine front cover that could prove near impossible to match or better.

Cover Back: This unprotected back is in fine shape too with only some very light rubbing near the very bottom, bar that this would get the Mint(-) is probably deserves anyway - but I grade very strictly. This retains strong dark colour and again has no creasing or unsightly ringwear. A few small, and light pressmarks if viewed closely but this fragile and wear-prone back has survived its great age still looking stunning.

Top Edge: Unworn.

Bottom Edge: Unworn up to the final 1/4 inch on the right that has a light rub.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Clean, sharp with no wear or feathering. Record entered on right outside edge.

Spine and Text: A very strong spine that only states ‘FAIRPORT CONVENTION’ and the ILPS 9092 cat number. Solid and square with little wear, text is perfect and unworn under the uncracked laminate.

Corners: Just rubs to the very tips. All still nicely shaped.

Cover Summary: A superb all round example of this fragile late 60’s cover, the best I have ever seen, one that could prove near impossible to find much better. This strong item should please all collectors.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EX++ to Mint(-). A superb copy with just the odd light hairline on the final song on side one that has a few very low level clicks briefly, but so low level they are dont spoil the song, brief and they fade away to nothing quickly, that apart little to fault. Very clean, with rich shine, and jet black and very heavily pressed, this will briefly slow down belt driven decks. A copy with minimal plays on all the evidence. Visually a class item that could almost pass for new, the hairline is so fine and light its almost impossible to see under even normal lighting, a superlative record that should please most collectors again.

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This super record plays up to its high visual grading with little else to fault bar the minor brief clicks on ‘I’ll Keep it With Mine’, I have clearly mentioned already this minor blemish which is pretty unlikely to spoil this audio gem for anyone (except the most highly critical perfectionist) - people who know me well know the standard I require for my own enjoyment and this barely even registered with me as the brilliance of the music just takes over. This plays beautifully and free of any distortion (which is vital), all frequencies are sharp and clear. A fine pressing, any surface sounds are as low as they get for an album this great age, this vintage deep grooved copy has very special sound and remains the definitive version to hear. The stereo mix and audio qualities will never be beaten. Both channels are clean and unstressed, I feel very sure this record has been played little and has been generally well stored and looked after, almost certainly in a non-smoking environment. Little, spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this gem. This copy will prove very difficult to find significantly better and most would be simply happy to match it.

Mono vs Stereo, an overview: Always a matter of opinion which is better or more important. For any serious collector where there is a choice e.g. Beatles, Stones, Hendrix etc. both are essential. True Stereo albums give great imagery and presence whereas mono albums usually are more dynamic, louder and present the detail more clearly. Mono albums are far harder to find in genuinely top playing condition. Most were heavily played, particularly the truly great bands and artists, often covered in mark and scratches, many severe and labels that were a mass of spindle marks. The majority were played on vintage and unsubtle decks with heavy tonearms and thick styli (often sapphire, not diamond, that chipped more easily) that rendered heavy wear in a very short time to many a fine classic record. Wear to the delicate groove walls, particularly the innermost tracks to the labels were most vulnerable where the tracking angle became more severe and the backdrag actually stripped the delicate groove walls. This resulted in surface noise and mild/moderate distortion or worse. These old decks tracked by sheer weight and little of any refined engineering. Next time you see such a deck at a local record fayre, feel the weight of the arm, it almost makes you wonder how any records survived at all. The point of this paragraph is emphasise that when a truly clean, lightly played and great sounding 60s mono album (or stereo come to that) is offered, treasure it, because for sure they are truly getting vary rare and precious - beware - demand only play-graded records. As a general guide to rarity, mono was the far more common format from 61–65; Around 66–67 the balance was roughly equal, then from 68-69 the balance swung more to stereo, making monos from these dates far scarcer, even rare - this guide is important and effects values greatly.

Album Played For Grading: Yes.

Final Summary: Definitive progressive folk-rock the likes that was rarely ever equalled, this album, the first of three masterpieces that included the great Sandy Denny in the line up is a joy from start to finish. Make no mistake, this album is rare and rarely gets seen, let alone offered in anything like top condition. This has the odd minor blemishes, brief and very light, but virtually all plays to a stunning standard with rich detailed and clean sound. Just imagine what the majority of 68 records play like - this is truly exceptional. The paragraph above puts a clean 60s album like this into perspective. If, like most, you missed this first time around and you need this masterwork now, this copy I feel sure will please. Most collectors should treasure this one, its still in investment condition and all but the absolute perfectionist will enjoy it. Dont think about losing this copy, it might a while before another quite this strong gets offered again. Good luck – Mike.

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. 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. Item wants are always welcome - email me with anything needed, you never know - I may just have a copy in stock. I by quality single items and collections also (Email me please if you have quality items for sale).

Debutant Bidders: Many sellers refuse first time buyers: I do not follow this practice (everybody has to start somewhere), but I would appreciate any first timer letting me know their intentions of their intended payment method and very prompt communication, preferably before any bid or soon after the auctions ends. This gives confidence that their intentions are honourable, and I in return guarantee extra special good feedbacks to get zero rated Ebayers off to a flying start to help them with future transactions. NOTE: I WILL NOT ACCEPT BIDS FROM UNREGISTERED USERS, I will cancel them immediately, and sorry, I cannot give valuations on people’s personal items just for their own curiosity, no item can be accurately valued blindly.

Having the Powerseller Logo: This is recognition from Ebay for the highest possible customer services, satisfaction and quality, it should reassure any potential bidder that all items are described, graded and shipped to the highest standards possible. Customer care of the highest order is a standard feature here and I am proud to have achieved this recognised standard of excellence from Ebay with help from collectors and buyers from all over the World - I thank you all.

Payment Details please read carefully - I know its boring but essential:

UK First Class: = £3.00; Recorded Delivery (Recommended) = £5.50 Special Delivery (Next day, insured up to £250), the best service available = £7.00

Europe Air Mail: = £4 Insured: £8.00

Overseas, non-Europe e.g. USA, Japan, Australia etc. Airmail:= £7; Insured with recorded delivery (where available) = £11.00

Singles: (Packed to the high standards of the LPs)

UK First class: = £2.00 Insured: £4

Europe Air Mail = £3.00 Insured: £5.50

Overseas, non-Europe (as above) Airmail £3.50 Insured: £6.00

Doubles add extra £1, triples add extra £2. Box sets add extra £3 (£4 overseas and Europe)

Any item that sells for over £85 will be sent Special Delivery in the UK at no extra cost. Items over £125 get the same service Overseas. This is gives peace of mind for the winning bidder and myself for valuable items. Reduced postage of course for multiple items.

The winner bidder chooses his/her posting method and if uninsured is chosen, its their decision and they have to stick with it, I can accept no responsibility if an item is lost in the post. I can only try to claim at standard levels if no enhancement is chosen (£28). PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT use surface mail, its too slow, with a higher risk of loss and damage.

Mailing Details: Please note I do NOT profit on postage (my packing standards are high and the package weighs a little more and I often actually lose money on this part of service - I simply refuse to compromise with poor packing. All records are sent in plastic covers with the record taken OUT of the sleeve and sent in professional mailers with FOUR professional stiffners for extra protection (if space allows), I do NOT use old cardboard boxes or cereal packets for protection. More expensive items are also inserted into a de-luxe heavy duty padded bag AS WELL to give that extra protection. I truly want ALL my items to arrive to their destination in the same condition they leave me. I will also include in most cases a brand new lined inner, but will include the original inner if available and in a condition to be worthwhile.

I can accept cash for payments worldwide in UK Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars - but this at the senders OWN risk. Please send registered and insured if this method is chosen. I cannot accept responsibility if any cash payments do not turn up. This system is very reliable and rarely goes astray. The same goes for any shipped uninsured item, I can only try to claim for any undelivered or damaged article at basic insurance levels if no enhanced insurance is requested and paid for (unless the value threshold is high enough for me insure as standard, see above)

Overseas bidders please note conversion rates for Pounds to Dollars and Pounds to Euros will be charged at 1.7 to cover PayPal or cash conversion costs.

PLEASE NOTE: Any PayPal user can now pay me with UK Sterling if they wish with no need to convert to US dollars (although they still can if they wish to). Any instant PayPal transaction from anywhere in the world will mean the item will be sent immediately - it makes deals fast and very efficient.

Potential Bidders: Please do not bid if you have negative feedback unless checking first, I will cancel any bids I feel are timewasters. I now only accept PayPal, International money orders or cash from overseas bidders (UK Sterling, US dollars or Euros). Cash, cheques, postal orders and PayPal are fine from the UK. I allow maximum 3 days for communication and 7 days for payment to arrive - if this does not happen I will relist the item and may send negative feedback unless an explanation is given. Fast deals get great feedback from me. Any questions - please ask. Please keep watch on my Ebays, I have other interesting items coming very soon. Thanks for looking.

My Guarantee: As listening to every single record I offer all the way through is difficult timewise, can I make it clear if any winning bidder is not satisfied with their purchase I will offer a complete refund minus the Posting and All Ebay costs as long as the item detail has been read and understood. I will not refund if any defect detail is clearly stated on the advert and missed by the buyer. I still endeavour to play all the items in their entirity for grading if at all possible and is usually the case.