SPRING self titled original pressing UK Neon NE6 NrMint

	£		500
	$		663

ORIGINAL 1971 UK VINYL PRESSING OF SPRING by SPRING

Complete with original black inner sleeve and so impressive TRIPLE foldout outer sleeve

An outstandingly rare and highly sought after progressive rock classic, and indeed the only record released by Spring

In truly EXCELLENT+ condition - the album has been played a few times only and always maintained in a protective plastic outer sleeve

Record label is RCA NEON NE6 with matrix numbers AGBS 0521 - A - 1, and AGBS 0522 - B - 1

I have been (and still am) an avid record collector for over 40 years and have a huge collection of 60's/70's albums, many of which are rare, and have decided to rationalise my collection in order to a) save space, and b) help fund my forthcoming retirement.

The photographs of this item should help authenticate the truly excellent (I'm tempted to use the words "almost mint", by the way) condition of the record and it's unique triple foldout sleeve, but here are a few more descriptive words :

The outer sleeve is in EXCELLENT condition; no unwanted writing, tears, rips, splits, or creases. There is a hint of grubbiness on the top right hand corner of the front of the sleeve and two very, very small scuff blemishes on the reverse side. These barely detract at all from the overall impressiveness of the front cover. Both wide spines are totally intact with very minor scuffing at the very top and bottom of each spine being the only blemishes. The inside of the foldout contains all of the song lyrics with photos of the band and is in virtually pristine condition. The outside of the gatefold, with the fallen soldier, is a delight and equally impressive. I've often thought of framing it and placing it on my wall in the lounge but have resisted the temptation.

The polythene lined black INNER SLEEVE is also in super condition : some very mild surface creasing is in evidence but there are no splits, rips, or tears.

The RECORD (vinyl) itself is in outstanding condition. The labels are virtually pristine with no trace whatsoever of spindle marks, and on the vinyl there are no scratches, scuffs, indentations, warps or unseemly blemishes at all. In fact the vinyl sheen is as impressive as the day I bought the record. Holding each side up to a halogen light I can detect a few, very minor and strictly surface only, spider lines but they are really of no consequence. And, of course, the AUDIO is superb. No crackle, no skips, no jumps...wonderful! Flowing mellotrons, crystal clear guitar leads, and haunting vocals are very much the order of the day and conspire to create a truly prog rock classic. The legendary producer, Gus Dudgeon (who worked with icons such as David Bowie, no less), must have been at the peak of his considerable prowess when producing this record.

The album tracks are :

SIDE 1

1. The Prisoner (Eight By Ten)
2. Grail
3. Boats

Shipwrecked Soldier

SIDE 2

1. Golden Fleece
2. Inside Out
3. Song To Absent Friends (The Island)
4. Gazing

I am starting the auction at a relatively low starting price because I know that this record will eventually achieve the value commensurate with it's rarity and outstanding condition, and am happy to respond to any enquiries including e-mailing further photos as required. For a 40 year old, and exceedingly rare, record such as this I cannot imagine that there are many others around which are in as good a condition as this - I'm sure that the winning bidder will not be disappointed.

RECORD GRADING

My record grading abides by the “Record Collector” guide, which has established a set of standards for the condition of second-hand records. These indicate the amount of wear and tear the disc, sleeve, and other items (such as lyric inserts) have been subject to and the condition that they are in at present. The seven standard condition categories, and descriptions of what each one means, are listed below:

Mint

The records itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items, such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent

The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and /or creasing.

Very Good

The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good

The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.

Fair

The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents are torn, stained and/or defaced

Poor

The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents are badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad

The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler

I have a simple returns policy : if you are not satisfied that the item corresponds to my description then return it to me and I will give you a full refund.

Please read the conditions below relating to Postage and Packaging costs : I know I'm stating the obvious but it is not my intention to profit from P&P and will charge only what the P&P cost is relating to whatever part of the world you live in. I strongly recommend that the winning bidder pays for postal insurance; I cannot be held responsible for the vagaries of the postal service (UK and non-UK) and for a highly valued item such as this it makes sense to pay a little more if only for peace of mind.

Good luck with your bidding and don't hesitate to e-mail me should you have any questions. Richard