MARY WELLS Two Lovers RARE ORIG UK 1963 ORIOLE EX++ MONO LP SUPERB SOUND/COVER

	£		171
	$		227

ONEADAYRECORDS – Simply Delivering Quality Music to the World in Quality, Safe Packing.

Postage: UK £4.75 (£1 per extra record). Europe (including Russia) £12.50 (£2 per extra record). Rest of World (including ALL parts of the USA) £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 – in fact I think these things should be banned as records WILL arrive damaged in them at some time. Here, you get what you pay for – SAFE PACKING in BOXES using 7mm DOUBLE-WALL STIFFENERS. Full details 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 ‘2-day’ rule for non-payment to keep things moving – cash-flow is important for any small business. I will always keep my P&P prices as low as possible, and even after yet another Royal Mail price hike from April this year, I have NOT raised my prices and will never compromise on solid, safe packing that is invariably heavier than most you will get. My P&P offers probably the best value-for-money for vinyl records available, and I even will pay for full insurance on any record that sells for over £100 at NO extra cost – that is UK and abroad. Also I aim to post the very same day after payment is received. You WILL see the difference when my packet arrives.

FINALLY: Late payers, non-payers and ‘0’ bidders will now be blocked or cancelled at my discretion. As will any bidder who cancels a bid. I do not like this practice as it is most often used to phish out the price to beat. Ebay does not approve and neither do I – so only bid on my items if you want them.

Artist or Band: MARY WELLS

Album Title: Two Lovers (The Golden Girl of American Hits)

Producer(s): Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Mickey Stevenson

TRACK LIST:

Side 1: The One Who Really Loves You; Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right; You Beat Me to the Punch; I’ve Got a Notion; The Day Will Come.

Side 2: Two Lovers; Guess Who; My Two Arms – You = Tears; Goody Goody; Stop Right Here.

Label/Format: Oriole (part of the early Motown series and Oriole was licensed to sell their records in the UK), with matt and lightly textured surfaces. Very few early US Tamla Motown records were issued here on this black and yellow Oriole format, they are rarely seen or offered, and this one of the legendary artists within this genre.

Label Conditions: Both in amazing conditions: both very clean, fresh and attractive with hardly any hint of spindle marks or even traces. Crucially for records of this mode and vintage, this one appears hardly even played.

Cat Number: PS 40045

Mode / Speed: Mono / 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: 151 grams. A very heavy solid record made in the era of quality.

Country of Manufacture: England

Rarity: A rare record, in this condition even more so. Two Mary Wells albums (both on offer) were issued in the UK on Oriole, this British label had license to sell the very early American Tamla Motown albums, neither charted and are rare and elusive. It takes little imagination to realise the condition this record could be seen in these days. Such records were likely to have been subjected to the harshest of treatment on the most basic and heavy tracking mono record players of the time – but this one appears hardly used with two beautiful clean playing surfaces, immaculate sound and a hardly worn or aged cover. A vintage early album within the soul genre on the original rare UK Oriole label, this classic will rarely surface much better than this.

Original Year of Release: UK: 1963 – this unique British record combines songs from Mary’s first and second albums issued in the United States.

Matrix Nos: XCTV 82895-1KB [PS 40045 A] / P4RM-1589-1A [PS 40045 B]

Musicians: Lead vocal – Mary Wells. Background vocals – The Love Tones, The Andantes, Martha and the Vandellas. Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers.

Brief Info: The first Mary Wells album issued in the UK in 1963, both were originally issued on the black and yellow Oriole label – her second ‘Bye Bye Baby’ is also on offer. This British label had license to release the early American Tamla Motown albums and historically, few were more important or better than this. A legendary singer that helped put soul and the Motown label on the music map. A groundbreaking singer that helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations and the Four Tops, Wells was pioneering into getting this style of music on mainstream radio. Also soon to be part of the Northern Soul scene that swept into fashion and the club scene of the decade. She had several hit singles, many composed by the master songwriter Smokey Robinson including her well-known classic ‘My Guy’. She became known as ‘The Queen of Motown’ and a huge star for this famous label, she departed in 1964 largely at the height of her popularity. The two Oriole UK albums are incredibly difficult to find, especially in this beautiful hardly played condition. This plays with superb sound and the cover defies its considerable age as well. Historically, one of the most important albums within the soul genre and a copy that does it maximum justice, for collectors of this label, brand and artist, this is unmissable.

Cover Grade and Format: EXCELLENT(++): and this being ultra critical and cautious for a cover of this immense age, this is a superb example. A single format with front laminate, this covers all the folds and ends on three external flipbacks. Printed and made in England. These are the very thin flatter types made by Ernest J. Day at this time, they have the angle-cut ends as seen. These types are also seen on the early Beatles covers when made by the same company and looking very different to the more standard Garrod & Lofthouse flipbacks. The main panel is matt with smooth surfaces. Includes the original polylined white inner sleeve.

Lamination & Front: A tiny light crease on the bottom right corner, that apart, I would have graded my full Mint(–) for what is a truly outstanding front, that really looks impressive. The laminate retains excellent shine, freshness and clarity with barely any hint of dulling, even viewed under light and no lifting whatsoever. Very few creases, any present are ultra fine and light near the edges, there are barely any at all away from the sides at all. The graphic looks hugely impressive with nothing to fault, deep fresh colour retained, there is no fading at all. This elusive classic Oriole cover front will prove immensely difficult to match, let alone find better.

Cover Back: Again exceptional, just a tiny tip crease on the left tip, this tiny blemish being the ‘biggest’ issue on this outstanding cover which should speak volumes for the rest. No rubbing or ring wear, the surface giving only gentle hint of age with any discolouration of grubbiness bordering on minuscule. All three of those fragile thin, paper thickness flipbacks are in beautiful solid condition (the small tip crease apart). No lifting and hardly any creasing to their laminated surfaces that have naturally darkened only gently. All their end edges with no burring or grubbiness, without doubt this cover has been very carefully stored for over 53 years – that is some achievement – how many will surface like this?

Top Edge: Thin, but still quite straight with just a little minor, natural bowing that is seldom avoided totally. The very end left tip has a tiny rub, the main surface is unworn, still fully laminated, smooth and unchipped.

Bottom Edge: A gentle rub near the right end, then pretty much as above.

Right Edge(s), and Type: Mild discolour to the card end seen viewed end-on, totally natural and proving 100 per cent, this is untrimmed or enhanced. Still very sharp with practically no wear. Record enters on this edge which is unsoftened or feathered, more unusual for covers this age, also emphasising how little the record has been entered or removed.

Spine and Text: Again very impressive: solid, again thin, but still mostly straight with any compression mild. These early cover spines were not boxy, but thinner and flatter than only slightly later ones. All text is perfect and unworn under the solid and unpeeled laminate.

Corners: Tiny discolouration to the tips, but minimal hint of rubbing, just the odd tiny tip crease as already mentioned, so any dinking gentle and light. Mostly excellent, or arguably better shape retained.

Cover Summary: A superb all-round example of this fragile vintage 1960’s cover, one that will prove very difficult to find better. This beautiful item should please many, if not most collectors, few of these will surface better than this.

The Inner Sleeve: EXCELLENT(++): not taking into account of the artist and title being neatly written on one top corner, retailers of the time often did this to marry up an album to the cover as many displayed the sleeve without the record inside. A plain white polylined inner with minimal creasing and hardly aged, clean paper. Two crisp window circles with the lining still clear. No edge splits, all sound and solid with no repairs. This British patented with ‘FOREIGN PATENTS PENDING’ text.

Vinyl Condition/Visual Grading: EXCELLENT(++): arguably even better. A little short of stunning visual copy that is very clean with equally fine shine and heavily pressed – this has to be as close to my full Mint(–) vinyl grade as any can get, for a 1963 mono record, this is close to remarkable. This is a time capsule example from almost a bygone age in vinyl terms. Hardly even played, the owner put this record (and the other on offer) to a reel-to-reel tape recorder, thus this it is barely even run-in in vinyl terms and offers fantastic, little short of perfect mono sound. Even viewed critically under bright angled light, hardly any surface blemishes at all, an amazing record of major historic significance – this was the gateway for the Tamla Motown label in the United Kingdom and few will survive like this. Visually a gorgeous record that should please most-all collectors.

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 minuscule sound present on any record.]

Sound Quality and Audio Grading: This Oriole rarity plays even above it’s high visual grading with barely anything to fault. Offering strong, distortion-free sound, all frequencies are sharp and clear - sound quality is very high with a wide dynamic range and very detailed sound. Any surface sounds barely even registered and this is an exceptional clean pressing with no tracking issues*. A mono record not really designed to be played on revealing higher-end stereo equipment, but when found like this, it offers the most wonderful warm, detailed and punchy sound. Well’s vocals are fantastic, fully focused, precise and sharp, few Oriole copies will match or outperform this early original I feel sure. As stated, this record did not chart and was largely ignored at the time, the sound all very new to the British market that was more into the modern beat sound at the time. Both channels are clean and sharp, hardly played and stored with immense care and handling with in a non-smoking environment. Nothing spoilt my pleasure when play-grading this wonderful record, the first copy I have ever seen. It will prove immensely difficult to find better and merits my highest possible recommendation. Even those not particularly into this music genre can fully appreciate this wonderful early class act – myself very much included.

* As played-graded on a high-end Linn LP12 Sondek turntable with Ittok Mk II arm and Ortofon Quintet Black moving coil cartridge tracking at 2.2 grams.

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 as I Play-Grade every record I offer in their entirety – also on higher-end equipment – 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 it’s 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. Room light factors can make things vary sometimes, that is hard to control, especially in winter. 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 Quintet Black moving coil cartridge (tracks at 2.2 grams). Amps: Naim Supernait 2 with Project USB phono stage and Tellerium Black interconnects. Speakers: B&W 704 Floorstanding 3-way Monitors (bi-wired with Tellurium 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, better quality packaging costs, I offer probably the best-value and safest shipping possible for ultimate confidence. The boxes and ultra thick double-wall stiffeners 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 minuscule in over 14 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. Oneadayrecords is a MAILER-FREE ZONE – they offer next-to-no-protection, and should be banned, no ‘professional’ should consider using them in my opinion. 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 TWO days if no payment is received. I will then cancel the dispute to end the bid, 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 as will any suspicious bids or bid withdrawals. 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] = £7.50. (this includes insurance of £500). Add £1 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 £2 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’.