I'm sure you'll forgive me for showing this image yet again, but it's scanned from my own personal mini album which I recently acquired on eBay and received yesterday. Seems almost perfect and the record looks practically brand-new. As you can imagine, I'm delighted to finally have a replacement for the one I had as a kid way back in the '60s.
However, there's always a 'but'. Take a look at the packing the record was delivered in: a sturdy cardboard envelope, with two thick corrugated backing boards and a label clearly identifying the item as fragile, yet the Royal Mail still managed to damage it. It almost looks as if it was deliberately skited off a wall or dropped from an upper window just to thwart the sender's conscientious admonition of care.
Fortunately, the record itself was undamaged, but the cover had a nasty crease, which, with the careful application of a hot iron (a tricky business I can tell you), I've managed to minimise. Luckily, the card sleeve is extremely thin and therefore amenable to such corrective treatment, but the crease is yet there and can be seen depending on which way the light reflects off it.
Just think - the cover has survived in excellent condition for 47 years, it leaves the possession of the seller unmarked, but is delivered to me in a less-than-perfect state. I'm going to explore the possibility of compensation because it's an absolute disgrace that, in this day and age, a 7 inch 'large letter' is beyond the ability of the Royal Mail to deliver in the condition it was sent.
Still, bloody great collectors' item, eh? Just such a shame that it's now worth less than I paid for it. (Please - no gags about CAPTAIN SCARLET supposedly being indestructible.)
(Update: I've since obtained another, uncreased replacement.)
I'd be annoyed at that too, Kid. Does it matter that it's worth less than you paid for it though because I assume you'll be keeping it for life now. I'm not making excuses for Royal Mail but at least you got it - one or two things I've ordered over the years never arrived at all. I once ordered something from the now defunct (I think) Innovations catalogue which never arrived. When I phoned up to enquire about it they said it had been delivered to me and signed for !!!! These days I very rarely buy anything through the post and I've never bought anything on e-bay - in fact I've only looked at the e-bay site about three times.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, Col, the fact that I received it in a lesser condition than it was sent is what mainly annoys me, but its reduced worth is a reflection of that condition. I'd feel the same if it had only cost me two quid and was now worth only one. What I'm trying to say is that, regardless of the amount, I want what I paid for to BE what I paid for.
ReplyDeleteAs for ebay, it's got its highs and lows I suppose, but I've had some great finds there.
Royal Mail gets worse and worse in my opinion. The sooner it gets privatised the better if you ask me. Ive had things going missing and not had so much as an apology. At least you got your album in perfect condition.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I received your Power Records FF CD in the post today, so it arrived safely, that's something[!]. Thanks again for this marvellous freebie.
Glad you got it, Karl, and hope you enjoy it. The album (record) was certainly in perfect condition, but the cover should also have been, as it was when it was posted. If you'd care to, perhaps you could let me know what you think of the quality of the CD when you've listened to it.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago I decided to have another search for that elusive Man from U.N.C.L.E. membership card. I didn't find it, but I did find something else tucked away - another Century 21 Records 33 rpm mini-album called "Into Action with Troy Tempest" (sadly minus its sleeve). Did you ever have that one in your collection?
ReplyDeleteI never had the original single, Andrew, but I bought it on cassette when it was re-released in the early '90s. It's also on my Stingray DVD boxed set. All I had back in the day were the CS mini-album and two singles of the Fireball XL5 theme.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you're angry! - reminds me of the time I bought a rare LPwhich was marked fragile,only to receive it with a dirty great boot print on it! Luckily it wasn't cracked, but that's not the point.
ReplyDeleteMakes you wonder, JP, as to whether such things happen deliberately or by accident, eh?
ReplyDelete