When I first saw the price of this I admit I laughed and terms like 'lost the plot' sprang to mind. I was rather resolute that I would not part with £100. However I have to say I've mellowed over the festive period (too many mince pies have softened me up) and a £76 price tag was just enough to swing it. I'm pleased I bought it, though how much it'll be played is another thing entirely.
If anyone's interested I got it from grooves.land. They're based in Berlin, it was well packaged, arrived in 5 days and postage was free.
http://www.grooves-inc.co.uk/bryan-ferry-avonmore-special-edition-bmg-rights-management-dvd-cd-pZZa1-2097328223.html?language=en&currency=GBP&utm_source=froogle_uk&utm_campaign=froogle_uk&gclid=CISKzaeTrsoCFRQTGwodBIMOrA

Thanks for the tip, UKRichard; I may weaken and follow it up.

Was the item still sealed and was it numbered as part of the limited edition? I've read elsewhere that each copy had a numbered sticker (i.e. number x out of 1500) on both the shrinkwrap and cardboard packaging; just wondered if either sticker (or both) was present on the copy you bought? Thanks.

Cher Helen,
You did absolutely the right thing.
Like you, W2 is a devout Ferryista and seldom finds it in him to be remotely critical of our hero's exploits.
That said, as artists seek to make up for declining royalties with other revenue streams they have to respect the rules that us other mortals play by and that involves the sale of goods act and the codes of practice pertaining to advertising.
Doubtless our hero doesn't oversee the details of his merchandising program personally and would probably die with his leg up if he knew how you'd been treat. That said, unfortunately for him it is his brand that is undermined by any sharp business practices or incompetencies.
On the positive front you've saved yourself some hard earned wonga that you can spend on a tour ticket!
Salutations,
W2

Smudge - yes shrink-wrapped with a sticker on the shrink-wrap (mine is 752 - not, say, '752/1500'). Unless I'm missing something (perfectly possible!), I haven't seen numbering elsewhere.

I see BF's FB page is now plugging a 500 Limited Edition pressing of 4 Avonmore remixes. I haven't checked to see if any of these are the 'exclusive' remixes on the Avonmore Special Edition, nor have I yet decided whether to part with a further £20 for the opportunity to own this latest offering! Any thoughts?

It looks like they are tracks 3,4,5,6 on one of the Re-mix CDs in the deluxe version of Avonmore:

http://vivaroxymusic.com/albums_116.php

J.O'B.

Well, like you, I've given in to temptation, UKRichard!

I got a good price for some stuff I sold on eBay and the money burned it's way through my pocket in something close to record time. The Grooves Inc price had crept up bit by bit and Amazon.de became the cheapest option (at about £80).

I have this nagging doubt about finding them heavily discounted in a few months time (much like the super deluxe Olympia, which dropped from £50 to £15), but I saw one recently and it did look rather beautiful... Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised and all 1500 copies will sell, making £80 feel like good business?

When Avonmore arrives it'll sit on my shelf next to the folio edition (hardback book with 6 x 10 inch "singles") of The Jazz Age, which Mrs Smudge generously gave me for Christmas. I can just about blot out thoughts like "£150 for 40 mins of music on which BF neither sings, nor plays", having trained myself to repeat "only 500 copies worldwide, each signed & numbered by BF"!

"£150 for 40 mins of music on which BF neither sings, nor plays", having trained myself to repeat "only 500 copies worldwide, each signed & numbered by BF"!

That's one I did resist (gorgeous though it was), although with hindsight it now makes the Avonmore SE seem like a snip. Entirely the wrong sentiment to express here though, the next one'll be priced at £200!