In the Eye of the Beholder

Here’s some more jazz vinyl on our eBay watch list, starting with: Jutta Hipp at the Hickory House Volume 1, Blue Note 1515. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The bidding is in the $335 range and the auction closes in about 12 hours. These records are so hard to find in any condition, that VG and playable still commands quite a high price. I recall buying my copy of this record at one of the record shows on Long Island, probably 20 or 25 years ago. The seller had price tag of $50 on the record, which seemed like a very high price in those days. I had never seen the record before and I bought it. It was in M- condition for the record and VG+ or so for the cover. I was walking around carrying the record when I ran into my old buddy Red Carraro. He had been to the show well before me and had seen the record and passed on it. He sees me with the record and says “Lit, always hustlin’, huh? Fifty bucks for that record. That’s a lot of money.” I guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it? And, fortunately for me, I was the one beholdin’ that record. And I still beholdin’ it, right here on my shelves.

This is another one, closing as I type this, where condition is an issue:

Lou Donaldson, Swing and Soul, Blue Note 1566. This was an original pressing listed in VG condition for the record and probably VG for the cover as well. The bidding was at $127.50 and are there any last minute bids . . . . . . nope, it sells for $127.50. I do have a spare copy of this record in better condition than this one, so it gives me some basis for the current market if I decide to sell or trade.