Watching eBay: Blue Train, Sonny Plus Four

Here are some records we’re watching now on eBay:

The same seller that has the copy of Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568 with a start price of almost $3,000 also has this: John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing and it is listed in VG++ condition. The start price is about $900. It’s interesting to watch this and the Mobley because the seller obviously decided to go with a high start price rather than put the record up with a reserve price. I actually prefer it this way as a buyer, but as a seller I’m not sure which is the best way to get people to bid.

I’m watching this one because it’s mine: Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038. This one is a New York pressing with a New York cover. The cover is not the kakubushi frame, but it’s hard not to consider this an original pressing with both

the New York address and cover. Anyway, I had three copies of this record: Two with this cover and one with the kakubushi cover so, in the spirit of the Great Jazz Vinyl Countdown, I decided to sell one of them. It currently has a price of $100 and no bids. It’s closing today. I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t sell, but if it doesn’t I’ll be happy to keep it: One of my all-time favorite records, for sure. I’ll also be happy to keep this if it doesn’t sell: An Evening With Charlie Ventura and Mary Ann McCall, Norgran 1053. This is a nice pressing in M- condition and it has a beautiful cover by David Stone Martin. I put a starting price of $50 on it — quite reasonable in my estimation — and so far this one also doesn’t have any bids. I have a few other interesting items closing today, so it may be worth a look.

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12 comments

  • Hi Al, sorry – you will not keep the Rollins LP – I just placed my bid and hope that no other bids occur 🙂

  • Al: The red, white, violet cover by Hannan was not kakubushi. Of this Hannan version I have a copy manufactured by G E M Albums, N.Y. and one without that mention on the bottom right.
    I consider the white Reid Miles cover very valuable. I bought mine at Dayton’s years ago for 60 dollars.
    7038 is one of my all time favourite albums and I will happily keep the 3 versions.

  • Good luck GW. I hope you win it.
    Rucolf — I’m hoping you can educate me. I had thought the red, white and violet cover was kakubushi. It has no spine and it seems to me as if it is framed. I compared it to the Teddy Charles record were were talking about last week and was trying to determine if they were different, but they seem similar. What makes one kakubushi and not the other?

  • Al: I should be very cautious, since your copy may be kakubushi after all! Mine are not, but I have kakubushi covers up to and incl. 7041. My 7043 is a review copy, and 1st pressing I presume, and is not kakubushi. I did not check higher up.
    But my copies of 7037 and 7039 are kakubushi, so 7038 may have been issued as well with a kakubushi cover.
    Now for the characteristics of kakubushi: you should be able to distinguish a sort of a frame under the front paper covering the sleeve, as a result of paper being folded over, but covered in the front. Width in general 1 cm., mostly on 2 sides, top and left, sometimes also bottom side. Never, of course, at the sleeve opening side. I have never seen a broad spine cover with kakubuhi.
    Compare your original 7028 and 7033 ( I just had them in my hands, and they are framed )in detail with your 7038: I am very curious if the 3 have the same frames. Plese advise, it would be a discovery.

  • all my Prestige kakubushi covers are unlaminated.

  • Hi, Rudolf. My Sonny Plus Four with the red, white and violet cover is definitely kakubushi. It is the same as the Teddy Charles and the Jon Eardley, it is not laminated, it has no spine, all the characteristics. It is framed exactly like 7028 and 7033.

  • Al: Congratulations! You do have a real first issue. For me this is a very interesting discovery, since I never saw anything else than my own 2 laminated copies.

  • Al: yesterday we made a major discovery, which, in a way, has changed my “Weltanschauung”.
    Having bought around 1957 Prestige # 7038, S.R. + 4, the 2nd LP in my future collection (of which I was not aware yet), it has never occurred to me that there could have been an earlier version, the one you have with kakubushi cover.
    I will take the liberty of asking you a few detailed questions in the matter. Reverting within an hour with the questions.
    cheers, Rudolf

  • Al: I found the following in my collection:

    PRLP 7037 kakubuchi cover
    adress cover 446/50
    adress labels 446/50
    PRLP 7038 laminated cover Hannan
    adres cover 447/50
    adress labels 446/50
    PRLP 7038 laminated (GEM) Hannan
    adress cover 447/50
    adress labels 446/50
    PRLP 7038 Reid Miles white
    adress cover 446/50
    adress labels Bergenfield
    PRLP 7039 kakubushi
    adress cover 446/50
    adress labels 446/50
    My question to you:
    what are the resp. adresses on the cover and labels of your kak. 7038?
    Also, are the labels similar to the lemon yellow type of your 7028 and 7033 or are they the standard ochre (ocher) yellow of later Prestige?
    Thanks for taking the trouble of looking into this.

    You have not had big luck with your sale of the Reid Miles. You may have noticed too that BLP 1577 Coltrane at a min. price of ard. 800 has not sold. A reserve price appears better for the seller to obtain bids, than a high starting price.

  • you guys are crazy! I love it!

  • Ah,kakubushi-very nice! I always try to have mine with a little red wine,or preferably,the house saki. I know a little place in the village that…say what? Really? It’s a WHAT? Oh…well,never mind then. Carry on!

  • Watching a lot of items that would have sold for us two years ago or a year ago at a premium not going anywhere near those prices. Best of luck to you.
    Scott “Forevervinyl” Neuman

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