The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This is an original pressing with the yellow label, deep grooves and beautiful David Stone Martin cover. Or is it? My friend Dan, who was Tal’s great friend and protege, has always been a devotee of the 10-inch version of this record based on the crispness of the sound and the fact that it was the original original pressing. I once did a comparison, played the 12-incher and the 10-incher back to back, and it was true: You could hear a difference in the sound. I’m not sure why: Perhaps it was psychological, Dan had planted it in my head and I always trust him when it comes to music.  The 10-incher, Norgran 19, has eight tracks. This one has additional tracks that come from . . . . where? Dan, if you’re out there, please fill in the blanks. Based on the description, this looks to be in VG+ or maybe VG++ condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The current price is around $80.

Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it looks to be in very nice condition, M- for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The bidding is already quite high for this, in the $1,500 range with more than two days to go.

Here are a few interesting items closing in the next day or so:

John Coltrane, Giants Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original black label mono pressing from a reputable seller. The record is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the vinyl. It’s closing later today and the price is around $160, but it has yet to meet the seller’s reserve price. Hard to believe but with all the years I’ve been hunting records, and the size of my collection, I actually don’t own a black label Giant Steps. The one in my collection is the stereo bulls-eye. Perhaps if this doesn’t meet the reserve price, the seller and I can trade? Are you listening out there? I know you read Jazz Collector.

Sonny Rollins, Newk’s Time, Blue Note 4001. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ or so for the cover. The auction is closing today, the bidding is around $200 and there is still a reserve price that has yet to be met. I just picked up a second copy of this LP for myself. Not sure if I’ll put it on eBay or keep it. These things are so rare these days, it feels like they should be kept and preserved and treasured, even if you have more than one. Not to hoard, but to sort of own and preserve the history. Anyone else starting to feel that way?

This seller has some nice items up this week so you can take a look at this and see the other items as well: Introducing Johnny Griffin, Blue Note 1533. You need to read the listing carefully on this. The picture shows the Lexington Avenue address, but the description notes that it is a split address, one side Lex, one side West 63rd. Early second press, wouldn’t you say? Although many of you out there would call it an original, based on early discussions here at Jazz Collector. The record here is in M- condition, the cover is described as “OK” condition. There is a start price of about $350 and so far there are no bidders. For me, I’d rather have the same label on both sides, even if it’s a second press and both labels are West 63rd. Not sure why I feel that way, but I do.

Here’s one in VG condition for both the record and the cover: Jutta Hipp, Blue Note 5056. This is the 10-inch LP, quite rare. How important is condition to you? This one is at about $75 with about a day to go. It will probably sell for close to $200 even in this condition. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide our top price for this record is $662 but, of course, that one was in M- condition.

The Lovely Mrs. JC, but I was able to find a nook in my new country house where there was empty space and where The Lovely Mrs. JC didn’t object to a couple of small record cabinets. Of course, The Lovely Mrs. JC hasn’t actually seen the records or the cabinets yet, so we don’t know what verdict she will eventually render. For the time being, at least, my 10-inch records are all out, all on display and all ready to be placed on a turntable. The two records above are both in my collection and, perhaps, will get a listen next time. As we’ve noted many times, one of the great things about the 10-inchers is that they are so clearly of a certain era. To my knowledge, the record companies pretty much stopped making 10-inch LPs by 1956, so you have a small window of 1950 to 1955 when these beauties were sitting on the shelves of record stores. A lot of the early 10-inch LPs were reissues of material first available on 78s — such as the two records above — but, to me, that doesn’t diminish anything about them.

Kenny Drew Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This one had the West 63rd Street address and, from the looks of the pictures, it had deep grooves on both sides, certainly on Side 2. That would make it original either way, no? This was described as being in VG condition, and the cover certainly looked no better than VG. It sold for $427.

Gigi Gryce/Clifford Brown Sextet, Blue Note 5048. This was an original 10-inch LP that was defined as being in “very fine” condition, which, the seller implies, is actually M- condition. The pictures certainly looked very fine indeed, if not M-.  It sold for $372. 10.

If it’s a Blue Note, and it’s one of the coveted artists, the record or cover does not have to be in great condition to fetch a high price. Case in point:

Kenny Dorham, Round Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This one was described as being in VG- condition for the record, with seam wear and a partial seam split on the cover. It sold for $271.03.

Sonny Clark Trio, Blue Note 1579. This was an original West 63rd pressing that looked to be in at least VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,525. We’ve seen Sonny’s Crib and Cool Struttin’ consistently break the $2,000 and even the $3,000 barrier, but this is the highest price we’ve recorded for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.   

Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that looked to be in beautiful M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The price was $2,678.

Lester Young Collates Number Two, Clef 124. This was an original 10-inch pressing with the nice cover by David Stone Martin. It looked to be in M- condition for the record

and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $227.50. I had a side interest in this one: Last year around this time, much to the chagrin of the lovely Mrs. JC, I bought a collection of mostly traditional records for $500. There were also some nice 78 boxed sets, as well as the three Mosaic Commodore sets, as well as a lovely 10-inch copy of The Tal Farlow album, original Norgran, which I gave to my friend Dan as a birthday gift. This Lester Young record was also in the collection, so it is pleasing to me to see it go for so high a price and, in retrospect, further helps to justify the temporary discord it helped to create. Although, blaming the Lester Young record as opposed to my own impulsiveness for the discord is a bit of a stretch, wouldn’t you say?

Here’s another 10-incher: Howard McGhee, Volume 2, Blue Note 5024. This one was VG+ for the vinyl and between VG++ and M- for the cover. When we were watching it it was in the $150 range and it didn’t really move from there, selling for $159.50.

This 10-incher didn’t sell at all: Lester Young and his Tenor Sax, Aladdin 706. This one was in VG- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price was $99.99 and there were no bidders.

May as well stick with the 10-inch theme today: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Volume 3, Blue Note 5039. This was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the vinyl and sold for $229.

This one is tempting:

Howard McGhee, Volume 2, Blue Note 5024. This is an original Lexington Avenue 10-inch LP, featuring both Horace Silver and Tal Farlow, two of my all-timers. I happen to have a mint copy of this record with no cover, so the idea of getting a nice cover is very appealing. The vinyl on this one is VG+ and the cover is listed as VG+ to VG++. It is currently at about $150 with a few hours to go.

This one is tempting as well: Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This is the one with John Coltrane and Hank Mobley. It is an original pressing listed in VG++ to M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. This one is hard to find and the price isn’t that high yet — about $225 with two days to go. The problem: It has a reserve price and the reserve price has not yet been met. Is there any way of knowing what a seller’s reserve price is, other than just asking him directly?

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This looked to be an original black label pressing. There were some questions about the deep grooves, since the picture wasn’t clear, but the seller confirmed that there were, indeed, deep grooves on both sides. This one was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $622.70. In the Jazz Collector  Price Guide we’ve seen Giant Steps sell for more than $1,000 several times, so perhaps it’s a bargain, perhaps it’s just market changes, perhaps it’s unfamiliarity with the seller.

Jutta Hipp, New Faces, New Sounds from Germany, Blue Note 5056. This was the original 10-inch pressing. It’s one of those listings that confuses me a little on labeling of conditioning. The seller says it looks VG+, but it plays more like Ex and therefore it was graded as Ex. In my thinking I’ve always correlated VG+ with Ex, but it sounds like Ex is more like VG, based on this listing, which I assumed to be a downgrade, but perhaps I’m wrong and it’s an upgrade based on the next item below. The cover was listed in just G condition, which is never very good. The price was $247.50.

Another one for the $1,000 bin: George Wallington At the Bohemia, Progressive 1001. This was an original pressing listed in “Near Mint/Ex” condition for the vinyl. So here it appears that Ex means more like VG++ or M-. Perhaps my brain is just waterlogged from three days of constant rain, but it’s not quite making sense to me. I’m sure the readers will set me straight, so thank you in advance. The cover is VG++. It sold for $1,025.

Now for this one I can understand a high price: Lou Donaldson Sextet Volume 2, Blue Note 5055. This is an original 10-inch pressing that seems to be in about VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. There are nearly four days to go and the price is in the $225 range. By the way, I think I’ve convinced the lovely Mrs. JC to allocate four solid shelves of space in our new New York apartment for 10-inch LPs, which will probably cover 250-plus records. Not my full 10-inch collection, but more than enough to sustain me. And perhaps I will get back to eBay and sell some of the others. Still looking for a permanent home for my 78s, which is a bit more complicated because there are more of them and because they include both individual records and albums as well. I’ll keep you posted.