When I talk about prices going up for the rarest of the collectibles, this is another example: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This is an original pressing in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover, and you can see on the picture that the cover is not completely clean, but certainly looks at least VG+. This record has become a perennial in the $1,000 bin and has sold for as much as $2,400 in M- condition. This copy sold for $1,735.

This one is in better condition, but hard to actually give it a grade based on seller’s description. My guess from the description and pictures that it’s what I would grade a VG+ for the record and the cover: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This one has already topped $800. As I mentioned recently, I am now the proud owner of an original pressing of this record, after all of these years of collection. Amazing how rare these things are, when you think about it. I could have paid top dollar over the years, I guess, to acquire a copy of this record, but in the normal course of things — going to record stores, record shows, garage sales flea markets, looking for records in most cities across the U.S. — in more than 40 years I had never come across an original copy of this record, and many others, for what I considered to be a reasonable price at the time.

Speaking of which, this is another I don’t own, at least not as an original: John Jenkins and Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This one is probably in what I would grade VG+ condition, although this seller has his own quite imaginative grading system. It has a start price of about $500 and so far there are no bidders.

This one is not quite original, as it has the New York 23 on the label: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This looks to be in legitimate VG++ condition and is currently at $315 with a couple more days to go.

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.

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This was an original West 63rd pressing with the deep grooves. It was in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,315. So, if you have this record, where do you file it, under Morgan or under Mobley? Mine, a Japanese pressing, is under Mobley.

From the same seller came: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowin’ In From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. Love the cover. This was a promo copy in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover, although the picture looks like it might be a little less so. It sold for $1,155.

Also from the same seller: Sonny Clark, Dial S for Sonny, Blue Note 1570. Same for this one: An original pressing, vinyl in VG++ condition, cover in VG+ condition. The price was $896.

How about something that’s not Blue Note:

J.R. Monterose, The Message, Jaro 5004. This one was graded in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $544. It was also a promo copy.

Jackie McLean and John Jenkins, Alto Madness, Prestige 7114. This was an original yellow label pressing with the New York address. It was sold by Euclid Records and was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. What a beauty. It sold for $812, a relatively high price for a Prestige of this vintage, but who can argue at this kind of value for a record of this quality in this condition.

Here’s an interesting one: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original pressing. The seller didn’t actually grade it, but gave some information about the condition, so we get to determine the grading ourselves. There was some surface noise on two tracks of this LP, one of which the seller described as “unpleasant.” The highest grade it would get in our view would be VG+. The more likely grade would be VG. What do you think? The cover looked to be VG++. The price was $676, which would reflect more of a VG+ grading than a VG grading, don’t you think?

This one came from a seller with only three feedbacks, so it’s a little risky, right?

Johnny Griffin Volume 2, Blue Note 1559. This was described as an original pressing and the condition wasn’t clear in the description. The cover looked to be VG and I would guess the record was VG+, but who knows. Still, someone was willing to spend $670 on this record despite all of the risks.

No surprise on this one: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. This was an original pressing. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. This one sold for $1,606.

I’d have loved this one from the same seller, but, alas, it is not an amount I spend on individual records: Cliff Jordan, Cliff  Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,555.

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing. The record was listed in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,025.

Somebody in the comments complained about the start prices from the records from this seller, including: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This one has the West 63rd Street address and ear, but it doesn’t look like any deep grooves. This is one of the ones that causes consternation among collectors, right? DG or not DG, that is the question. If I recall Fred Cohen’s explanation, this could have one side DG and be an original, or it could also have no DGs and be an original? Perhaps someone can look it up. In the meantime, this copy is in M- condition for the vinyl, is VG++ for the cover and has zero bids at a start price of $1,200. If you click this item, look at the seller’s other auctions and you’ll see a potpourri of fantastic collectibles, all at high start prices, all without bids (so far).

Here’s another seller with some nice items, including: Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This looks to be an original pressing based on the description. The record is VG++ and the cover is M- and the price is a bit over $200 now and has not yet met the seller’s reserve. If you look at the seller’s listings, make sure you read them carefully. I noticed he’s selling another Curtis Fuller Blue Note that is listed as a “rare mono pressing” and is a United Artists pressing. It is already more than $50.

From Sweden, this seller also has a bunch of nice items, including: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This is an original pressing. The vinyl is M- and the cover is VG++. The current price is more than $500, too rich for my blood, although I’d love to have an original copy of this. I listened to my Japanese pressing the other night. Nice record. Right before I’d been listening to another Blue Note, an original pressing of a Horace Silver record. Although the Japanese pressing sounded great, there was still something different (and better) in listening to the original. A crispness, a clarity, a richness, a weight? Hard to describe, but definitely noticeable.

Here’s a beauty for the $1,000 bin: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original West 63rd pressing with the deep grooves and was listed in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,330.

This one had a start price of about $325 and, surprisingly, did not sell: Horace Silver Quintet, Blue Note 5058. This was an original pressing and ti was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It features both Hank Mobley and Kenny Dorham and it has sold for as much as $537 as previous recorded in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Any theories on why this one did not sell: The seller is definitely reputable and has excellent feedback.

Phil Woods, Woodlore, Prestige 7018. This is one of those great early Prestiges that, somehow, I’ve never been able to find an original pressing for my collection, despite 40-plus years of trying. I do have a Japanese pressing, which sounds good, but an original with the kakubushi cover, how can you ever compare? This was an original pressing from Atomic records. The record looked to be n M- condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $493.88, pretty reasonable in today’s market I would say.

Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This is another in the same category as Woodlore, I’m still searching for an original pressing for my own collection. Gives you a sense how rare these are — in all of my 40 years of exploration to have never come upon a reasonably priced copy of either one of these records. This one was sold by my friend Steve at Roundagain records in Providence and it was in VG++ condition for the record and what looked to be VG- for the cover. It sold for  $632.

Ray Draper, Tuba Sounds, Prestige 7096. This looked to be an original New York yellow label with the deep grooves. The record looked to be in VG+ or VG++ condition and the cover was the same. The price was $146.49. This is a pretty low price for an original Prestige in this condition, but the Draper LPs always seem to lag a bit behind the rest of the market, even the one with John Coltrane.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and cover and, as noted, it had the promo stamp. It sold for $1,525. Probably would have gotten more without the promo stamp.

Dexter Gordon, Dexter Blows Hot and Cool, Dootone 207. This was an original pressing with the red vinyl. The record was VG+ and the cover was listed in VG+, although there was a full split on the bottom and a partial split on the top. There was some question whether this would prevent it from breaking the $1,000 barrier, but it did not: This one sold for $1,136.

This one had it all going for it: Helen Merrill, Emarcy 36006. It was an original pressing, with the blue writing on the back cover, the seller was Euclid Records and the pictures accompanying the listing were quite clear and bright. The price was $1,568.

This one didn’t quite make the $1,000 bin, but it came close enough to include here: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the record. It sold for $931.