Three for the $1,000 Bin

I’ve been so busy with real work lately, I’ve missed a lot of nice jazz vinyl on eBay, including some of the heavyweights that regularly occupy the $1,000 bin. Anyway, here’s an update of some items I’ve missed, all of which will eventually find their way into the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original deep groove pressing with the purple label. It was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover and from the pictures with the listing it looked absolutely pristine. It sold for $2,247.66.

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,593.88

Paul Gonsalves, Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick, Vocalion LAE 587. This was an original British pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,783.

Tracking Some Rare and Wonderful Prestige Vinyl

Here are the results of a few more jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, all involving the Prestige label:

Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This was an original New York yellow label pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. Always liked this record, featuring Mal Waldron and Paul Quinichette in addition to Young. This one did not sell. It had a top bid of $510 but failed to meet the seller’s reserve price.

This was from a different seller but also did not sell: Jackie McLean, Lights Out, Prestige 7035. This was an original New York pressing in what was described as pristine M- condition. The top bid was around $620, but that was lower than the reserve price. I’m surprised this one didn’t get a higher bid, and I’m sure the seller was too, but, to be fair, the seller’s feedback rating is less than 99 percent, which probably impacted the bidding.

Barbara Lea, Lea In Love, Prestige 7100. This was an original New York pressing. The record was M- and the cover was VG++. It sold for $385. This seller often has great records and has a strong reputation. I wonder why they vary their terminology between the Goldmine M-, VG+, VG, etc., and the E+, E, E-? Perhaps if they read Jazz Collector they will provide an answer.

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The Cats, Bird, Miles and Trane

I said I’d post a few more from the Jazz Record Center auction last week, so here ’tis:

Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and cover. It was also a review copy. It sold for $535. I’ve had this record for a while. I traded it for it years ago: I had a broken leg at the time and was stuck in my friend’s basement with all of his records, Blue Notes, Prestiges, the whole works. I was very good and just looked. In my collection I have this one with my Flanagans, although the temptation is to put it with the Coltranes. I’m often reorganizing, so maybe I’ll move it around some day.

This is one of my favorite jazz collectibles, although it’s not jazz vinyl: To Bird With Love, by Francis Paudras. This is a book from 1981, about the most loving tribute to Bird you could find this side of Irving Kalus’ Ornithology. As noted by Fred in his listing, which you should take a look at, the book was printed once with no more than 1,000 copies, probably 500. I bought this when it first came out, from Fred, and I’ve treasured it ever since. It now has a prominent shelf on my new shelves in The Berkshires.  This one sold for $887.79.

The Miles Davis Columbia records with Coltrane, and even the next generation, are becoming more collectible it seems. The music is certainly uniformly great. Here are a few from the Jazz Record Center auction:

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Tracking Some Original Prestige Jazz Vinyl

Here’s some more jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay: Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This is an original New York deep groove pressing in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. The auction closes tomorrow and the price is in the $230 range. I mentioned in passing that I recently purchased a collection and an M- original pressing of this record was included, so I’m interested in seeing the price. I am just about ready to start writing about my latest adventure in pursuing and purchasing this collection, so stay tuned.

It would have been nice if there were a copy of this record in the collection but, alas, there was not: Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This is an original New York pressing in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price is hovering in the $170 range with three days to go, but it has not yet reached the seller’s reserve.

This one is on the verge of closing as I write this post:

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. . . And a Few More Non-Blue Notes

Funny that I did the post yesterday about non-Blue Note jazz vinyl and then noticed an e-mail from the Jazz Record Center with an auction consisting of non-Blue Note jazz vinyl. And then CeeDee sent me a separate note about a New Jazz Eric Dolphy LP fetching quite a high price. To wit:

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This was an original purple label pressing with the deep grooves. The record was only VG+ condition and the cover was M-. The price was $887. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $900 previously in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so it’s not unprecedented. But VG+ vinyl? Per CeeDee: New JAzz — the new Blue Note?

Some of the Jazz Record Center items: Bill Evans, Interplay, Riverside 9445. This is an original stereo pressing with the black label. It looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $100 and there is already a bidder so it will sell. Charles Mingus (et al), Newport Rebels, Candid 8022. This is an original mono pressing that looks to be in M- condition all around. The start price is $75 and so far there are no bidders. I always thought this would be a record more prized by collectors, given the additional presence of Kenny Dorham and Eric Dolphy, among others, and also the unusual circumstances that led to the recording. But, it doesn’t usually get top dollar. This is another one I have to put on the turntable again, since I haven’t listened to it in years.

Top Prices Are Not Limited To Blue Note

Sometimes you think it’s only — or mostly — the Blue Notes that are going up in value, but it’s quite a bit broader than that. Here are a few cases in point of jazz vinyl for sale on eBay now:

Eric Dolphy, Far Cry, New Jazz 8270. This is an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It is quite a lovely record, and rare, and the condition is great, and the picture with the add is quite nice as well. Still, the highest price we’ve ever recorded for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide is around $230. This will sell for quite a lot more than that. The current price is $515 and there’s nearly a day to go.

Blue Mitchell, Blue’s Moods, Riverside 336. This is also an original pressing, with the blue label and the deep grooves. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The current price is around $400 and there are still four days to go before the auction closes.  This one will also set a new record for the Jazz Collector Price Guide. 

And here are a couple of nice Prestiges:

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Jazz Vinyl, Insanely Rare Or Rarely Insane?

Here are the results of a few more jazz vinyl auctions we were watching:

Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This looked to be an original pressing with the deep grooves and New York address on the label. It’s always nice to see more pictures, but this one looked legitimate. The record and cover were both listed in M- condition and the bidding ended at $1,027.99.

Here’s a random rare remnant from the insanely rare offerings of bobdjukic: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period  1204. This looked to be an original pressing. The condition was probably in the range of VG++ for the record and the cover. The price was $798.77.

Tommy Flanagan, The Cats, New Jazz 8217. This looks like an original pressing with the purple labels and the deep grooves. The record, of course, features John Coltrane as a sideman. The record and cover were both listed in VG+ condition and the price was $381.20.

 

 

Jazz Vinyl Today: Signal, Norgran, New Jazz

Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay that is not Blue Note, starting with: Duke Jordan, Jazz Laboratory Series, Signal 101. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. You don’t see these too often. This one is priced at about $130 with a couple of days to go.

Here are a couple of nice Norgrans: Lester Young, Lester’s Here, Norgran 1071. This is an original yellow label pressing and it is listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The current price is about $180. Then there’s this gorgeous one with the David Stone Martin cover: Lester Young, Norgran 1022. This one is also an original yellow label pressing and is in VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price is about $160. I do have one small nit-pick for the seller, who I believe is Looney Tunes up in Boston, where I have spent many an idle afternoon and many a dollar. I wish they would use the whole picture of the cover, back and front, on their listings. I get the sense the use a scanner, which doesn’t show the whole image. I’d prefer seeing the whole thing as a potential bidder and also, as Jazz Collector, I’d like

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Cool Struttin’, Giant Steps and Other Jazz Classics

Let’s catch up on some of the interesting rare jazz vinyl we’ve been watching at Jazz Collector. Big Bear apparently put a magnifying glass to this record and found that it was not necessarily an original pressing: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. In addition to the question about the “original-ness” of the record there was also some concern expressed here about the lack of information about the listing. The record wound up selling for $1,913.88 in M- condition, which is probably significantly less than it would have received if it had been offered by a reputable seller with a strong reputation, such as Jazz Record Center or Euclid. Nonetheless, it is still quite a hefty price, particularly if it is not a first pressing. This one came from the same seller and failed to sell: Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note  1569. I tried the magnifying glass trick myself but to no avail: Either my magnifier was faulty or my eyes were faulty or, more likely, a combination of the two. I couldn’t figure out if this was original or not. Perhaps other potential bidders had the same problem. Nobody was willing to hit the start price of $500.

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A Jazz Vinyl Christmas?

I did my usual eBay searches last night and there is a lot of really, really nice collectible jazz vinyl available now. These things tend to go in cycles. Perhaps the Christmas season brings out the inner retailer in some of us. Here is just a sampling of the jazz vinyl we’re watching now:

Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This looks to be an original pressing in not-too-great condition. Record looks to be VG or VG+ and the cover is rated as VG. The auction closes later today and the bidding is in the $150 range. I have a United Artists pressing of this record and would love an original, even one in VG condition. But this will probably sell for somewhere around $300, so I think I’ll wait.

I’m still surprised to see these Benny Golson LPs selling for such high prices, although I’ve always been a fan myself: Benny Golson, Gone With Golson, New Jazz 8235. This is an original purple label pressing and it is listed in M- condition for the record and Ex for the cover, which is probably VG++? There are more than two days left on this auction and the bidding is already nearing $400. Speaking of which, here is a copy of my favorite Benny Golson record: Benny Golson, The Modern Touch, Riverside 256. This is an original deep groove blue label pressing that is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price is well less than $100 at this point, with a few days to go. If you don’t know this record, it’s one to check out. Really nice arrangements, some great Kenny Dorham, and a fantastic rhythm section with Paul Chambers, Max Roach and Wynton Kelly. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Here’s another favorite, with a great cover:

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