Tracking Rare Jazz Vinyl That Didn’t Sell

Let’s catch up on a few odds and ends in the world of collectible jazz vinyl:

The Blue Notes continue to be getting top dollar, but there seems to be a drop-off in prices in the middle of the market, records that would normally sell in the $30-$150 range. I’ve noticed it with my own sales on eBay and I was talking with Steve at Round Again Records in Providence yesterday and he said he believes the market has fallen off by as much as 40 percent in the past couple of years. I was thinking about that when I looked at some of the records I’ve been watching on eBay that failed to get bids, despite what seemed to be reasonable starting prices. Here are a few:

Kenny Drew and his Progressive Piano, Norgran 1066. This was an original pressing from a reputable seller. The record was in nice condition, M-/VG++ and the cover seemed nice as well with a partial seam split. The start price was $74.99 and there were no bidders. The picture accompanying the listing wasn’t great and perhaps that dampened the enthusiasm.

Ken McIntyre, Looking Ahead, New Jazz 8247. This was an original pressing with the purple labels and the deep grooves. The record and cover were in VG+ condition and the start price was $99.99. This record, which prominently features Eric

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On EBay: Norgans, Riverside, Transition, More

Here are some interesting items on eBay now:

My friend Steve at Roundagain Records in Providence has a few nice records closing pretty soon, including: Bud Powell, Jazz Original, Norgran 1017. This is an original yellow label, deep groove pressing. The record is VG++ and the cover is VG+. The price is already close to $150. Here’s another Norgran: An Evening With Anita O’Day, Norgran 1057. This is also an original yellow label pressing. The record and cover are in M- condition and the price is about $115. Here’s one more: Lucky Thompson, Lucky Strikes, Transition 21. This one is in VG+ to VG++ condition for the cover and record and it includes the booklet, which is not always so easy to find with the record anymore. This one is close to $200.

This one is more than $80 but hasn’t yet met the seller’s reserve price:

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Another for The $1,000 Bin

I was up in Providence this weekend and couldn’t get over to visit Steve over at Round Again Records on Wickenden Street, which I usually try to do when I visit the city. It would have been a good time to go: Round Again had a very nice copy of Lee Morgan Volume 3, Blue Note 1557, which closed yesterday on eBay. The record was in M- condition and the cover looked like a VG++. The record sold for $1,675 and had nearly 300 views. Like many dealers, Steve puts a lot of his best stuff on eBay these days, for good reason: It’s hard to imagine someone walking into a shop and paying $1,675 for a record, although it happens with increasing frequency on eBay. Still, there are always good items to browse at Round Again, so if you’re in Providence, it’s definitely worth the trip. And say hi to Steve for us.

Today on Ebay: Fuller, Parlan and McCoy (For Sale)

SHHHHHHHHHH. It’s so quiet on eBay today we wouldn’t want to disturb any of the sleeping buyers and sellers. I have a sense that the economy is starting to wreak a little havoc on the jazz collectibles market — not on the high-end collectibles — but in the mid-tier. We’ll see. These things tend to go in cycles. Perhaps it’s a good time to be buying. Anyway, it is quite quiet on eBay today, but there are a few things worth noting, including:

Curtis Fuller, Bone and Bari, Blue Note 1572. This is an original pressing in M- condition, both record and cover, and it features an autograph by Curtis Fuller. Not to mention the presence of Sonny Clark on piano. The opening bid price for this record is about $140 and, as of now, there are no bids. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen this record sell for nearly $700 in M- condition without an autograph. So maybe it is a time to be buying.

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