Some Weird Happenings in The $1,000 Bin

I was looking to update the $1,000 bin and came upon this weird item that was mentioned in the Reader Forum: Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was mentioned as an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it sold for $1,925, even though there was no picture of the label and the description of the record was minimal, without even a clear explanation of the condition. How the bidding got to $1,925 on this is hard to believe, except for those of us who watch eBay regularly and know full well that anything is possible. As one of our reader’s discovered, this is actually a United Artists pressing, which means it’s worth maybe $30, depending upon the condition. The seller has only 96 feedbacks, so let’s hope this is an honest mistake and not a scam.

This one looks more legitimate, but a little weird as well: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1668. This one was listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG/VG+ for the cover, although there was a lot of tape damage in the picture and there was also a name written broadly on the label. It sold for $1,900, which is hard to fathom given the pictures of the cover and the label.

This one is definitely legitimate, and quite lovely:

Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,282.

This one was in VG+ condition for the record and the cover, but it still made the $1,000 bin: Sonny Clark, Dial S For Sonny, Blue Note 1570: It sold for $1,136.

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17 comments

  • click on the link:Questions and answers about this item
    Q: lexington address on labels? rvg in dead wax?
    A: Lexington address… all original. Glenn
    Jan 16, 2011
    Q: is this an original?
    A: Yes it is….. Glenn
    Jan 16, 2011

    sure it’s an honest mistake ?

  • and more:44 bids and no one asked if flat edge,kakubuchi,ear…
    I confirm my idea of using the term ORIGINAL only together with FIRST PRESSING.
    the seller uses:ALL ORIGINAL.
    for UA ?

  • “As one of our reader’s discovered,”
    How did a reader discover this?
    Also, the cover is listed as good condition.
    Ive made some bad purchases, more than once, but this is either sloppiness or wishful thinking. As much as I wish my copy of lee-way wasn’t scratched up, IT IS.

    BK

  • Very expensives prices in the funkyou last auction

  • bryan k,
    Look in the Reader Forum section for the details.

  • I actually got a couple of deals on the Funkyou auction this time around, but yeah.. there were some high prices paid for some sub par conditioned records IMHO.

  • 1500+ USD for scratched up copies of BN and tatty split covers in addition….no thanks they can keep their claimed originals and will take a good Japanese pressing of these any day which (in their current state) is probably far superior….battle ‘scarred’ records are not for me

  • I don’t know folks… These prices are getting totally out of hand. I mean, my word: that Hank Mobley looks just horrible. I know there were only about 600 or so pressed, but just look at those pics. 1900 bucks for a great Blue Note that looks as if kids used it as a frisbee to play with in the backyard. Oh, and I love your typo Al: since when is Hank Mobley’s elusive pressing a Blue Note 1668? Tell me some more about the 1600 series, hehehe 😀

  • Mattyman — thanks for pointing out the typo. I will leave it there for a bit for fun, but at some point I will probably fix it to make it easier for people searching the site.

  • No problem, Al, I understand. I was just pulling your leg 😉

  • …That Hank Mobley “1668” was a sad site for sure. (The name written on label was the the greatest of offenses here) Despite the condition, it is still one of approximately +/-200 copies pressed with the 47 West 63rd New York 23 on one side… The last +/-400 of the original +/-600 first pressing run just had 47 West 63rd NYC on both sides as we have posted in the past. Despite the scars, the selling price seems proportionate, compared with what it would have sold for if in decent condition.

  • You’re right Don-Lucky. Maybe I should think of it as, for example, a slightly damaged but still very presentable Van Gogh painting. That one, too, will fetch quite some money despite the damage.

  • @Mattyman: You’d be interested to hear, that actually there was a classic BN 1600-series for 45’s, starting with Blakey’s “Message from Kenya” (1623).
    And, there was an japanese 1600 pressing of more music from the first Three Sounds session for Blue Note. I don’t know whether there were more japanese 1600 releases?!

  • Well, that is interesting, Katharsis! What seemed to be a typo does exist. Who would have thunk? 😉

  • Could a NM Promo Stereo copy of MILES DAVIS Kind Of Blue actually top $1000?

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150552901833&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

  • http://cgi.ebay.com/Jutta-Hipp-Zoot-Sims-Blue-Note-1530-/140506016392?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item20b6cfaa88

    Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims Blue Note 1530

    Remember the obove item ?
    Now we see the relisted item from the same seller but with the correct description…

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