Not So Comical, but PRetty Expensive
As I was writing yesterday’s post with some ruminations on the strength of the market for jazz collectibles, I got two notes from our friend CeeDee indicating with quite clarity that the demand for high-end collectibles is, indeed, continuing to rise. To wit:
There was this note under the subject “geez” with a link to: Dexter Gordon, Dexter Calling, Blue Note 4083. This looked to be an original New York USA pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,045. Welcome to the $1,000 bin, Dexter Calling. Wow, or, as CeeDee says, geez.
The second missive came under the subject “hmmm” with an accompanying note that said “big bucks for a listing with such a minimal description, don’t you think.” The listing in question was: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue. This looked to be an original 6-eye stereo pressing but, as CeeDee notes, the description was minimal, although the condition was listed as M- for both the record and the cover. The price was, ahem, $798.
I kept an eye on those auctions, especially because there was auctioned a NM “Fickle Sonance” one of is my holy grails. As you say, the listing was so minimal, and i was a little naive…I thought Mr japanese would be afraid. Wow ! It sold for more than 700 $. Time to forget about Fickle Sonance…
Yes, that collection they sold was nothing but highlights. Ye gods.
I was watching “Byrd in hand” from the same seller … 1236 $ !
There was also a copy of Chet Baker sings on Pacific label: 787$
wow
Maybe those tinny sounding RVG CD’s don’t sound that bad after all? Well at least the liberty pressings can still be had at decent prices, for now.
I’m not sure this sets any records for a stereo copy of Blue Note 4003 (Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers), but US$493.00 seems like quite a bit of money to me for a non-deep groove copy of this album; even if the stereo 1st pressing is a little hard to get hold of at times.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ART-BLAKEY-and-the-jazz-messengers-BLUE-NOTE-4003-rvg-stereo-EAR-nm-/400595545560?ViewItem=&ssPageName=ADME%3AX%3ARTQ%3AUS%3A1123&item=400595545560&nma=true&si=V2JE%252F6SwW2tsrQlsrrt0KhH%252BIro%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Thought the “Test Pressing” fiends out there might have liked this auction for Miles Davis Blue Note 1501
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-DEEP-GROOVED-TEST-PRESSING-MILES-DAVIS-BLUE-NOTE-1501-FLAT-RVG-EAR-/200980453923?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=V2JE%252F6SwW2tsrQlsrrt0KhH%252BIro%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
I agree with Jay Jay. Although it’s safe to assume that most everyone reading this site is a vinyl collector/listener, I bet there are many of us that can’t imagine spending $1000 on Dexter Calling. Good Liberty repress aside, the next best option might be a $15 RVG remastered CD.
This seller had many LP’s selling for (at least in my experience) new record highs, including:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHET-BAKER-SINGS-PACIFIC-JAZZ-1222-DEEP-GROOVE-NM-amazing-archive-
ORIG-/370928958636?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item565d16bcac
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEXTER-GORDON-swingin-affair-4133-blue-note-VAN-GELDER-EAR-NY-USA-/370928965326?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item565d16d6ce
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEXTER-GORDON-our-man-in-paris-84146-VAN-GELDER-STEREO-EAR-NY-USA-/400595568164?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item5d455b4624
These results can at least in part be attributed to the albums being almost all listed as M-/M- – note, however, that they are not play tested, although this seller’s feed backs are 99+% favorable – I keep a listing of prices realized on the albums in my collection, and these sales resulted in me upgrading ny values on at least 10-11 of my albums
A truly remarkable sale
For those who would like to check out all his results:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=0&LH_Sold=1&_udlo=&_udhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=200&_fpos=&_fsct=&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_fss=1&_fsradio=%26LH_SpecificSeller%3D1&_saslop=1&_sasl=+superiorelevation+&_sop=3&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&LH_Complete=1
Man,oh,man. Something tells me that I’m not the only person looking at his record racks this morning and thinking”Well,I don’t really NEED three copies of(your choice here),do I?” It may be time to cull the herd(again). Even so,I was struck by the bid on this copy of a Coltrane classic..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JOHN-COLTRANE-my-favourite-things-ATLANTIC-STEREO-1361-DEEP-GROOVE-M-/400595585684?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item5d455b8a94&nma=true&si=ak3CRm1NrUko0BjlZ1MMIzYe7sw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Well, Mike J from NZ, thanks for that link to the Miles Davis BLP-1501 test pressing. I would have loved to have that one, but my word, 1825 dollars is too steep… I’d love to have it not necessarily because it would be the very 1st of the 1st pressing, but more to have at least one Blue Note in hands with that legendary Plastylite logo bright and big on that test pressing label 😉
This isn’t as scary to me as I thought at first glance, as there doesn’t seem to be much of a ceiling for near mint Blue Notes, no matter what the title. All you need is two rich a–holes (what can I say, I’m jealous!) who are equally obsessive about all the records in their collection being as close to perfect as possible (must be nice, huh).
.
What is scary though, is when copies of titles like Sonny Clark Trio and Open Sesame with no “p” go for over $1,000–which both have happened in the past three months(!)
I bought an lp about 3-4 months ago from the DEXTER CALLING seller and it was very overgraded. I had to return it.
I bid early on the 1501 Test Press. Didn’t think it would go that high!