I spent some time on eBay the other day and wound up putting a bunch of Blue Notes into my watch list, starting with Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The auction closes later today and the bidding is already more than $1,000.
Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This looks to be an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The auction closes later today and so far there are no bidders at a start price of about $750. I would expect this one to sell, wouldn’t you?
This seller has a lot of nice items on eBay this week, including Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 1522. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price is $350 with no bidders so far. There is also a buy-it-now price of $700.
Here are a couple more Blue Notes that sold over the weekend:
Dexter Gordon, A Swingin’Affair, Blue Note 4133. This was an original mono pressing listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $498.89.
From the same seller there was Sonny Rollins, Newk’s Time, Blue Note 4001. This was also an original pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $673.89.
this is a crazy league. i have broken into the field of blue notes. i have some nice 4100 and 4200 blue notes, and a few earlier ones that leave much to be desired in terms of quality.
i have a couple decent 1500 series ones too, but damn and a half if the prices aren’t just completely crazy.
Interested in this copy of 1543
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenny-Burrell-BLP-1543-Andy-Warhol-art-work-DG-ear-RVG-Lexington-Ave-EX-/111496393156?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item19f5b3f1c4
My records show an NM/NM copy of this selling for $2025 in Jan ’13 – this copy is Ex/Ex but by description may be even better; yet it has a Buy-Now price of $1600 – sounds like a bargain (if anything over a G can be considered a bargain)
@Earl: That 1543 LP cover doesn’t have the ‘matching’ 767 Lex address – it has a ‘later’ NY23 address. Also, can’t tell from pic if that 1543 LP is a flat edge or safety lip…
Gregory The Fish :
A Bubble that may be getting a bit big for it’s britches ?
What do the rest of you think on upward or downward pricing trends ?
I don’t see the bubble popping as long as people value them … and they do. Jazz collector’s tend to be well-established in life and therefore money will always be a part of the game as long as the records are scarce.
I can only afford the more common BNs, but I make good decisions about condition and don’t waste my money on $500+ VG- records.
For now, I’ve turned my focus to acquiring the Riverside, New Jazz, Bethlehem, etc titles I need.
Arick,
that’s how I play it:
impulse, candid, columbia, new jazz, united artists, ESP disk, etc.
i collect blue note and prestige but on an affordable basis. occasionally one makes a nice score.
The bubble popping is very dependent on trends in Japan. In my opinion they make up a huge percentage of the high end jazz market.
Arick ,Mike, I have to agree with you somewhat. I have sold a few things for friends and every big ticket jazz item I sold went to either Japan , Europe, or somewhere in East Asia. Nothing to the USA. That being said , I was shocked when a guy from Quebec , purchased from me Paul Chambers , Blue Note 1534 , 2nd press , for a substantial bit of money. (It was in amazing shape).
I would love to have VG++ , on some of the more desirable pieces but it’s out of my league so I am happy with VG, if I can get them at a reasonable price and they play half decent. I’m just happy to own some of these gems.
god my Birdland vol 2 just like that one was only $24.99, these prices are nutzo
I read many complaints about high prices of collectible records … how about starting to collect rare autographs? 😉
http://www.ebay.com/itm/THELONIOUS-MONK-Hand-Written-High-School-Essay-Notebook-JAZZ-PIANO-Autograph-/370700347830?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item564f7669b6#ht_2506wt_1001
It would be great if someone could figure out a trading/non-eBay platform for all of us. While I am sure we all have our fill of Jimmy Smith’s, I bet there are holes we each have and duplicates that we would be willing to part with.
Is anyone interested? (of course if this violates the website policy, I don’t want to incur the wrath of The Al).
well that seller is just an absurd person, gandi.
i wonder who this collector is, who acquired this monk notebook. he must be very old by now. i wonder what Hank items he might have…
oh wait ok so this collector got it in 2005 from an auction house. well i wonder the lineage before that….still id like to talk to this guy
That Monk notebook is rather creepy. He was just a boy, he was not “Thelonious Monk, jazz genius.” Would you want Monk’s favorite stuffed animal from his toddler days? That seems extremely invasive and weird to me.