Instagram????????
Glad to see the last post garnered so much interest and discussion. Not sure whether to thank Helen Merrill, the person who bought the Helen Merrill record, Strictlyheadies or Instagram itself. I realize I am missing a lot by not being active on Instagram. I actually have two accounts, AJDoctor, which is also my eBay account, mostly inactive, and Jazz.collector. I just don’t go to Instagram very often. Nor do I go to Facebook or other social media. Maybe I’m just old, but I’ve never thought of myself as a moldy fig and I have been active online since the early days of the net. In fact, I started a newspaper in 1994 called Inter@ctiveWeek, which was the first print and online publication focused on the internet and bore the tagline “The Internet’s Newspaper,” which, by the way, I came up with. Anyway, maybe this discussion will help inspire me to participate. One of these days, when people don’t want to pay me good money to write about technology and business anymore, I will have more time to get back to selling records, and perhaps then I will be ready to expand both my horizons and my community. Until then, it’s back to watching records on eBay, starting with:
The Magnificent Thad Jones, Blue Note 1527. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG- condition for the record and VG for the cover. The seller says the buyer should expect a fair amount of cracks, tickles and pops. To me, this is a record I would be hesitant to put on my turntable, but the cover is great, isn’t it? I can see (and feel) the temptation. The auction closes later today and the bidding is in the $275 range.
Lou Donaldson, Wailing with Lou, Blue Note 1545. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing with the New York 23 labels. The record was in VG condition, maybe close to VG+, and the cover was in VG condition. The final price was $1,310.55. From the same seller, Carolinasoul, came: Introducing Lee Morgan, Savoy 12091. To my eyes this looks like an obvious second or third pressing, with the maroon label and a cover that would clearly not be a first pressing. The record was listed in VG+ condition and the cover was VG. The final price was $710. In my view this is a pretty high price for a second pressing and, just to understand clearly, there is a feeling among some of you that perhaps Instagram is a vehicle that is contributing to driving prices up for records like this? Because?
The Lee Morgan does look like the version on Discogs listed as a 60s-70’s reissue:
https://www.discogs.com/Lee-Morgan-With-Hank-Mobleys-Quintet-Introducing-Lee-Morgan/release/11879485
As to the why? I’ve never purchased anything from the seller of the Morgan LP, but I’ve been amazed/baffled by the prices some of their items have attracted recently. I recently purchased clean VG++/VG+ item for just 20% more than they sold their VG/G copy sold for. Not unheard of, except their auction ended while the VG++ was still available.
Perhaps their Instagram feed is generating traffic that isn’t comparison shopping? Who knows.
To clarify, the VG++ was a Buy It Now item and remained available for a month after the VG auction ended.
Sod Facebook and everything they’ve acquired.
“Now it appears an IM exchange Mark had with a college friend back in 2004, might have been telling of things to come as he expressed disbelief that so many people would willingly hand over their information.
As reported by Business Insider, the conversation according to SAI sources, went as follows.
Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard
Zuck: Just ask.
Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS
[Redacted Friend’s Name]: What? How’d you manage that one?
Zuck: People just submitted it.
Zuck: I don’t know why.
Zuck: They “trust me”
Zuck: Dumb fucks.”
https://www.esquire.com/uk/latest-news/a19490586/mark-zuckerberg-called-people-who-handed-over-their-data-dumb-f/
All those G+ graded Blue Notes play better on Instagram than on a turntable. And with a little photo editing they play up a grade.
P — very funny.
Instagram increases value for vinyl because it exposes our reference libraries to those who might not otherwise know it. If one thinks about it, exposure be it in print or on television/film or online (be it social media or sites like this, London Jazz Collector, et al) raises exposure. Increased exposure leads to desirability which in turn…
So in summary, increased exposure, in this case Instagram, to newer collectors/buyers, some with new financial resource, leads to a robust market.
All IMO, of course.
Instagram is just like movies with sound, cars, microwave, internet , mobile phone (remember when you said in 1994: i will never use such a stupid thing) etc etc,,.. something new that in the end fulfills a need , and if you use it wisely it can be a lot of fun… if you think old things where beter you are living in the past…. old things can be good, new things can be good… just choose and use with some intelligence