Heavy Hitters, Hefty Prices
All of the jazz vinyl auctions I was watching in my queue are now over, so let’s start catching up with those, starting with Roland Kirk, Triple Threat, King 539. Although I’m a big Kirk fan, this is a record that has eluded me over the years. This was an original pressing listed in VG condition with “light noise hiss, crackle & an occasional pop.” Cover was listed as VG, with shelf wear and a partial seam split. This was from the seller 1molecularrman, who’s been on quite a run for the past few months. The run continues. This one sold for $1,300 on the noise.
From the same seller: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. The record was listed as VG+ and the cover was VG. The final price was $4,412. As I mentioned before, this seller is getting these very high prices and is only shipping within the U.S. One more from the same seller: Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This was an original New York yellow label listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $2,175. Per Popsike, this is the second highest price we’ve seen for this record. Two years ago a copy sold for $2,584.
And what would a Jazz Collector post be these days without a Blue Note or a listing from the seller Carolinasoul. Here we have both: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The vinyl was listed in VG MINUS condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $2,999. I guess the chances of me ever upgrading my cover are getting slimmer and slimmer all the time.
A couple of updates:
It doesn’t look like I will be doing anything substantial with my record collection yet. Those negotiations we were having with our largest client are over and, basically, we got everything we were asking for, so I’m probably locked in to working full time for another year, at least. I’m OK with that. Despite not being in the game of selling records, I do hope to be able to post more frequently on Jazz Collector. I’ve really let the work stuff get to me and occupy a lot of my brain power. Perhaps now that things are settled, I would like to get back to enjoying my connection with the community here.
I received this note from a reader: “I am interested in selling a 1960 photo of John Coltrane taken at Ralph Gleason’s home in Berkeley, CA. The photo was taken by Jim Marshall and is very rare.” The reader was asking about advertising it on the Jazz Collector site, but I’m not offering paid ads at this point, so here is a free ad. Anyone interested can reach out to al at jazzcollector dot com and I can put you in touch with the potential seller.
I also received a note from a reader interested in selling a large desktop lighter cigar that ostensibly belonged to Dizzy Gillespie. Apparently it was given to Dizzy by James Moody and is mentioned in Dizzy’s autobiography To Be or Not to Bop. Again, if anyone is interested you can reach out to me and I can reach out to the owner.
Al-
Good to hear your business concerns resulted in a satisfactory agreement. And regarding the state of your collection, I believe that, like me, you’ll know when the time is right to let it all go.
Reading your latest postings of auction results, I’m glad I was collecting when I was and I owned these currently high priced records when I did. Could never afford them now. $1300.00 for VG Roland Kirk Triple Threat?! I paid $10.00 for mine back in the 60’s and sold it for $60.00 a few years later and thought I made out like a bandit. Guess I made my moves too soon.
Look forward to more frequent posts. Always enjoyable, informative reads.
I can’t imagine paying 3 grand for a VG- record.
I can’t imagine paying 3 grand for any record in any condition.
Hi Al: In terms of the Coltrane photo (or people coming here who would like to buy specific rare jazz LPs like me), perhaps you should start a simple listing board (no pics) adjacent to this site. That way, people looking to sell ephemera or looking to buy a specific rare LP could post their wishes and email contact, and then simply be contacted directly?… Best, Todd
You guys don’t realize just how rear that rolling kirk Rick it is and rarity Trump‘s condition any day of the week so I think if it is something that is as important as this record you’d pay whatever it takes to get it
What I meant to say before the foolest editor messed up my comments is that you guys don’t realize just how rare that Roland Kirk record is and it sold over $6000 a number of times it only shows up once every blue moon I have had the Bethlehem re-issue and I almost got that much for the reissue but mine was a strong VG plus
It looks like Triple Threat only broke $6k once and that was from our friend the notorious bobdjukic. The next highest sale was for $3500 but the vast majority closed for under $1k.
I’ve seen the Bethlehem in person (wrecked) but never the King. Definitely a rare record.
I had 3 of the Kings. Got them in Nashville decades ago. The vinyl used for the pressing was of poor quality with resultant ‘Rice Krispie’ sounds(snap, crackle,pop). At least on copies I had.
To me back then, it was an okay record. But I guess one person’s okay is another person’s “mega-rarity.”
Guess I should have been more precise and say I had 3 of the Kirk Kings.
I miss Al.