Author: Al

Catching Up With Miles, Sonny’s Crib

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Here are some results from the recent eBay auction by the Jazz Record Center. We were watching some of the Miles Prestige recordings with interest because you may recall last month we saw an original copy of Steamin’ sell for only $75 in very nice condition, which struck us as very low and a bit odd. Especially when an original copy of Relaxin’ sold for nearly $740. I think the results this week from the Jazz Record Center are probably more indicative of the real market. Miles Davis, Steamin’, Prestige 7200. This was an original pressing with the New Jersey address. It had a promo stamp and was listed in “near new” condition, which is certainly M- for the record and the cover. The price was $307.99. Miles Davis, Workin’, Prestige 7166. This was also an original New Jersey yellow label pressing without the promo staff. It was described as similar condition to Steamin’, M- all around, and sold for $305.01. This next one

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A Taste of French Cookin’

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This is another one that came from a reader, CeeDee, who seems to be feeding my newfound habit for European pressings: Miles Davis, Cookin’, Barclay 84077. This is an original French pressing and, I have to admit, it does look pretty cool, particularly for the price. It has a nice cover, deep groove labels, and, in its own way, is an original pressing, or something like it. At least it was an original French pressing. It probably sounds really good too. Anyway, this one was in M- condition for the record and the cover and sold for $24.99. A bargain compared to the U.S. originals of Cookin’, which seem to be in the $300-plus range these days. Unfortunately, I opened the link after the auction closed. Otherwise, this record would have been mine. Of course, even it I didn’t want the record, it would be fun writing about it, just so I could put that headline on the post.

While we’re tasting international flavors, check this one out:

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No Surprise: Colossus in the $1,000 Bin . . . However

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This one was forwarded to me by one of the Jazz Collector readers: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. It was listed as an “original U.S. mono pressing” and the condition was probably VG++ for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,009, so welcome to the $1,000 bin. So why did our reader send this to me? Well, there was definitely some kind of aberration in the price and, surprise, it wasn’t too low. See, the record was not an original U.S. mono pressing, unless you consider original U.S. mono pressing to mean that it was originally produced in the U.S., which perhaps if you were to stretch the truth would be a technically accurate statement. In any case, this one was a New Jersey pressing with the yellow label. It didn’t sell for what a New York pressing would typically fetch, but it sold for quite a bit more than what a New Jersey pressing might typically get. Hard to figure if the price was legitimate — someone wanted to pay $1,000 for a second pressing of a great record in nice condition — of if the buyer was careless and/or ignorant. In any case, the responsibility should be with the buyer because there was a clear picture of the Jersey label. But the seller could also have been more circumspect, don’t you think? I wonder if this means early second pressings of some of the really rare ones — such as Saxophone Colossus, or the Sonny’s Crib we’re also watching — will now become regulars in the $1,000 bin. I wouldn’t be surprised.

Beautiful Records, No Action

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Watching the latest auction from the Jazz Record Center on eBay, with a bunch of Blue Notes and other nice collectibles, including: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This is a deep groove West 63rd Street pressing without the New York 23 on the label. I guess that means is isn’t an original first press, but is clearly an early pressing. I’d be quite pleased to have this baby in my collection, particularly since it is in new new M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price for the record is $500 and so far there are no bidders. Just for comparison, we’ve seen copies of Sonny’s Crib sell for more than $3,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Surprised that this one also doesn’t have any action yet: John Coltrane, Coltrane, Prestige 7105. This is an original New York yellow label pressing also in beautiful condition, probably unplayed. It’s Coltrane’s first album as a leader. The start price is $500. Our top price for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide is $1,281. I can’t see any reason why this beautiful copy won’t approach that, but so far there’s no bidding. Perhaps there are a few bidders lurking in the weeds.

And Now For the $1,000 Bin

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A lot of the records we were watching this past week ended up in the $1,000 bin, starting with the one that has already received a loet of comments from the Jazz Collector audience: John Lewis and Sacha Distel, Afternoon in Paris, Versailles MDEX 12005. This was an original French pressing listed in M- condition for the record and at least VG+ for the cover. It sold, to the surprise of many, for a whopping $2,415.

The Magnificent Thad Jones Volume 3, Blue Note 1546. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing that was listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,784. That would be a new high price for any Thad Jones record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the cover design by Andy Warhol. The record and the cover were both in VG+ condition. We predicted that this one would break the $1,000 barrier and it did, selling for $1,215.

 

 

The “Infamous” Junkie Cover?

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Once again we will travel to France for today’s post thanks to our friend CeeDee, who seems to be inspiring a few of our reports lately. This one concerns this record: Miles Davis Group, Barclay 84.018. This was an original 10-inch French pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It consists of music from the Prestige “Dig” date, featuring Sonny Rollins and Jackie McLean. In his note to me, CeeDee described this as “the infamous junkie cover.” I had to confess my ignorance. I had never seen this cover before, nor had I ever heard of the picture and the reference to a junkie cover. I asked CeeDee what he knew. Apparently, he doesn’t know much in terms of details but said he’s always heard that’s how this particular cover was usually referenced by collectors and the image has rarely been produced in any format. He suggests that some of our European readers will have what he describes as the “grim details.” So let’s put it out there and see what comes back. The record sold for $577.89, by the way. I have a feeling after this post and subsequent comments, the value may go up even higher. I will say I, for one, am newly intrigued by this record.
Separately, CeeDee sent me these followup excerpts to set the mood of the times:

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Of Original Blue Notes and Shrink Wrap

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Here’s some more jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay, starting with: Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note 1569. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing, although there’s no New York 23 so perhaps not — where’s Fred’s book when I need it. This one is listed in VG condition for the record and the cover. The price is at $275 with more than four days to go. I find a couple of things interesting about this listing. One is the presence of some kind of plastic wrap around the record that the seller is claiming to be “original shrink” but I would be skeptical of that. Perhaps someone who was around in those days when these were new on the shelves would have more insight whether there was, indeed, any kind of shrink wrap and, if there was, whether it was this kind of loose shrink wrap as seen in the picture. The second interesting thing about this listing is in the questions, where there seems to a quite open discussion about selling the record before the auction is completed, even though there is no buy-it-now price listed with the record. That has always struck me as a bit of a breach of eBay etiquette. Or am I just being old-fashioned, having been a relatively early e-Bayer.

Whilst we’re looking Blue Notes, take a gander at these:

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Bonjour, Mon LPs

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Just swung over the eBay and, mmmm, there are some nice records for auction right now. Here are a few, starting with: John Lewis and Sacha Distel, Afternoon in Paris, Versailles MEDX 12005. I know, I know, another European pressing. But this is quite a beauty, isn’t it? And great music featuring Barney Wilen on tenor sax. This one is in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The price is already $600 and, no, I am not bidding on it despite my post yesterday. I may be crazy, but I’m not insane. The U.S. Atlantic pressing will definitely suffice for me.

 Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This is an original pressing with the Andy Warhol cover design as well as the Lexington Avenue labels. This was the last of the Lexington Blue Notes. The record and cover are both listed in VG+ condition and the bidding is in the $315 range with nearly three days to go. It will fetch a hefty price.

The Magnificent Thad Jones Volume 3, Blue Note 1546. This is an original West 63rd pressing with the New York 23 labels. The record is M- and the cover is VG+. Would love to have this but, alas, I will keep searching for a copy that doesn’t cost as much. This one is already more than $400 and there are more than three days left on the auction.

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Heading Down a Dangerous New Path?

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Someone sent me a link to this, in light of my recent post about the Miles Davis Prestige records: Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This was an original New York yellow label pressing that looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $738.88. The one we were watching last week sold for $393. Shows that there can be real value in posting more pictures rather than fewer pictures, and of getting the proper light and angle on the pictures. At least that’s the lesson I take from the price differential.

So I’ve been writing a bit lately about how some of the European pressings have been catching my eye, such as that 10-inch French Zoot Sims record yesterday and some of the Prestiges that were released on Esquire. And our friend CeeDee sent me a link a few weeks ago to a seller who had a bunch of these pressings, and the prices were pretty low, and I actually put in a bid on a couple of records and wound up with this:

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A 10-Inch French Beauty, And A Pair of Blue Notes

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Goodness, it’s been days since I’ve been on eBay and nearly a week since my last post. Thank you for not complaining, although in the future please feel free to do so. When I get caught up in my regular work, it is nice to be jolted back to Jazz Collector so I can do my fun stuff. So here are some of the jazz records we missed while we were away, starting with: Zoot Sims, Henri Renaud and Jon Eardley, Ducretet-Thomson 250 V 023. This is a 10-inch French pressing from 1956. I have to admit, I have never seen this record before. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+. There were more than 250 page views, 21 bids and a final price of $2,281.

Sonny Rollins, Volume 2, Blue Note 1558. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 deep groove labels. It was listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover and the listing was accompanied by some nice clear pictures. The final price was $1,227.99. We see a couple of these sell for more than $1,200 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is quite near the top of the market for this record.

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