A New Standard for United Artists Blue Notes?
Here’s another selection of jazz vinyl we are watching on eBay, starting with Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This is clearly marked as a United Artists pressing. The seller lists it as a 1968 pressing, which I think he’s just making up. As far as I know these United Artists Blue Notes were originally issued for the Japanese market in the late 1970s or early 1980s. In any case, this is in VG++ condition for the record and the cover and is currently at a price of $78. Is it possible that these United Artists Blue Notes are increasing in value to the point where they are becoming collectibles? Or is it perhaps an aberration, some bidders not knowing, some not caring, some not reading the listing carefully enough?
Our friends at Euclid Records have some very nice records on eBay now, including The Unique Thelonious Monk, Riverside 209. This is an original white label pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. This one is already in the $250 range with nearly four days left on the auction. Here’s another: Donald Byrd, Byrd in Hand, Blue Note 4019. This is an original West 63rd deep groove pressing listed in M- condition for the record and M- for the cover. The price is more than $320 with more than two days left. It always helps to secure a better price if there are nice, clean, clear pictures to go with the listing, as Euclid has done here.
This one is also well-pictured: Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Contemporary 3532. This is an original pressing with the blue and red lettering on the back. It has been listed before at a higher price. I can tell, because this is the one that mentions the “original” paper sleeve, where there was not an original paper sleeve. Anyway, it looks like it will sell this time around because there is already a bid at $550 and there is no reserve price. Only a cynic would think that it is perhaps a shill bid.
what is nice about some UA pressings is that they are mono… most liberty repressings are stereo, also are the 80’s repressings.
plus they have almost the same jacket as the original (compared with liberty and other re-pressings.. )
I’m not sure if that auction result is typical for other UA reissues. I think it’s just such a rare and desirable record, and someone got a little excited. I will only believe if we begin to see $100 results for UA pressings of more common BNs.
Problem with these mono UA pressings is I don’t think any of them use the original stampers. I had a few stereo UA pressings without Van Gelder’s mark and they were noticeably inferior to the Van Gelder cuts.
I’m interested to see what the T Monk gets. I recently sold mine and got $1,100 for it…It’s a fantastic record and I hated to let it go! But I’ve been thinning out my collection lately.
I have plenty of the UA Mono pressings and they vary greatly. I have this johnny griffin and 78 bucks is crazy and the pressing is ok not great.
Al, would you remember the higher price of a UA pressing on your watch list? How about his one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JUTTA-HIPP-WITH-ZOOT-SIMS-BLUE-NOTE-1530-MONO-UA-NM-PRISTINE-/131079260569?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item1e84eec999&nma=true&si=EuAJhrOA6bxJ2f5H1%252FbKjhFE7LI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557#ht_1067wt_1219
I think it is crystal clear, folks: a lot of people right now probably think that the prices for UA copies will only go up from now on and probably all of them think: “get ’em for cheap for as long as it lasts.”
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Once the majority of all of today’s cheap UA copies has been bought up by scalpers who think they’re making a *cough* smart investment, we will only find more and more UA reissues that will be out of reach for those who could otherwise have afforded them instead of the real Blue Notes.
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Or am I too depressing now?
re: “only a cynic”:
i’m laughing. it took me a minute to get the subtlety.
😉
I buy non-NY Blue Notes routinely due to cursed budgetary restraints. I’ve found the UA’s to have acceptable sound, and I often prefer them to Libertys or later ’70s pressings. Having said that, I would never dream of spending over $30 for one (at absolute most). I guess iI’ll need to update my dreams…
I have bought and sold big ticket items in the past. For example, in the late 90s, early 80s, I remember finding original pressings of “Giant Steps”, and “Kind of Blue”, for a fraction of what they sell for now. Hardly anybody wanted Liberty or United Artists pressings unless they were in the $20 or less range. No more. Depending on the title, I’ve seen them go for upwards of $100!, especially tougher titles like “Blue Lights”, and Jutta Hipp. I think that normal everyday collectors have been largely priced out of the first/early pressing market which has created a domino effect of creating upwards pressure on later pressings. Then again there are alot of things that I can’t get for the same price that I could a few years ago. Why should later pressings be any different?