A Rare 10-Inch Trio and $3K For Saxophone Colossus
Been offline for a few days, but back in business. Here are a few records that sold on eBay whilst I was away, starting with Jack Sheldon Quartet, Get Out of Town, Jazz:West 1. This was an original 10-inch pressing. To be honest, this is a record I’ve never seen before and I wasn’t even aware of any 10-inch records on the Jazz:West label. Apparently, there were two, both by Jack Sheldon. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and G for the cover. It sold for $450.45. And the same seller had the second Jazz:West 10-inch LP as well: Jack Sheldon Quintet with Zoot Sims, Jazz:West 2. This one was in much better condition, listed as M- for both the record and the cover. It sold for $560. You would think, based on the condition, there would have been a bigger discrepancy between the prices.
While we’re on the subject of rare 10-inch records, there was also this one from the same seller: Elmo Hope Trio, Blue Note 5029. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $555.
And here’s one for the $3,000 bin: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and New York address. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was listed as Ex, which, based on the pictures with the listing, looked like about VG+ to me, based on my grading language. The final price was $3,080.
There’s no possible way that the sleeve on that copy of SC is EX. So sick of sellers overhyping things and stripping commonly accepted grading terms of any meaning.
Some sellers don’t seem to know or understand the long-established standard grading systems used for LPs and for 78s. The two are different, and should be strictly applied. A description doesn’t do it.
I knew these existed, I’ve just never seen them.
I agree, although two ebay trends I’ve been seeing quite a bit lately bug me. One is the seller overgrading / using a proprietary grading system that no one understands. The second is people who buy haphazardly and then negotiate down after receiving the item.
I have always thought this might be the coolest jazz record cover ever , hands down. Bill Claxton at his absolute best. The music ain’t to shabby either !
I started buying jazz records in 1942. Along the way since, I have regretfully learned that not every vendor is discerning or honest. The most common problem is over-grading. The ones with a bit of whimsy can be enjoyable, especially the ones who offer pieces of a broken record and a tube of glue to repair it. I’ve never seen that Claxton cover before. It strikes me as being right out of film noir.
“I agree, although two ebay trends I’ve been seeing quite a bit lately bug me. One is the seller overgrading / using a proprietary grading system that no one understands. The second is people who buy haphazardly and then negotiate down after receiving the item.”
I can’t stand this. I recently sold a record on discogs that was listed a VG, they buyer said it sounded closer to G+ than VG and asked for $2.00 back. I have a zero negotiating policy. I will gladly refund all your money and pay for shipping if you return the album but I don’t do the negotiating thing.
scott: that’s the best policy. then they have to decide if they really want it or not.
Scott: I ran into the same problem with ebay buyers trying to hold our feedback rating hostage by getting an undeserved partial refund. Our “full, unconditional refund” rather than a “partial refund” policy was set in stone during a rare 78 collection ebay sale. Although the collection was mint, untouched store stock and sold items were packed in expensive Uline 78 mailers several buyers claimed the 78’s arrived warped and wanted a partial refund. Statistically the number of “warped in shipping” seemed way too high but we offered a full refund instead of a partial one to all buyers. Not one of them replied or sent their purchases back which made us assume they were all lying in order to get a refund.
As Seinfeld said, “People, they’re the worst!”.
As a buyer, I’ve occasionally negotiated for partial refunds for over graded records. Its easier and safer than sending the record back, its fair, and both parties end up satisfied.
Nothing wrong with partial refunds!
If the LP is a big letdown I’ll rather send it back. However, some sellers do not refund the postage back which makes this method relatively expensive for me especially if the item is not high dollar. I have never lied about the grading to a seller and never will. If the grading is not ok sometimes a partial refund can be ok – especially if an LP is “fixable”
as a buyer, if a seller wants to offer me a partial refund, i do not mind, but then again, i have never lied about the condition of a record i was sent, and i know i have had buyers lie to me about it before.
if an item is truly not as described, then the the seller MUST refund shipping both ways, as per ebay policy, but sometimes it can be difficult to get ebay to back this up for something as subjective as record grading.
a seller that isn’t completely full of shit would offer to refund shipping both ways if there is a grading disagreement. other than two occasions where provable lying was involved, i have never had anyone disagree with my grading, because i actually literally follow the goldmine standards. i play the record and i describe its visual and audible flaws.
So what’s going on here? SUN RA Sound Sun Pleasure SATURN LP – 382393472467 – bidding at more then $1.6K
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SUN-RA-Sound-Sun-Pleasure-SATURN-LP/382393472467?hash=item59086d55d3:g:CwYAAOSwnhZalIuV
I had a buyer complain about a barely perceivable “dent” at top left of a cover; like we are talking visible only by looking really closely.
At a record show I was selling at years ago a potential buyer had a portable flashlight with him to inspect a $4 record I was selling. He took about 5-6 minutes to inspect it(no joke) and then asked if I would accept $3!
As a buyer I’ve been burned multiple times by reckless grading…I lost count the amount of times I’ve bought “VG+” records with feelable scratches.
Anyway my point is there are questionable buyers and sellers out there!
I wasn’t trying to say that full or partial refunds aren’t justified in some cases, it’s just that you have to determine if the buyer is is being honest/fair or not. We gave full refunds including all shipping a couple of times when we clearly had made a mistake in the listing.
As shipping costs rose over time we also would do a partial refund for an inexpensive item in dispute that asking someone to pay the return postage just didn’t make sense.
…As for that copy of Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079 that recently sold for 3k: Generally speaking, this album is certainly worth every cent. However, in this particular case, isn’t the buyer really to blame ? After all, “a fool and their money are soon parted” as they say. The photos clearly didn’t match standard grading convention, and most of us serious collectors wouldn’t even think of investing that kind of money on a copy in this condition. That being said, to those out there with with deep pockets and little patience (of which there were more than a few of at the high end on this this auction) it probably didn’t matter in the least as long as they won the auction, and would have an original pressing in their collection. I guess what I’m trying to say, is that things are always worth whatever someone is willing to pay, so we can’t be too hard on the seller here. Who among us hasn’t overpaid for something we really wanted at one time or another right ? Especially on ebay, with the anticipation of owning a first pressing building throughout the week, that it completely blocks out any remaining common sense in the last 10 seconds of the auction !!! (Common, we’ve all been there…) The only down side here (unless of course you were the seller) is that these record setting prices tend to raise the proverbial bar market wide. Hopefully whomever won the bid really enjoy’s the LP at the end of the day !
Not that anyone would care, but I have listed a copy of S.R.’s S.C. on eBay.
I sell when I sell as bsidechi
https://www.ebay.com/itm/183119515637?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649
Ignore my prior post re lp, it sold.