Another $1,000 Record, This One in VG Condition

We’ve been keeping an eye lately on jazz LPs that sell for more than $1,000, which is particularly interesting in light of some of the softness we’re seeing in other parts of the market. The LP True Blue by Tina Brooks, Blue Note 4041, is one that has broken the $1,000 many times. It is quite rare. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we’ve seen a copy go for as much as $2,075. So, we were watching this copy of True Blue this week to see what would happen in a soft market. The record wound up selling for $1,625. What makes this more interesting is that the vinyl was only in VG condition (the cover was VG++). It’s not so unusual these days for rare Blue Notes to top $1,000, but $1,625 for a record in VG condition, is still pretty high. Part of it attests to the rarity of this particular LP, and part, also, to the underlying soundness of the market, at least for the higher-end LPs.

I do have a personal experience with this LP to share:

I was working a record show as a seller for the first time. This was maybe 20 years ago, pre-eBay and before many collectors realized there was a growing demand for original jazz LPs — i.e., that people would pay hundreds of dollars for items they had bought for less than five dollars. I was not a dealer — I’m still not, even though I sell stuff on eBay — but I had a lot of duplicates to get rid of and, I figured, if I had a table I could get into the show early and perhaps score some nice collectibles. It turned out the guy next to me, had boxes of rare collectibles he was selling for $5 each. Except one of the big dealers had accosted him outside the show, before he had a chance to get set up, and got most of his best stuff, including a mint original pressing of True Blue. It broke my heart. 

Anyway, I chatted the guy up during the course of the day and it turns out he didn’t bring everything: “I have hundreds more at home,”  he said. “I didn’t realize people were interested in them.” I worked it out to go to his house at 8 a.m. the next day. He said he was a late riser, but he liked me, so he’d get up early. “But, please, don’t come before 8,” he said. So I got there precisely at 8 and knocked on the door and peered into the living room and there, poring through shelves of records, was the same dealer who the previous day had beaten me to True Blue. Arrgghh. Anyway, I rushed over to the shelves and started pulling records and wound up with a pile of about 35 records. Nothing like True Blue, but a pretty nice score. When I went to pay the guy he said the prices had gone up since the day before. Instead of $5 a record, they were now $10. I happily pulled out $350 cash and got out of there as fast as I could, before he doubled the price once more.