Bud, Ella, Bird, Jackie: A Day on eBay
I’ve been off eBay for a few days recovering from my Bronx adventure, so today I will go back to my watch list and take inventory of what I have missed, starting with The Amazing Bud Powell Volume 2, Blue Note 5041. This was an original 10-inch pressing listed in near mint condition for the record and probably M- or VG++++ for the cover. It had a start price of $595 and did not get any bids. On the one hand I’m surprised because you just don’t find many 10-inch Blue Notes in this kind of condition. And this is a great record, with a great cover. On the other hand, $600 is still a lot of money.
Everybody’s favorite, bobdjukic, was back with some auctions and, as usual, some hyperbole. This was a highlight from Ella Fitzgerald, and I will give the full title because it is quite a weird mouthful: Miss Ella Fitzgerald and Mr. Gordon Jenkins (with His Orchestra and Chorus) Invite You to Listen and Relax, Decca 8696. According to the listing this is “Easily and By Far Ella Fitzgerald’s Rarest Studio Album in Existence!” I love that stuff, and then it gets topped off with the old standby “ultra-rare.” Somehow this stuff actually works. The record and cover were graded VG++, although the description makes it clear that VG++ for the cover is a wild stretch, since there is actually a partial seam split. Anyway, some how, some way, someone bid $259 for this record. I think I got my copy, in better condition, for $5 at a record show, which was not far from the going rate a few years back. One of our readers sent me this one from back in December, but I just had to make sure I covered it here, also from bobdjukic: Charlie Parker, Fiesta, Verve 8008. This was a trumpeter pressing with the black label. It was listed in VG++ condition for the record and the cover but, again, the picture and description of the cover belie the grading. This one sold for $864.54. Forget about the genius of Charlie Parker: What about the genius of bobdjukic
Finally, after the events of last week I feel like I must post this one: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This was an original promo copy listed in VG+ condition for the record and Excellent condition for the cover. It sold for $3,850.
bobdjukic’s description of the record being “beautiful, thick, inflexible vinyl” sidesteps the fact that the record is styrene.
Are there any TRULY rare Ella Fitzgerald LPs? I would think not.
That Ella Fitzgerald LP is available on a Japanese CD:
http://www.amazon.com/Invite-Listen-Relax-Ella-Fitzgerald/dp/B000042O5O
How does he get away with it?
Hey mark ya ever here the one about why dogs lick their balls?… THE WORD RARE is not used like it used to be!
Well, I see a guy who sells a lot of records here on the West coast is selling Carl Perkins “rare” “Introducing Carl Perkins” for $400. Yes, it is a very rare record. But what he is selling is on the Authentic label, an obvious re-issue. For $400. Un-real.
We’re all so stunned by the hyperbole, we hardly bat an eye that a Jackie Mac record goes for almost four grand!
Did you noticed the small sticker on the Bird record ? Many record auctionned recently have the same kind of sticker. I guess it comes from the same unique collection that was sold to different buyer. Many of them are now surfacing on Ebay.
Incredible price for this common Charlie Parker. I’ve recently had a hard time selling five VG+/VG++ original atlantic albums. None of them is highly sought after actually , but i thought it should at least interest some connoisseur, as they were priced accordingly.
I should probably sell them to Bob, and see them turn to gold…:-)
Yeah, that numbered sticker is from some collector in NY. They pop up on records here a fair amount these days.
How about $306 for a Sonny Rollins – Tenor Madness NJ copy? Is that the norm. It just seems high for a NJ issue?
http://m.ebay.com/itm/Sonny-Rollins-John-Coltrane-TENOR-MADNESS-Bergenfield-orig-NM-NM-/201507451856?nav=SEARCH
I have a 300 + Collection of Great Jazz Artists from the 50’s and 60’s. Is there anyone interested in an 33 RPM Album and Cover in good condition of: “Miles Davis in Person at the Blackhawk, San Francisco?” …Or “Eddie Harris Live at Newport Jazz Festival 1970” Or, “Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington at the Cote D’ AZur”? Other rare finds available
Michael: I find it fascinating that Bob has been able to create his own niche within ebay where some of his customers seem to only look at his listing when bidding. I’ve watched him auction common lps for far more than anyone else has gotten. Since Bob sold the Charlie Parker Fiesta for $864, two other copies in the same condition have sold, one for $49.99 and a yellow promo for $14.99!!!
At the end of the day Customer satisfaction is the name of the game and Bob has almost perfect feedback so he’s doing something right.
What are some of your guys favorite sellers- the go-tos for quality stuff?
sorry, @juancho, some secrets need to be kept, even among friends…
Juancho: Euclid records is where I go to when I’m looking to buy a record that has eluded me. Most are graded good +, sometimes the jacket is in worse condition, but I usually am very satisfied with what I have purchased from them. Besides, I like to play what I buy, so it fits me that few of my records are in mint condition. I have one that grades M +, (Riverside Presenting Ernie Henry) and I rarely listen to it. I feel it is hostage in my collection due to condition.
Short list of sellers that have a pretty good reputation:
Atomic Records
Jazz Record Center
Euclid Records
Bull Site 2000
Chris Carnahan 2
…and one of my favorite deals PM sounds
Dealers not deals 🙂
I find atomic records a bit snobby and petty; overgraded a record I bought and I complained. Then they blocked me from buying from them again!
@Nathan Aaron I was thinking the same thing. I was interested and ready to buy at half of that amount. Just goes back to the “one of these days” albums.
Bullsite2000 from Milan, Italy, has the Jackie McLean Ad Lib original mono on auction on Ebay now