Catching Up (Again) On Jazz Vinyl Auctions
And now I will clean out some more jazz vinyl from my eBay watch list, starting with Louis Smith, Smithville, Blue Note 1594. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The seller listed the record and cover as VG++, although the picture of the cover looked less than VG++ to these eyes. Nonetheless, the record sold for $1,677.
Jazz By Sun Ra, Transition 10. This was an original pressing with the booklet. The record was listed in Ex condition and the cover was VG++. The final price was $1,475. In a similar vein there was also Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra Playing Secrets of the Sun, Saturn GH 9954. This was an original pressing. The record was probably VG+ based on the seller’s description and the cover was also VG+. The final price was $1,135.
These have all been mentioned in previous posts, but now we have final prices to consider:
Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. This was at about $700 at the time we posted and we speculated that it might move into the $2,000 bin. Alas, it did not, selling for a paltry $1,564.
Elmo Hope, Meditations, Prestige 7010. This was an original New York pressing. The record and cover were both listed as being in Ex condition. This was only in the $100 price range when we posted, but it would up selling at $440. Not too high a price for an original early Prestige.
Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing listed in at least VG+ condition for the record and Excellent for the cover. The price was a very fair $635.55 and, no, ’twas not I that was the winner. While I accept that this is the market, I don’t accept that I have to pay market prices, even for a record I want very much, such as Shades of Redd.
This one has certainly generated a heap of discussion here at Jazz Collector, but I need to close the books on this one so that when people do searches the final price will appear in all of it’s infinite glory: Gerry Mulligan, Night Lights, Philips 600-108. This was a stereo pressing with shrink wrap. It was from the Dr. Herb Wong collection sold by funkyousounds and somehow it fetched a final price of $434. I just took a quick look at some of their current and recent auctions and there continues to be some weird prices. Just a couple for the record (so to speak):
Ben Webster Meets Don Byas, BASF MPS 20658. Was this the original pressing or was the original on Prestige? I though Prestige was first. This one even had a cutout hole. Yet, it sold for $162.49.
L.A. Four on Concord, Just Friends. This is a sealed record. You’d have been hard-pressed to give this record away free a few years ago. This bidding on this is now more than $100. Go figure.
Dang – the original of that Webster/Byas is on German Saba and I’ve never considered it being more than a $30-$40 record. It is really nice, however. A US market BASF/MPS pressing should normally set you back around ten bucks.
Also, not a huge Ra nut but “Secrets of the Sun” is a really strong album.
I continue to be perplexed and fascinated by those funkyousounds auctions. How about this one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/GERRY-MULLIGAN-Meets-Ben-Webster-VERVE-LP-VG-NM-SHRINK-/311537406242 It’s a very enjoyable album, but this is the MGM stereo pressing with the third (!) cover. Bidding is currently at $47. However, last month, funkyousounds sold a mono 2nd pressing (pre-MGM Verve label with DG and the second cover) for $30: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GERRY-MULLIGAN-Meets-Ben-Webster-VERVE-LP-VG-/311521585097
I realize these are piddly amounts, but it just further illustrates the extremely confusing nature of these auctions. More to the point, although folks do, from time to time, pay more, a trumpeter DG true first pressing should not cost more than $25-30. anyway. I think I bought mine for $10 or so. Very strange.
That 3rd pressing Mulligan / Webster went for $142. Crazytown. http://www.ebay.com/itm/GERRY-MULLIGAN-Meets-Ben-Webster-VERVE-LP-VG-NM-SHRINK-/311537406242
I actually have scored two LPs from the funkyousounds stock, both at the going rate (one dirt cheap, one expensive but not insane). I am made of flesh and blood rather than money, so it *is* possible! (Smile)
Clifford: How did the condition of the records compare with funkyousounds descriptions?
Accurate.
I have purchased roughly 4 LPs from FY over three years, they have always been cheap and described accurately. But they have so much stock, some things just have to go for real market value, that seller has a few genres going and it always seems like a lot, 1000+ albums. In short, its crazy, but I have been satisfied as a buyer.
Perhaps off topic and many of you may have heard of this, however for what it is worth:
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160206/river-north/jazz-record-mart-owner-reaches-deal-sell-all-his-records-closing-soon
Seems definite from my talks with friends and staff there.
Lennib – yeah, that’s been coming for a while. There have been all kinds of crazy rumors about the space, as I’m sure you’ve heard. Plus, JRM hasn’t had much collectible stuff in stock for many a moon. Too bad.
JRM’s closing will be a real loss. I’m assuming Delmark will continue. Thanks for everything Bob Koester, including your continued issuance of top flight Chicago jazz on vinyl.