Classic Jazz Vinyl — But Will Anything Sell
Finally back from a long break, and the first thing I’m going to do is take a look at what I left behind on my eBay watch list and catch up. This seller has several nice items for sale, including Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is an original New York yellow label pressing listed in VG++ or M- condition for the record and M- for the cover. You don’t run across too many in this shape. There are two days left on this auction, the bidding is in the $1,350 range and so far it has not reached the seller’s reserve price. This one comes from the same seller and also has not yet reached its reserve price: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This is an original pressing with the New York 23 labels. The bidding is in the $650 range. Surely, the bidding will move into the four figures, but whether that meets the seller’s price won’t be known until the auction actually closes.
Speaking of records not selling:
When I went away this seller had several nice items I was watching and, of the ones on my watch list NONE of them actually sold. Here are a couple: Art Taylor, Taylor’s Tenors, New Jazz 8219. The record was probably in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+, based on the descriptions. The start price was $554.99 and there were no bidders. Andrew Hill, Smokestack, Blue Note 4160. This looked to be an original pressing with the New York USA labels, the ear and the Van Gelder. The start price was $244.99 and there were no bidders. I see there are some negative comments about this seller among the Jazz Collector readers, although the seller’s eBay rating is 100%. Do you think it’s just that the prices were too high, or is there more to it?
I think they are asking too much at prices only the most rare and desirable records should fetch.
Also I don’t like when the pictures cut off the edges. The cover edges do look not as NM as discribed…
The seller offered several of these by Set Sale prior to listing them on eBay, and prices were rather exhorbitant ($950 for black label DG Giant Steps, for example).
I don’t know Taylor’s Tenors, but Hill’s Smokestack is a terrific record — if you’re a Hill enthusiast.
To me these look like more marginal records priced too high. Come on — starting prices at $550 and $250 respectively? The economy — even the global economy — does not have a bottomless pool of rich collectors who consider hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a record “a bargain”.
Both Taylor’s Tenors and Smokestack are good records – I actually prefer the Taylor – but the stuff has to be crisp and from a reputable seller (usually) to fetch those kinds of prices on the regular. This seller is not reputable and nor is the condition particularly great.
that seller is also charging $35 for airmail shipping to the usa. not to mention it’s being sent from bangkok, thailnad. a country not exactly none for it’s reliable postal system. so on top of paying an exorbitant shipping fee the buyer will have to wait at least 2 weeks for a package that is probably next to impossible to track.
i have both these lps and i KNOW i didnt pay 3 freaking thousand for em, omg
I recently sold a similar condition Saxophone Colossus and it went at $900, guess you never know…