Condition Still Counts (At Least For These Records)
Normally my eBay watch list is filled with records I am watching to fulfill my mission here at Jazz Collector. There are very few occasions when I actually bid on records and, if you’ve been keeping track, even fewer occasions when my bids are successful. One of the records in my watch list that was for both Jazz Collector and potential purchase purposes was this one: Joe Henderson, Page One, Blue Note 84140. Somehow in more than 50 years of jazz collecting, this record has never made it onto my shelves, and it is a classic, isn’t it, with Blue Bossa and Recorda-Me and Kenny Dorham and Joe Henderson? Anyway, this is an original stereo pressing and, I was thinking, perhaps because it was stereo and not mono, the price might be in line with my sensibilities. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is M- and when I first spotted the record it was in the $200 range. We are now two hours from closing as I write this and the price is close to $600. I expect it to sell for a bit more than that, so I will just keep looking. I still don’t know why I don’t have a copy. I mean, back when I started collecting I probably could have gotten a Liberty pressing for $5 or so at any of the local record stores.
Here’s another Blue Note from the same time period, courtesy of the Jazz Record Center: Dexter Gordon, A Swingin’ Affair, Blue Note 4133. This is an original mono pressing with the New York labels, ear and Van Gelder stamp. The condition is M- and, in fact, it sounds like it is in absolutely pristine condition. The bidding has already surpassed $600 with two days left on the auction. From the same auction there is Phil Woods, Pairing Off, Prestige 7046. This is an original New York yellow label and it also looks to be in M- condition. The bidding is at $300.
Gene Ammons, huh? Here we go: Jammin’ With Gene, Hi-Fi Jam Session, Prestige 7060. Final price: $1,425. Gene Ammons, Funky, Prestige 7083. Final price: $1,175. Gene Ammons, Jammin’ in Hi Fi, Prestige 7110. Final Price: $1,009. It’s nice to see that condition still counts, I guess. Just did a quick search on Popsike, and these would be the first Ammons records to make it into the $1,000. A new standard, or an aberration because of the immaculate condition? I would imagine this was a pleasant surprise for the seller, oui?
I was following that Henderson – Page One auction too, Al, with much the same hope as you. It ended up going super high as did several other Henderson records from the same batch. Somebody (or several somebodies) must have wanted them really badly.
I was blown away by the prices of the Henderson LPs:
Our Thing was $1.225 — https://www.ebay.com/itm/Joe-Henderson-Our-Thing-Blue-Note-84152-NEW-YORK-USA-GREAT-COPY/383934992001;
In ‘N Out was almost $1,600 — https://www.ebay.com/itm/Joe-Henderson-In-N-Out-Blue-Note-84166-NEW-YORK-USA-GREAT-COPY/203267961118
The Stereo Page One was $836 — https://www.ebay.com/itm/Joe-Henderson-Page-One-Blue-Note-84140-NEW-YORK-USA-GREAT-COPY/383936717259
as often as people around here scoff at huge prices, i’d like to say that the ammons LPs were sold by rudolf, I believe, and it is nice to know the seller well-enough to say he deserves the prize! congrats, rudolf!
Crazy. Time to increase my insurance coverage. I had these records valued at $100-150 a couple of years ago.
Gregory the fish: thank you so much for your kind words. The good thing is that the Ammons albums go to a trusted home.
Al – those other two Henderson albums you point out are also stereo issues which as you know usually command less then the mono. Crazy! I once spent $500 on a pristine mono of “our thing” a number of years ago and felt really guilty about spending that much. I felt I was paying absolute top dollar. Now I feel a bit better!
Remember in the ‘70’s one could still find enough of these NY issues amidst the later BN labels.
Had me a good time getting them, though succumbed to the initial CDs are the best sound frenzy and sold off most.
Wish I woulda kept me some for old age. Just 25 at a grand plus each would pay off the mortgage and have me farting in silk.
Congratulations Rudolf! I put in a bid of around $450 on the Jammin’ in Hifi and thought I had a chance. That is the early one I’m missing in my collection. But hey it really went through the roof in the last seconds! I was not even close.
Did you say that they all 3 ended up in the same home?
On a side note I last month got 2 copies of Hifi Jam session which is IMO the best of his early Prestiges. First I won locally what turned out to be a weak VG+ copy with EX cover for $100 but then bought locally a NM record with VG+ cover (small writing on back cover) for $350. Save for the writing it would have been like the ebay copy. I guess condition is everything – at least for some people -)
Hi Shaft, two went to one well esteemed home on the Continent, one to another, equally esteemed, home in North America. It is a pity you were not successful, but the two 7060 copies you have, make one in a very nice condition.
It is understandable that people, who dig the music and love the view and touch of the artefact of the époque, are willing to pay a substantial premium – if they can afford it.
Read ’premium for top condition ’
Thanks Rudolf! You are quite right – I’ll see if I swap the covers. The one with writing was apart from the scribble as fresh as your copy with the onion skin inners and all. Well you can’t win them all 😉 I find as a buyer that I have been through many “phases” and when I started collecting my house limit was $100 but with age and better pay it is now considerably more. I’ve paid $2500 for a grail record, but in my mind the Ammons were not really there (yet).
I’m glad to hear that they ended up in a good home and we must remember that we only take care of them a while on this earth – we just borrow them for a moment in time. The records will outlive us for sure!
I was going to bid on the Sonny Rollins ‘A Swinging Affair’ but I noticed there was another seller on Ebay with the exact same record in pristine condition–$600 or best offer. So, I haggled him down to $540 and bought it. So, I think I got a decent deal…we’ll see when I get the record.
At the end of the day, I’ve learned you have to snipe bid at least 2.5X the price of the record 30 minutes from close if you really want it. I also learned to ask the seller explicitly if the record is a 1st pressing. Some sellers like to use terms like ‘original pressing’ to confuse the novice. I just ask–and, in most cases, the seller is not bothered by my inquiry.
I screwed up…that is not the same record. Damn it!
Shaft: more than a decade ago I spent just over $ 1000 for a baggy sealed two tone Rollins Way out West. Ditto for Art Pepper and the Rhythm Section. Otherwise, I have always been reasonable. I started buying in the mid fifties, when my budget was limited though.
Cool Rudolf! I was not around in the 50’s (born 1968). In my teens I was not into bop jazz and bought cheap records from other genres. In my 20’s I got hooked on Lee Morgan and my “real” jazz passion began. Mostly on CD though. My record collecting started around 2006 and sure it was a little bit less expensive then but still hard to get good stuff.
That Contemporary purchase you did would indicate that they are indeed very rare to find. Sometimes they had a card also right? I have an old baggy outer bag somewhere but not sealed I’m afraid.
Anyway nice talking to you 😉 It’s an honour really.
lennib: the mortgage may still be there, but you can buy a pair of silk pajamas and several cans of kidney beans for surprisingly little money! 🙂
Re: Dexter Gordon “A Swingin’ Affair” by JRC. I don’t get the Cover description …”virtually new condition – immaculate throughout”. I’m seeing an owner date stamp on back as well as discoloration and paper-bubbling along the Spine. Certainly not pristine. Maybe it’s just me but I’d grade it EX.
Shaft, the pleasure is shared!
The two sealed Contemporary albums of Rollins and Pepper are scarce indeed. When I bought them, each from a different source, I had never seen one before. Also, since I have them, I have never spotted an other one.
The early baggy seals had 3 inserts: the Contemporary catalogue, a business reply card and a guarantee coupon. To see how they look like, go on Ebay and look for the Contemporary Red Norvo album “Music to listen by Red Norvo….
You will find a splendid example.
Rudolf, Yes thanks very interesting listing of the Red Norvo! I have already the OG Stereo records relase – otherwise I would probably go for that LP.
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