eBay Watching: Blue Notes, Prestige
Which jazz vinyl shall we watch on eBay today? Here’s a few of note.
This one is quite tempting to me, since I do not own an original: Mal Waldron, Mal/2, Prestige 7111. This looks to be an original New York pressing and it has the presence of John Coltrane. The record looks to be what I would grade as VG++ and the cover is M-. There are a few days to go and the price is in the $150 range. When I see records such as these I have to remind myself that I am getting rid of records, not acquiring them. It is a tough sell to myself, however, since the joy is in the hunt.
This one is also strangely tempting to me, even though it is not an original: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. The copy in my collection is a black and blue Liberty stereo. Yuch. This one is not an original because it doesn’t have the deep grooves, but at least it has the West 63rd Street address. It wouldn’t give me the creeps every time I would look at it in my collection. But, alas, the start price is about $400 and that’s a little too steep for me for a non-original, even a great record like this in beautiful condition.
As others have already noted in the comments, most of those rare records with the high start prices we were watching last week did not sell and are back on eBay with lower prices, but also with reserves so it is hard to tell if they will sell this time either. Here are a couple: The Magnificent Thad Jones Volume 3, Blue Note 1546. This looks to be an original pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It is currently priced at about $150, but has not yet met the seller’s reserve. Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This also looks to be an original pressing. Love looking at those Lexington Avenue labels, even if they are just scans. This one is VG++ for the record and VG for the cover. It is in the $220 range but also has not hit the seller’s reserve price yet.
I own that same pressing of Sonny’s Crib. Unfortunately I did pay about $400 for it like 10 years ago because I thought it was an original. I didn’t understand about the “R” at the time and took it for an original based on the address. It is in VG++ condition and aside from a few ticks at the beginning of the A side it plays flawlessly.
I would say that this is my favorite Sonny record, second being Lawrence Marable’s “Tenorman” although I reserve the right to “flip-flop” in whatever way I see fit :-).
The Mal album is very tempting to me as well, but I’m trying not to spend on records at the moment. I’ve never even heard this session, but it looks nice. Clearly Coltrane is great, a young Jackie, and I just love Mal. I can’t wait til I finish my home renovations and can get back to buying some nice records.
The Mal Waldron album is a fine one. I own an original of Mal 1 and both sessions are great. IT is a must have album. Same problem here : not possible to spend money on records right now !!
Okay, I just realized that I do have Mal 2 as part of the Coltrane “Side Steps” box. I’ve been listening to it at work. I just started to play it for the second time and it is hot. I guess the first time I listened to it I wasn’t paying enough attention because as Michel said it is a must have session.
I don’t have Mal 1 as part of any box set and haven’t heard it but I do have the Status 8316 “The Dealers” which contains the rest of the Coltrane Mal 1 sessions which is nice. It’s also on the “Side Steps” box, but the records from the Status series are usually found pretty cheaply.
Al:
I have been thinking about your dilemma in getting rid of boxes of nice but not very valuable jazz (i.e., those LPs worth say less than $15 per LP). I have a much smaller but similar problem.
Perhaps an interesting idea I have been considering for myself is to get someone to catalogue them into a spreadsheet, box them up, and drop off say 500 or 1000 of them to the charity of your choice. You get to take a tax deduction based on their fair value. Perhaps someone on JC would be able to get you an appropriate appraisal based on your catalogue / conditions. And NYers, as I know too well, have high effective tax rates.
Benefits:
– Charity is always good
– No market risk; timing controlled completely by you
– Move large # of records very quickly
– Immediately have room for more LPs!
Cons:
– effective cash value to you is value of appraisal x tax rate (key is appraisal)
– no cash received upfront; save on taxes at year end (or estimated taxes)
– could probably get more cash by piecemeal sale
Just a thought….
Intresting you mention the Deep Groove. I recently purchased a Deep Groove Pressing of Sonny’s Crib for rediculous 18GBP. BUT it is also not an original first Pressing, because it has only the 47 West 63rd St. NYC Adress on the Label instead of 47 West 63rd St., New York. So I assume it’s a second pressing, or is it?