For What It’s Worth (Or More)
I’m way, way behind on my posting. Let me catch up on a little on some of the items I was watching, and then we can move forward with some new stuff. Sorry about that. Promise not to wait that long between posts anymore.
Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040. This was an original West 63rd pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,136.22.
Sonny Clark Trio, Blue Note 1579. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. This one sold for $1,555. As many of you may recall, I recently purchased a copy of this in the Baltimore collection. I have been going through this weird process of putting a label on each of my records, describing the condition, whether it is an original and assigning a value to it. Why am I doing this? Well, if I were to die suddenly, it would prevent my kids from getting ripped off. Anyway, for my copy of this record, in M- condition for both the record and the cover. I had put in $1,000. Perhaps it’s time to make an adjustment.
Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and only VG for the cover. Despite the cover condition, this one sold for $2,999. As for the one I just purchased in Baltimore? That one was M- for the record an VG++ for the cover. I valued it at $3,000. It may actually be worth more, but $3,000 seems pretty reasonable for my purposes.
Walter Bishop Jr., Speak Low, Jazz Time 002. This was listed in M- condition for the record and the cover, although the cover was probably VG++. No matter. It sold for $1,920.95.
Al, are you using popsike for your estimates? If you search popsike with the following tag: sonny clark trio|1579|blp1579 you can see what’s what. There’s a bulge around $1200, and the all-time high is $1875 (set last year), so I’d personally estimate $1500…who knows though, right? Depending on the day and the bidders, it might fetch 2 grand, right?
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The Jutta Hipp is, in my research, one of the most expensive records there is. I’m thinking $4k near mint, so maybe $3.5k for that one.
I sometimes use Popsike and sometimes use the Jazz Collector Price Guide. I don’t feel compelled to be precise because I don’t plan on dying for a long time. 🙂
It’s posts like this that always make me evaluate my collecting. I’m sitting here thiking how much i would love to have all 3 of those blue notes, and realizing that i will never be comfortable spending that kind of money for them. I suddenly feel pushed to well done reissues. I know i’ll be back but it was a bit of a reality check for me!
Steve B — It took me more than 40 years to find the Sonny Clark and Jutta Hipp records at reasonable prices. It was fun hunting all of those years and a great feeling when I finally found them. The fun of collecting is not just owning, but pursuing.
Al, that’s why you should be proud–you worked hard for those! 🙂
That’s a great point Al! I think sometimes we get too caught up in getting that next piece and need to take the time to remember those previous finds and the joy they brought. Might have to spend the day off listening to some of those great tunes…just wish one of them was that Open Sesame! haha
@Steve B: you’re too right. But one thing remains: sometimes we all get lucky, for me it was the day when I acquired a true 1st pressing of Joe Henderson’s Page One in absolute pristine condition for less than a hundred bucks. The same may as well happen with the three Blue Notes discussed here today 🙂
It is quite a thrill when you do land a record that you’ve pursued for a long time. In the past year, I’ve been able to find 3 records that have eluded me for 30 years (John Lewis-“Jazz Abstractions”, Serge Chaloff-“Boston Blow-up”, and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis-“Trane Whistle”. I found an Eric Dolphy first edition “Out There”, but I already had a 1962 New Jazz re-issue so the thrill wasn’t as great!) To have a Baltimore score is not for the faint of heart, I imagine.
Now if I can only find George Wallington and his band (Blue Note 5045) I’d really be tickled. That one I’ve been looking for a long, long time.
@JOK: some great gems right there, hopefully all for a nice and low amount.
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The George Wallington, of course, is available for cheap as a Japanese reissue, but I guess that’s not what you want 😉
This one with the original catalogue number 5045 printed on the front, the previous link I left had catalogue number 71003…
There was an original on Ebay recently and it wasn’t selling for much with the auction ending on a Sunday. I meant to bid on it and something came up, I went to the beach on a Saturday and forgot about it. Ouch!
JOK – Ironically enough the wallington I have tossed in on a box of rock records from a guy who didn’t like 10″s.
Steve: That’s great. That is the stuff of legend. LOL. I picked up the Joe Roland quartet 10 inch on Savoy (with Oscar Pettiford) for a buck at a garage sale amidst a lot of country and western records (the records were circa 1964 and thereabouts). I wasn’t even looking and stumbled across it. So I went looking in earnest after that and found absolutely nothing else. A huge stroke of luck really.
I love 10″ and I got that Wallington. can someone explain why 10″ prices haven’t gone up as 12″?
there are great recordings on 10″, as originals, that never showed up on 12″. I’ve never seen one of these in the upper positions of rating.
Dottor: My guess is some newer collectors think of the 10″s as more “arcane” or “dated” than 12″ LPs. They could also be worried that it would be harder to find them in good condition because they’re older and perhaps heavy tonearms and sapphire styli were even more likely to cause damage to the grooves of records from that era than the early 12″ era. I would also personally add that some people might not like that the recording technology was close but not quite all the way to high fidelity yet at that time. Me personally? I love that sound!
It is hard to find 10 inch records in decent shape. It is rare to find jazz records in decent shape, but I seem to find old 10 inch classical recordings in near mint condition. My guess is they were not played with the same gusto and frequency as the jazz 10 inches. My most abused record in my collection is a green vinyl Gerry Mulligan Fantasy. It is hard to listen to, but I love that green vinyl.