JRC Auction: A Little Trane, A Few Blue Notes
It’s always interesting to watch the Jazz Record Center auctions on eBay and the latest is closing today. Here are a few of the items:
John Jenkins and Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price on this was $1,000 and there is a bid on it, so it will be sold and will enter the virtual $1,000 bin.
John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. Here’s a more clear explanation of this than we’ve heard before. Jazz Record Center refers to this as the “pinwheels” label, although we’ve most often seen it described as “bulls-eye.” It is described as an “original deep-groove second press,” which kind of makes sense. It’s still valued among collectors, even though it is not a first press. This one looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover and is already at more than $170. Speaking of original Coltranes on Atlantic: John Coltrane and Milt Jackson, Bags and Trane, Atlantic 1368. This is an original mono pressing with the red and purple labels, although I’m still not 100 percent sure how to distinguish it as a first pressing. This one is in M- condition and so far there are no takers at $50.
Blue Note stereo pressings don’t usually have the cachet — or value — of mono pressings. Case in point: Joe Henderson, Inner Urge, Blue Note 84189. This is an original stereo pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It’s in the $100 price range at this point. As we saw earlier this week, a mono pressing of Henderson’s Page One sold for $2,000, although we still think that is a weird aberration.
Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note 1569. This is an original West 63rd pressing and it is in M- condition for both the record and the price is $338. Tempting, but not for now.
if green stereo labels exist, this bull’s eye/pinwheel pressing is a second. I for one never came across the green label, but its black mono version is the well ackowledged first pressing.
Anyone seen the green stereo label for 1311?
…With regards to that copy of John Coltrane’s Giant Steps on Atlantic 1311: I know we have debated this one time and again here in the “Jazz Collective” but where does the black label WITHOUT the deep groove really fit into the order. Is it a third pressing or somewhere in the middle ?
FYI – I didn’t check back to see if this reference was already posted the other day, but here is another good one for Atlantic labels:
http://www.bsnpubs.com/atlantic/index.html
Sorry for the repetition… I just checked back to an earlier post and “BigBear” already posted that Atlantic link !
I have to disagree with Fred regarding the “bulls-eye” label being the second press of the STEREO version of Giant Steps. The MONO “bulls-eye” label is indeed a second press but no one to date have been able to produce an original green label stereo copy, making the “bulls-eye” a first press. My hypothesis is that the mono version was released right at the tail end of the black label (which was used through the end of ’59) and the stereo was released early ’60 on the then-new “bulls-eye” label.
Aaron says it all. Thanks.
Also agree with Aaron–that’s what makes the most sense to me.
I had the same doubt and asked Fred yesterday:
Dear dottorjazz,
The first pressing is a solid green label with black print.
– jazzrecordcenter
what I don’t know yet is if this solid green really exists: never seen in the last 40 years.
I think we have to form a task force (study group) to bring order once and for all in the Atlantic imbroglio.
I have 1313 and 1317 in bull’s eye stereo, but then my 1327 and 1330 have the old lemon green stereo labels. What does that imply? I am at a total loss.
Aaron, Dottore, Michel: any clue to this? I don’t feel qualified enough, since my original purchases of Atlantic in the crucial period of 1959-1962 were all through the U.K. London or French/Danish Atalntic labels (the latter two bull’s eye mono pressings).
Any volunteers?
I would like to help, but I’m a mono addict.
my stereo originals, all labels all times, are less than 3%.