Less Than 50 Copies? Really??????
Here are some odds and ends from the jazz vinyl world on eBay, starting with Ornette Coleman, ESP 1006. This is an original pressing with the silkscreen cover. The record is listed in Ex+ condition, which I interpret to VG++ in the terms we use here at Jazz Collector. The start price is about $700 and so far there are no bids. What struck me about this listing were that the seller described it as a “holy grail” LP, which is a term I have come to detest after all these years watching eBay. The second thing that struck me was that the seller states as fact that there were less than 50 of these pressed. I find that hard to believe. I feel like I’ve seen at least 50 of these on eBay these past dozen or so years. I tend to doubt it’s the same 50 records going back and forth between collectors. Clifford would probably have a better sense of the veracity and reality behind this record, so please enlighten us when you get a chance.
This one looks appealing, particularly since I still don’t have an original pressing:
J.R. Monterose, The Message, Jaro 5004. This is an original promo copy. The record is listed in VG+ condition and the cover looks around VG with some damage. The bidding is in the $150 range with less than two days left on the auction.
This is from the “get-a-clue” department: Introducing Lee Morgan, Savoy 12091. This is clearly a second or third pressing, with the maroon labels and later cover. The seller would like at least $900 for this copy. Good luck. I don’t usually bother with these silly listings, but for some reason I’m in the mood this morning. Here’s another: Art Hodes Hot Seven, Blue Note 7015. This is an original pressing and it looks to be in nice condition, maybe M- for both the record and the cover. The start price is $439. Someone should probably tell the seller that the 10-inch Blue Notes in the swing/trad genre don’t fetch quite the same sums as the bebop records. But we’ll keep an eye on the auction nonetheless. You never know what will happen.
Nice – I hadn’t spotted that Ornette auction. I’ve heard anywhere from 50 to 200 copies were pressed and given to critics and musicians. The other records that came out around the same time were the silkscreened pre-release version of Spiritual Unity (in probably the same number of copies, black or red on brown) and the first edition of Bells.
I think this is pretty rare. It comes with blank white or handwritten labels and a unique (limited) inner sleeve. I had one on ebay about 5 years ago and it went for about a grand (to Japan). It came from a musician’s estate. I’ve only seen one other which was listed at about the same time. Popsike lists two others from 2006 for a total of four.
I’ve seen that inner – “The Moody Men Who Play the New Music” – on a few releases. It’s neat.
That Ornette cover is beautiful but I personally would not pay more then a few hundred for it.
I have that same innersleeve on my first “regular” pressing of “spiritual unity”; possibly on 1 or 2 more.
On an unrelated note(or perhaps related as this guy is fishing for prey) – who is “thesoundofblue” on eBay? Trying to sell a non-ear copy of “undercurrent” for a grand!?!?
Yikes…
Re: Kenny Drew “Undercurrent” – That’s odd, I was under the impression that this was one of the Blue Note titles that only had one pressing. Do others know of Liberty pressings of “Undercurrent”?
Here is another non ear copy
http://www.collectorsfrenzy.com/details/160974009910/KENNY_DREW_wHANK_MOBLEYUNDERCURRENTRARE_ORIG_60_BLUE_NOTE_MONO_LP63rdRVG
Thanks Mike C, since bobdjukic got $545 for this copy I think the chances of this one for going for almost twice that are slim to none.
An original authentic first pressings huh? Good grief..shameful.
I was looking more closely at that inner and the Ornette LP isn’t listed – meaning it hadn’t come out yet – though I was always under the impression, and had been told by Stollman, that it was among the very first ESPs released. As ever with that label, inconsistency is consistency.
thesoundofblue is on instagram and clearly owns some very nice albums, but yeah, $1,000 for a no-DG copy of Undercurrent is absurd. I believe, though, that it was issued a little later than some other titles in the numeric sequence and thus a first should only have DG on one side. Perhaps Al, Rudolf or another poster can re-illuminate the story.
@Clifford Allen it’s not the DG, or lack thereof, that is the concern for Undercurrent (a stamped “Review Copy” sold awhile back with no DG either side) but the fact that this is a Liberty pressing with no Plastylite “P”. As you know, DGs aren’t always determining factors for 1st pressing Blue Notes around this time but the “P” means it was at least made during the original Blue Note era.
He seems to have taken “Undercurrent” down or it was sold as I don’t see it any longer.
Looks like that Ornette LP went for over $1000. Guess the grail tag worked.
I am thesoundofblue on ebay. I only sell so I can buy more or to thin the collection as I only need so many. I am not trying to fool anyone with that undercurrent. It clearly says no ear in the description I am also not dying to sell it. I did see a non ear copy sell for 700 at some point. This copy is in fantastic shape and its not very common.