M&M&M: Monterose, Mobley, Miles
Here’s a cool one from our friends at funkyousounds: JR Monterose, the Message, Jaro Jas-8004. This is an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. What makes it cool is the personalized autograph from JR on the back, which looks legitimate to these eyes, although I am certainly no expert. If its a fake, someone went to a lot of trouble. Anyway, this one closes in two days and is now in the $405 price range.
For a record that is considered the rarest of the rare, Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568, seems to come up quite often on eBay. Now we have a copy from the seller bobjdukic, so we can only imagine what this will sell for, since he seems to have a strong following of devoted buyers willing to pay top dollar. This one is probably VG+ or even VG++ for the record and the cover. It has the West 63rd Street address on the labels, not the New York 23 on one side, which is the version coveted by the most serious of Blue Note collectors, even though it has been argued often here at Jazz Collector that they are likely of the same vintage and provenance. This one is now at $2,000 with eight days to go on the auction, so we will expect it to sell for a much higher price, all things considered.
And there is a second copy of Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568, on Ebay now as well. This one also has the West 63rd Street address on both sides, no New York 23. It looks to be in even nicer condition than the other one, probably M- for both the record and the cover. The auction closes in two days and the bidding is in the range of $3,250 as of this writing.
There are also two copies of Kind of Blue that are closing soon: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia 8163. This is a stereo promo copy with the 6 eyes and white label. You don’t see too many of these and, frankly, I’m not aware — were these issued the same time as the original mono? I’m assuming yes because of the back cover and label misprint putting Flamenco Sketches before All Blues. Anyway, this is only in VG condition and has a start price of $650 with a by-it-now price of $845. The auction will be closed by the time most of you read this, so you can click the link to see if it sold.
Separately, there is Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia 1355. This is an original red label 6-eye mono pressing listed in M- condition for the record and a “weak” VG+ for the cover, which is really VG when you look at the pictures. This one has a start price in the $530 range and it also closes today, with no bidders so far.
Re the Mobley record: a man has gotta know his limitations. First pressings of these ultra desirable Mobley 1500 series LPs are beyond my budget. So I’ve been biding my time waiting for an opportunity to secure what I consider to be the most suitable alternative – the Mosaic Complete Blue Note Hank Mobley For Sessions. Joyously, I found this box set last week!
That Monterose record is fabulous. I can’t imagine the inscription is fake.
bobjdukic even states that the 1568 comes in the original loose – fitting plastice baggy…..he should know better.They never came in baggies like for example Contemporary did. I would however like to own an original 1568 sometimes just to crown my collection but the prizes are putting me off. Luckily the music is easy to find!
Posted this on LJC forum, but thought I’d add it here too.
What’s going on with this Mobley 1540
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123129269908?ul_noapp=true
It’s obviously not an original as it’s missing many of the hallmarks (framed cover, deep groove, ear, etc). So what exactly is it? Almost looks like a newer reissue if it weren’t for the RVG and 9M in the deadwax.
bobdjukic also is including an inner sleeve from 1964 with that copy of 1568.
@ Aaron I noticed that as well. On top of a free, used plastic baggy, the lucky buyer also gets a free, non-era specific inner sleeve. Quite an inventive.
Couple more crazy ones:
GRACHAN MONCUR – EVOLUTION III – $598
https://www.ebay.com/itm/GRACHAN-MONCUR-EVOLUTION-III-BLUE-NOTE-MONO-EAR-VAN-GELDER-PRISTINE/132604588433?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
SHAMEK FARRAH First Impressions – $711
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SHAMEK-FARRAH-First-Impressions-STRATA-EAST-LP-NM-SHRINK/382454031688?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
GST – Most of the research to these apparent original pressings without the ear points to what happened when Blue Note was sold to Liberty Records. As they closed down the warehouse in NJ they must of used up all the unused covers, back slicks and labels. Although they have the RVG and 9M they were considered Liberty era releases. I have a couple, Lee Morgan City Lights for example that except for no “P” or deep groove has the original laminated cover with matching back slick.
The only clue that the cover wasn’t assembled in the 50’s is the inner card stock doesn’t match. That’s why the Mobley Lexington cover doesn’t have the framed cover as the equipment for that type of assembly was probably out of commission and unnecessary.
As these were the last official Blue Note Rudy Van Gelder mono’s they can be a great bargain as the RVG not the “P” is the true stamp of quality.
GST – That is a strange one and I don’t know what else it could be besides a very uncommon Liberty reissue from ’66.
I agree w/ Aaron and Pari: the inner is from between 1/61 and 7/63, while a first pressing of 1568 is from 4/58.
GST, the 1540 disk was pressed by Liberty with Lex labels. It should sound very good, but it is not a first press.
I thought it may be a liberty, but it seemed odd they’d have leftover labels and even back slicks after the 47 WEST 63 RD printing. I suppose a mono copy like this would be rare indeed, but it looks like there is at least one other one on Popsike. Hopefully the buyer knows what they’re really getting.
GST, if you ask me, those prices for the farrah aren’t too bad. high, but not obscene. it’s a treasured prize for the label. probably only erotica suite and m’boom are rarer SE titles.
i am sick to death of all the blue note minutia. not here (people are honest and realistic here), but elsewhere on the net, where you need a damn doctorate in anthropology and a taxonomic field guide to figure everything out and ask the right questions, and even then 90% of the time you get a massively overgraded copy of the correct record. i have a few nice blue notes but i rarely even browse the BN listings for anything other than a few specific records anymore because it is so irritating.
moncur – evolution
kenny burrell, blue lights 1 & 2
all of the fullers in the 1500 series
dolphy’s out to lunch
other than that tiny list, i am not actively looking for any blue notes, for the sake of my mental health. if i trip over a nice copy, i’ll snag it, but there is so much more that I love, can afford, and isn’t subject to sneaky used car sales tactics at literal used car prices. why yes, i am very bitter. haha.
Picked up a mono original of the Moncur from one of the major second hand outlets in NYC some years back for $10. Nowhere near mint – but at that price, can’t complain !
Just checked out that signed JK Monterose LP and the signature looks pretty spot on when compared against other known signed ephemera I have on file. I’d venture to say this one is most likely legit.
Just bought the Shamek Farrah album mentioned above at a local store who had just acquired a perfect copy and had it priced at half what it sold for in that auction. I love buying at a brick and mortar store, so much less headache and the relationships you develop are priceless!
dang eric. im super jealous.
Jeez Eric!
Although the funkyou price was insane I must say.
I’ll admit it’s still a lot to spend but it had been on my radar for a few years and had never been able to get it. I’ve shied away from the Ebay auctions except in certain circumstances which makes it so much more fulfilling to find something like this totally unexpected.
For me the problem is not that the 756th copy of 1568 (on a total run of 600 “true first”, with the right adress at the right place, the right carboard thickness, the period correct spindle hole and lamination, the color of the ink of the third letter of “Blue” attesting the VERY FIRST 50 copies pressed, of course light shade on the red “Hank” identifying a copy HOLDED by RVG in person), sold for 21897, 88 USD to Mr Takao Shoyida no…the problem is here :
https://www.ebay.com/itm/STAN-LEVEY-THIS-TIME-THE-DRUMS-ON-ME-BETHLEHEM-BCP-37-DG-Mono-NM/202311488596?hash=item2f1ab45454:g:aaAAAOSwdytazDC2
Are we sure that collectors = connoisseurs ?
Michel, I don’t know if you’d find this interesting but there is version of that Stan Levey cover that is very rare but not considered collectable. Both the Levey and Dexter Gorden’s “Daddy Plays the Horn” have versions of the covers with additional graphics silk screened directly on the laminated covers. My theory is that sales were below expectations so they did a mock up of the covers with added graphics as a marketing experiment. There are a small handful of other Bethlehem covers I’ve seen like this but they were never put into production. They would be considered holy grails if they were Blue Notes. Check out the Levey cover.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stan-Levey-Dexter-Gordon-On-the-Jazz-Kick-Original-Bethlehem-BCP-37-1955-JAZZ/263542399394?hash=item3d5c59e1a2:g:FBQAAOSwa51ZbE1D
Apologies Michel, but could you educate me as to the problem with the Stan Levey – or are you just saying that the price seems very low for what is a good album?
The humour of Mr Goldblatt, apparently, was not appreciated by everybody and Stan Levey (nor e.g. Kenny Clarke) is not the collectors’ drummer anymore. The presence of Dexter on the Levey album is overlooked by the “connoisseurs”.
The added graphics only diminish the value of the album. I have seen it on the Red Mitchell album BCP 38. But there are more examples.
@woody : thanks for sharing the information, i know those covers, i think you are right : Bethlehem tried to add some more attractive information. I have not any of those “reprinted” covers anyway.
@Eearl Hodin : I’m a huge fan of Hank Mobley and Blue Note as many of us on this forum. I just find unbelievable that it has become so expensive today. He was certainly a great saxophone player. Stan Levey “This time the drums on me” is to my hears a quintessential session of the West Coast jazz and i can’t imagine it sells for only 20 $.
I agree with Michel on the Levy LP. Especially, if the condition is NM as described: those flat-edge Bethlehems are oh-so-difficult to find in great shape. $20 is a shame. Especially, taking into account that even Liberty BN reissues have pushed over the $100 mark.
That silk screened Levy was in “G” condition, rare though it might be…