Monday Morning Blue Notes
Lot of interesting jazz vinyl we’re watching now on eBay, so let’s get right into it. This one is closing fairly soon: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. What’s the market for a rare record like this in not very good condition, actually in VG minus condition? So far the bidding on this one has topped $125. I’d love to have this record back in my collection — yes, I sold a pristine copy 20 years ago — but not in this condition. If I can’t listen to the record, I don’t necessarily need to own it just to fill a space in the collection.
This one is in better condition, but hard to actually give it a grade based on seller’s description. My guess from the description and pictures that it’s what I would grade a VG+ for the record and the cover: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This one has already topped $800. As I mentioned recently, I am now the proud owner of an original pressing of this record, after all of these years of collection. Amazing how rare these things are, when you think about it. I could have paid top dollar over the years, I guess, to acquire a copy of this record, but in the normal course of things — going to record stores, record shows, garage sales flea markets, looking for records in most cities across the U.S. — in more than 40 years I had never come across an original copy of this record, and many others, for what I considered to be a reasonable price at the time.
Speaking of which, this is another I don’t own, at least not as an original: John Jenkins and Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This one is probably in what I would grade VG+ condition, although this seller has his own quite imaginative grading system. It has a start price of about $500 and so far there are no bidders.
This one is not quite original, as it has the New York 23 on the label: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This looks to be in legitimate VG++ condition and is currently at $315 with a couple more days to go.
1549: I would have thought the contrary. The original should have New York 23 on both labels.
I am not a particular fan of K.Burrell, but 1573 is a lovely record thanks to P.C. and leader John J. I am playing it a lot these days.
Probably you’re right Rudolf. I left Fred’s book on a plane and my memory is not quite what it used to be. I’ll have to get another copy of the book and keep it at hand when I do some of my posting.
Indeed Rudolf is right. The full monty on 1549 would be:
47 West 63rd New York 23 address on both labels, no trademark “e”, RVG hand etched and P or “ear” in trail off, deep groove both sides, flat edge, 47 West 63rd St. New York 23 address on back cover, blank spine, laminated. -It’s fun to cough up all these details, but it would be even better if I could afford these beauties! 😉
I’m delighted to have discovered this site. I’ve had my collection of jazz LPs stashed away for decades and am preparing to list them on e-bay. They include quite a few 10″ Blue Notes and other rarities from the 50’s. I’ve got some questions, but I’ll address them on the forum. Thanks, and looking forward to getting involved here.
I sold a copy of 1549 some years ago, I picked it up at a record Shop in Chicago that I used to frequent. The kid who ran the shop held it behind the counter for me because he knew I was into Blue Notes and I didn’t hesitate to buy it. Some Japanese guys were also in the shop (it was a pretty well known shop in Chicago) and upon seeing me purchase the record followed me out of the shop. Once on the street one of them asked me about the record, took a look at it, and asked if I’d be interested in selling. I told him I wasn’t interested in selling that particular record, but that I’d get some stuff together if they wanted to stop by. I gave him my number and didn’t hear from them for a week.
They ended up coming by my place, going through some records I’d decided to let go, and walked away with some records that I now regret selling. They ended up not buying this records though.. I sold it on EBay to another fellow from Japan about a year later.
I was pretty amazed how how much money they were willing to spend for records.. I named my price and they didn’t quibble at all. They just whipped out a roll of hundreds and peeled them off one by one when all was said and done.