Off To The Races, The Chase is On
We’ll start today’s jazz vinyl watch with a personal favorite that we don’t see that often on eBay: Charles Rouse and Paul Quinichette, The Chase is On, Bethlehem 6021. This is an original red label pressing with the deep grooves. The record is in near mint/ex-plus condition and the cover is VG+. The current price is nearly $300 and there are about 12 hours to go as of this writing. Great record.
Now we go to a conundrum we have mentioned before: How do you value a sealed record without knowing its provenance and then, once you have it, what do you do with it? In this case the record is: Donald Byrd, Off the the Races, Blue Note 4007. This is a mono pressing and the factory seal is still on it. There is no indication of Liberty on the back cover — it looks like an original back cover. The seller, Euclid Records, one of the most credible in our community, makes no claims about the record’s originality and offers no hype. We’ve seen records like this and they’ve been originals, we’ve seen records like this and they’ve been later pressings, New York USA or Liberty. So what would you bid on this record? And, I assume you would open it as soon as you got it, so is there a huge value in purchasing it sealed? This one is priced at more than $150 and there are still three days to go.
Here are two records we mentioned yesterday, different copies, and so far neither one of them has received a bid: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This one is described as an original although the seller, who we know and respect, would be wise to include a picture of the labels and back cover in order to get top dollar, which he is seeking. The record is in M- condition and the cover looks like VG++. The start price is $749.99 and so far there are no bidders with about a day left. The copy that we mentioned yesterday was M-/VG+ and sold for about $720. From the same seller is Kenny Dorham, Round Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This one includes pictures of both labels, which clearly show the Lexington Avenue address on both sides. The record is described as VG++/Mint minus condition and the cover looks to be VG+. The start price is also $749.99 and there are also no bidders. The one we mentioned yesterday was around VG++ for the record and cover and it sold for more than $1,250.
no serious collector would make a bid for a record that could but could’t be original, unless the price was very low (10-30$).
no factory sealing for 4007: possible later sealing by retailers.
I’d follow a different but certainly more expensive way, if I had interest.
Rudolf ?
I think the Off To The Races LP is a later pressing, it should have the W63 address on the back cover according to Fred Cohen’s guide, this one has the 43 West 61st St address.
Still sealed – but with water stains on the back cover? This is but one of the reasons I steer clear of “sealed” vinyl. Too many unanswered questions, and I can’t play a sealed lp.
I do have a copy with the 63rd St cover that is a no ear/Liberty era pressing. It has the 63rd St address on labels, Inc & R on one side, no R on the other. No deep groove. It seems better to imagine how lucky someone else is getting an original pressing.
i think it is a United Artist pressing.I have several of those, and they look original by the cover, and they are MONO…
i think in the UA period records could be sealed
It’s most likely a NEW YORK USA pressing.
Euclid records thinks so as well:
“By the thickness of the cover it appears to be a NEW YORK USA label, though we can’t be 100% sure if it’s earlier or has a deep groove. Thanks.”
Why don’t they just open it? If it is original it will get more bids than doubts over a sealed copy….
Tony — brilliant! Sometimes the solution is right before your eyes, right? I’m with you. Open it.
It’s a gamble and I imagine that from Euclid’s standpoint it’s better to let a customer take the gamble. While the bidding may not go as high as a M- guaranteed first pressing it will surely be higher than a later pressing. If I believed it was most likely a second I wouldn’t take the gamble but someone will.
I worked retail in the 70’s(King Karol)and remember the resealing of returned lps as being a regular part of doing bizness. Returned because they say it’s warped? “reseal it” Didn’t like the music? “reseal it” Not the version they wanted? ditto..
Not the best business model,but their reality. I wonder whatever became of that huge resealing machine the 42nd street store used? Maybe wrapping up your “original,unopened” Blue Note?