Propheting and Profiting From Jazz Vinyl and Memorabilia
Had my eye on this one: Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets, ABC Paramount 122. This was an original deep groove pressing listed in Ex condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $343. I’d recently had an email exchange with a reader who said he’s been watching this record and, in a period of just a few weeks, he’d seen the price range from $28 to $1,000. I saw I thought of it as as $400-$500 record, but more in pristine condition. So, from my perspective, this seems to be around the market value. At least it was the market value for this particular copy. I once had an opportunity to buy a beautiful copy of this record at the Jazz Record Center in New York for $100. I wasn’t particularly flush at the time, so I passed. Then I went home and changed my mind. Came back a few days later and the record was gone. I asked Fred about it. He said he had made a mistake in pricing it at just $100 and I should have jumped at the opportunity. That was probably 25 years ago. I finally got a copy of this record in the Baltimore collection almost exactly two years ago. Have yet to listen to it. Perhaps I will correct that oversight later this evening.
Here’s some stuff from my email inbox:
This one concerns an auction of big band and jazz memorabilia coming up on January 5. The press release states that the collection consists of show programs, handbills, posters, nightclub souvenirs, autographs and a wide range of other ephemera. Probably not of interest to me, but I know some of our readers here may have an interest. Here’s a link to the website for anyone that may or may not be interested.
Mike sent this link in with a “WOW” because he thought the price was high, but I’m not so sure: Donald Byrd, A New Perspective, Blue Note 84124. This looked to be an original stereo pressing with the New York USA address, ears, Van Gelder. It was listed in M- condition for the record and Ex for the cover. It sold for $195.30. Mike thought this was a $50 record, but it’s an original Blue Note. I’d pay a couple hundred for it if I didn’t own a copy. Perhaps. Anyway, I’m typing this and I have headphones on just listening to random music off the computer and Cristo Redentor just came on. Pretty freaky, I’d say.
A recent auction of New Perspective ended up at….288 $ !! I love this record, i think it is one of the most beautiful Red Miles cover ever. http://www.ebay.com/itm/DONALD-BYRD-A-New-Perspective-BLUE-NOTE-LP-NM-mono-ny-usa-deep-groove/361443571196?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20131003150253%26meid%3D4a8386c8bf604df98b90040cc22a5989%26pid%3D100034%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D371496615570
Al, i’m sure you will appreciate the Kenny Dorham on ABC Paramount….It’s a treasure….
Michel. Agree with you on New Perspective. Such a good record. I’m guessing the auction you linked to went for so much was because it had a deep groove on one side. I don’t see them come up that often.
I love the Kenny Dorham record! I picked it up from a collection of an old jazz drummer in Seattle. It’s one of those records to me that if it were on Blue Note would be selling for $800+ all day! As for the Byrd, it’s an original, which always drives higher values.
great record i purchased it locally for 15 two years ago,been looking for it for years,unfortunetlly the owner of that shop passed a year latter, he would set items like this aside for me .i had never seen it before or since
What’s hard to find is “A New Perspective” with the LAMINATED cover. This album appears regularly on ebay even with the DG but not with laminate. Fred Cohen mentions this cover (and there is a picture) in his Blue Note book, specifically among those he says are cover rarities.
Just looked at my copy of A New Perspective. Alas, no laminate.
Was anyone else impressed with what bobdjukic got for a sealed copy of Donald Byrd’s Fancy Free?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DONALD-BYRD-w-DUKE-PEARSON-FANCY-FREE-RARE-SEALED-ORIG-1969-BLUE-NOTE-LP-/161901573245?hash=item25b215f47d:g:aq4AAOSwnipWWugq
It went for $725 more than a sealed copy in the same condition that sold on ebay almost exactly a year ago.
That Fancy Free price is crazy. What if the record has a factory warp? And, it could be an older sleeve with a 70s record inside. Maybe a sealed Ghetto Music or Moonrappin goes for that much, but only because of rarity. Not Fancy Free.
” Have yet to listen to it.” Al, how many records do you have that you have yet to listen to KENNY DORHAM? I become more envious………………………….love to come east and visit your collection.
$288 for that Byrd is high. Also it had a DG on one side only, contra to the description. The seller “funkyousounds” has gotten some premium prices for his stuff – downright absurd in some cases:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALICE-COLTRANE-Ptah-The-El-Daoud-IMPULSE-ABC-LP-NM-/381483761900?hash=item58d23440ec:g:08kAAOSwAKxWYitY
@Clifford – I will say this about “funkysounds” – I picked up two LPs from the “Herb Wong” collection that were graded VG+ and they were by my definition NM-, both vinyl and jacket. I was pleasantly surprised even though the price I paid was a tad on the high side. Also, both LPs had the original inner sleeves in NM condition. Clearly Mr. Wong handled his LPs with great care.
Jim, I agree w/ what you stated about “funkysounds”. I purchased a large amount of albums from the most recent auctions and have always been pleased at the “grading”, finding that most of them are actually under-graded.