Random Musings on Random Collectible Jazz Vinyl
We will look at some highly coveted jazz collectibles today, starting with John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse A-77. This is an original mono pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is more than $1,000 and the auction closes later today. Of course, this record is iconic and wonderful (not always the same), and it has continued to go up in value over the years, to the point where the $1,000 bin is no surprise, even in VG+ condition, and especially with a widely respected seller such as Euclid Records. From the same seller is Workin’ With the Miles Davis Quintet. This is an original yellow-label New Jersey pressing listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The album still has the original shrink wrap and, based on my anecdotal observations over the years, this seems to add value to the record. I guess there’s a feeling that the cover has been protected, so it is more likely to be clean, which I understand. Of course, when I get a record like this, the first thing I do is take off the shrink wrap and put in a sleeve, usually the 12-5/8 sleeve, but sometimes the 12-3/4, depending on the fit. I do obsess a little about these sleeves, as I do about so many little things to do with my record collection.
Here’s another that will end up on the $1,000 bin: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original West 63rdStreet pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. There’s more than a day left on the auction and the bidding is in the $930 range. Whilst on Mr. Morgan, there is also Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. This is an original West 63rd Street pressing from the seller Carolina Soul, who has quite a large number of nice records on eBay this week. Lee-Way is in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover and the bidding is in the $340 range with more than four days left on the auction.
Whilst perusing the Carolina Soul auction list, I also made note of Lee Morgan, Indeed!, Blue Note 1538. This is a United Artists pressing from the 1980s and it has a cut corner on the cover. There was a time when I owned virtually all of these United Artists pressings and, indeed, I still own my UA copy of Indeed!. However, as the years unfolded and I was able to slowly accumulate original pressings of some of these great records, I would shed the UA pressings, usually for no more than $10 or $20, even on eBay back about 15 years ago, when I was in selling mode. It has been interesting to watch the prices of these records go up as a nice alternative to spending thousands of dollars for original pressings. This one is in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover because of the cut corner. The bidding is at $76 with four days left.
Clifford mentioned this one already, but if you missed it Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225, sold for $4,500. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. When we first spotted the record in our previous post, Old Jazz Vinyl and a Young Jazz Singer, the bidding was at around $100. Things changed. We were also watching Art Taylor, Taylor’s Wailers, Prestige 7117. This was the one in VG+ condition with the “minimal noise” comment from the seller, which could be taken as either a good or bad thing. The final price was $562. I would guess the bidders were also ambivalent about the language, but that’s just a guess.
BTW, in case anyone is interested, I am still not active on Instagram with my records, but I’ve been posting nice pictures from my house in the country. My handle is ajdoctor. I’ll keep you posted with I start with the records, which will likely be next week when I am back in the country.
I feel you on the plastic sleeve-size conundrum. I find the larger and looser plastic sleeves tend to slip around when filing records, as well as obscure the spine if the fit is too loose (the smaller, tighter sleeve usually allows you to read the spine fairly easily).
A related question: Do most of you insert the record jacket with the opening aligned with the plastic bag opening (i.e. so you can remove the vinyl easily)? Or do you slide it in with the record jacket opening blocked by the sleeve, requiring the entire record to be removed from the plastic when you want to play it?
I keep my records in a resealable sleeve with the record outside of the jacket. Any other way it treasonous! 😉
Concerning the Coltrane, I feel that’ s a $350 record. At least it’s a first press (no A/B after the catalogue number i.e. A-77-A). Perhaps collectors are getting wiser to this?
I love the look of resealable sleeves but I have not mastered getting the record out and back in without getting ensnared in the exposed adhesive, maybe I’m missing something. I try to clean my records and then place them in a mofi inner and keep that on the outside of the jacket, all in a sleeve together.
Regarding the Coltrane, I think I agree with GST, although I’m not unhappy this hit the $1000 bin, but I find the price sways confusing. I somewhat recently bought an excellent condition 1st press that plays beautifully for a little over $200, it did not have the A/B after the catalog # and assumed it would go for more. Seems like this record has quite a broad range of prices it can realize depending on the day, seller, market etc. I guess that’s true for many other titles, now that I think of it!
not even NM on that Coltrane… and a grand. Sheesh.
Al: you should know better. Euclid gave false information regarding the “original shrink wrap”. There is nothing original to it. On this one the shrink was obviously applied after considerable browning and smudge had accumulated on the back slick.
I bought my 7168 upon its release, directly from Bergenfield. It came without shrink and with the onion skin inner. Prestige, like Blue Note, in those days did not apply shrink.
I want my protective plastic sleeves to be wrapped tight, facilitating moving the album in and out with the spine readeable. During my whole collector’s life I left the sleeve opening aligned with the plastic bag opening.
Only recently I am following LJC’s recommandation and I use one plastic protection for the art sleeve only and a separate bag in which I store the vinyl in a neutral, plain sleeve. Here I have the sleeve opening on the top, non aligned. The process of re packing allows me to go through my whole collection.
I second Rudolf’s comments, I don’t think shrink wrap was used by either Prestige or Blue Note until the early 1960s at least. When you find earlier titles in shrink, they were most likely resealed at a later time. I’ve purchased sealed titles only to find out that the records were heavily used once I removed that shrink. It’s a lot of fuss about nothing, unless the shrink wrap is authentic.
And GST I still keep my vinyl inside the jackets. I’ve considered a change but that seems like an awful task for about 3,000 albums. Also, I believe that keeping them separate would require more space??
I keep the opening of the sleeve on the top, so I have to pull out the whole record when I play it. I find it is much neater that way on the shelves when I am perusing titles.
So this is how far we have come…..well guys it’s quite apparent to me that these past comments are perfect for Halloween ….trick or treat on buying from the Internet !
I must confess that my local record stores gives away used sleeves for free ! Works for me. I also tape my sleeves to the INSIDE of the cardboard record cover , they are easy to remove from the shelves this way.Hey Al I loved the quote from you, “ Of course this record is iconic and wonderful (not always the same) “ Boy o boy we could talk for hours on that !
The old crate digger Art
Great site, great information. I’ve bought a lot from Carolina Soul in the last 6 months. Another site, usually on Reverb.com was Chicago Wax. Sadly, I don’t see them auctioning as of late. I’m ‘all in’ on another Carolina Soul auction ending this Sunday. I am not one of the heavy hitters….I pick up lesser known artists or lesser known albums for good prices. Just another note, there are many jazz aficionados on the Jazz Vinyl Lover page at Facebook. Just pics of the album covers of what we are listening to. Ken Mcaliff (sp?) is the moderator. He posts great jazz music/records themed videos on YouTube. Glad to meet all of you.
$2700 for Candy with a cover I’d probably put closer to VG+ than M- and with some obvious label wear… things are getting outta hand.
Must be a lot more buyers on Carolina Soul. I used to be able to buy up to 10 records for under $10 each, but those days are gone. Now I am lucky to get 1 or 2, more often than not I get shut out. But, there are some real good deals in the current auction, so we shall see how I come out in the end……………..
anyone else notice the cut out method on the duke jordan on signal….? 2 piercing holes through cover and label.
I stopped using socalled protective plastic sleeves years ago, I think they cause wear on the cover, tak up a lot of space when you have thousands of records.
I had the opportunity to visit Euclid Records (New Orleans) this past weekend. Their entire top floor is jazz and I could have spent all day up there. Got some nice stuff for decent prices (NM- Expoobident, Another Monday Night at Birdland, Bill Perkins Octet- On Stage all 1st pressing for around $30 each) but the best surprise was Lennie Tristano- Self Titled alum from Atlantic. I’m only 31 and have only been into jazz hardcore for about 4 years but I was not familiar with him. Most of you are probably rolling your eyes like duh, but this is a wonderful album and I recommend it to anyone who is not familiar. After talking with the clerk apparently the St. Louis store has even more good stuff in terms of Jazz so I will have to find an excuse to make my way up there.
yeah, there’s always someone new to discover no matter how long you’ve been listening… that’s one great thing about jazz.
the St. Louis store got that big European jazz collection a little while back… they were leaking some of it out on eBay and I got a few things before prices started going stratospheric.
Yeah in talking with the clerk and advising him I was basically a step above novice he recommended me Grasella Oliphant. I promptly bought both his albums as band leader and the other Lennie Tristano Atlantic session on discogs and they all arrived today, so I am in a happy mood. Thank God you can still buy 1st pressings of stuff on Atlantic for $15-$25.
While I’m at it is there anyone in the Southeast/Gulfcoast region that has record stores to recommend that might not be obvious? Mobile Records in Mobile AL is particularly great if anyone is ever passing through, the older owner is a big jazz fan and keeps the used jazz plentiful. I got a 1st stereo Mode for Joe their for a fair price, they do not sell anything on ebay. Bay Sound in Daphne AL has an okay selection. I live in Pensacola FL and even though I love our local record store they only have about 40 releases in the used jazz section. Any recommendations of record stores (with used jazz in mind) along the Gulf Coast/South East (outside the obvious ones in New Orleans/Atlanta) would be appreciated.
Does Chris Brown post here at all? He is in Atlanta, if that counts, and seems to come up on a ton of amazing records. He’s on IG as @what_can_brown and is one of the jazz accounts worth following for sure.
Carolina Soul are relative nice folks from whom I’ve bought ALOT of records. I’ve really cut back since their grading has noticeably deteriorated in the last 6-9 months.
I’m here Clifford, and hi Scott. I wish there were more “hidden gems” in the Atlanta area but I frequent the big name stores and seem to benefit from careless staff who misprice their inventory. One place that gets great stuff in from time to time that is overlooked is Sweet Melissa Records in Marietta. They are located in the back of an antique store, so definitely a small shop, but I recently picked up the quite rare Harold Ousley on Bethlehem for a great price.
think I only bought one record from carolinasoul in my life but it was a good one at a price I could handle.
Thanks Chris, I haven’t been there before, I have actually gotten some under priced gems from Decatur CD, but that was a few years ago. I remember specifically Red Garland- When There are Grey Skies NJ Mono pressing in great shape for like $15 and a UA pressing of Una Mas for like $10, if that even counts. I’ll definitely check out that store in Marietta next time im there.
I have also noticed some recent changes with Carolina Soul as someone who bids on quite a few of their records. Between them and Indy-Cd-Vinyl they have great stuff but frequently over grade, although Carolina Soul is not as bad as Indy-CD-Vinyl
I do the same thing with my records Al, less fuss with the plastic that way.
Got Lucky today in Toronto. Picked up Eric Dolphy , Far Cry with Brooker Little , on the Prestige Blue Trident Label. Cover completely split but Record was in Spotless condition. I feel incredibly lucky getting anything like this at a thrift store. Finding Original Jazz records in Toronto thrift Stores today is equivalent to finding a extinct Species……… Beautiful Record.
Opps , Sorry. Meant New Jazz Label on the Eric Dolphy , Far Cry with Brooker Little. NJ 8270
I recently found a used copy of Southern University Jazz Ensemble for 3 dollars, I thought it was a valuable record, but I had no idea it was as valuable as it is. And get this the record is still sealed. Hope this doesn’t get me in trouble for self promotion but I listed it on ebay if any free jazz aficionados are interested. Although I always keep rare jazz records I find this one normally sells for more than $2,000, and I could use the cash.
Well done, Scott — that record will certainly net a high figure. I would probably do the same thing as you and eBay it.
Wow Scott! Nice find. Did you find it at a record store?
Just shows ta go ya you learn all the time.
What’s with the “Free Jazz” hype on this one? Ayler’s college band? A Sun Ra permutation?Secret BYG recording?
Never heard of it nor saw a copy of this during my time of collecting, though that means little since there’s probably lots of records I ain’t ever seen.
Lenni, it’s not all that “far out” but it is a strong, relatively open record directed/led by and featuring clarinetist Alvin Batiste. For some years It’s been in demand for those who collect college/school band funky records.
Thanks for info, Mr. Allen. Original post used term “Free Jazz aficionados’” hence my inquiry