Sonny Clark, Dexter and an Over/Under Betting Proposition for Mobley’s Blue Note 1568
Sorry for the long unexpected hiatus between posts. Been very busy with work and time just slipped away. Glad to see no one was worried about me. 🙂 Anyway, let’s look at where we left off with our eBay watch list, starting with: Sonny Clark, Leapin’ and Lopin’, Blue Note 4091. This was an original New York USA mono pressing. It was listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $908.76. We don’t recall ever seeing this record sell for more, but Popiske has a record of a copy selling for $1,144 in 2014. Wow. I guess it won’t be long before copies of this record will eventually be regulars in the $1,000 bin. First the ones in M- condition, then, over time, those in not-so-mint condition, if past patterns continue to hold forth in the future.
Perhaps this next one is also destined for the $1,000 bin. It keeps getting closer:
Dexter Gordon, Go, Blue Note 4112. This was an original mono pressing with the New York USA label. It was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $760.
While we were undisposed our friends at the Jazz Record Center put up another list of nice records, including: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This looks to be an original original pressing. It does not have the NY23 marking on Side One but Fred Cohen, the proprietor of Jazz Record Center and renowned Blue Note expert, states in this listing: “As will be seen in a forthcoming auction, it is now apparent that the NY23 label on BLP 1568 is an anomaly and not indicative of an original.” I’m sure that won’t really effect the desire of collectors to prefer owning the NY23 copy anyway. This copy is in M- condition for the record and at least VG++ for the cover, probably M- for most of us. There are six days to go and there are already five bids, four bidders and a price of $2,750. What’s the over/under for this one. I am setting it at $4,300, just because of the lack of the NY23. Otherwise I’d put it at $5,800. Let’s keep track. Perhaps we’ll give a prize to the reader who comes closest. I say over on my betting proposition: $4,444.
prizes? it’s fred. i’ll go with $6000.
The Sonny Clark title is my favorite album of his on Blue Note, but $900+ is ridiculous for a New York USA Blue Note. I got a clean NY stereo issue with no “ear” for $6 around 10 years ago…I’ll stick with that. My question is who is buying these? Are there that many lawyers and doctors out there that collect Blue Notes!?
I have a NM-/NM- copy of the Dexter Gordon – Go; I was willing to let it go to someone for $800 and seems like my price was about right. But he had it already, so it’s staying put in my collection. My bet on the 1568 would be that it will go above $6000. The copy I sold went for about $5400 last year….
I think it will affect the value a little more, I’ll say $3,800.
I believe the condition of this one may outshine the NY23.
Interesting that this copy of Mobley 1568 has an “N.R.” (no returns) stamp on the back. Could this title actually have been such a slow seller in its day that it ended up in a cutout bin??
Nice catch Don! That would help explain why it was never repressed.
$5200 i smy guess. But I really wonder how JRC messes up their photos? Do they scan instead of using a camera?? They sure could do better. The whites are off and severely crushed. Has anyone bought something that turned out to look nice in real life?
I also find the JRC message of forthcoming auction that will show that the 23 is an anomaly is very strange….
Jason’s comment that he had a copy of Dexter “Go!” that he was “willing to let go for $800” made me laugh. Was it so long ago that I was going into Dayton’s in the village and pulling albums off the back wall,only to have “Fat Jay” tell me “Those are all at least $50”? (putting them all out of my financial reach). On second thought,I don’t know whether to laugh…or cry.
I’ll go with $4,600.
Speaking of the ‘NR’ stamp on the back, does anyone think that or a ‘RW’ stamp detracts from the value? i suppose it would a bit, but obviously not nearly the same as a cut corner or drill hole.
The message that a forthcoming auction will show that the NY23 is an anomaly is explained by Fred in a correspondence with me here:
Hi Fredrik,
You are correct that an up-coming auction will have 1568 with the early promo stamps on both W63 (no NY23) labels. Of course, knowing how little regard there was for consistency at the pressing plant, it may very well be a ridiculous and unanswerable question as to which pressing came first. But for those who stand by the NY23 as an “original” it may be time to reconsider their assumptions.
If there are any further printings of my book I will probably retain the NY23 as original, since I premised these designations on the presence of the earliest details, and the NY23 label fits that requirement.
Cordially,
Fred
Anders, I’ve never bought from one of their eBay auctions, but I have bought from their store in NYC, and everything I’ve gotten is utterly pristine and perfect. When they sell things that are not pristine, they are crystal clear about imperfections and make you fully aware of them. I would trust the auction completely if 1568 were in my budget.
Ceedee – I’m with you man…$800 for a record is WAY out of my price range. so I find myself always second guessing myself when I do sell a record for $500 or more…Always comparing closed auctions to see the trends…Once it’s out of my possession, I should just let it go…haha the collector in me won’t though! 🙂
2 or so years ago I was offered an absolute pristine archive mono copy of “Go” for $200 and I turned it down. I had just bought the music matters reissue and thought it sounded great so I passed. The MM still sounds great but I wish I had a time machine 😉
Fredrik,
Yes very interesting of course 😉 But in the end we will never know for sure what happened inside the Plastylite factory unless production notes surface or employees that remember come forward….It could be that 1568 was pressed in only one run with different labels. I think the promo stamps usually indicates early pressings but also 2nd pressings could be used as promos to market an LP that is selling slow. (but why make a 2nd pressing in that case you might wonder?)
And where was the promo stamp applied – in the factory? At Blue Notes office? If it was in the factory would it be applied on the first pressings coming out of the machines or on the last copies in the run. You could imagine the first LP’s pressed ending up in the bottom of the pile and maybe the Promos were taken out of the last pressed LPs in the run. Who knows? If the promo stamps were applied at the office it could be either way I guess. I don’t know how the distribution chain worked for BN LPs. Anyone?
In my own opinion I would have to say at the end of the day that earlier indicative markings (earlier labels, Deep Grooves, Kabuchi covers etc.) should be seen as “earlier” pressings making them more desirable. Just like Fred. Personally I would be happy without the 23 😉
My guess would be $3611.23 for the Mobley.
I will say $7360 on the 1568…
Like this game.. Jazz Record Lottery …!!
Auction over at JRC and this is what amazes me.
This is a re-issue.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hank-Mobley-on-10-Blue-Note-/302294345938?hash=item466225a8d2:g:6K0AAOSw53NY~j2a
Mymymy. Wish I had a few left of those i sold for 10 bucks or so some 20 years ago
Here’s another 1963 re-issue. Again, I am amazed:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SONNY-CLARK-Leapin-Lopin-LP-on-Blue-Note-NY-mono-VG/371930462932?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D40130%26meid%3D468dc1e5e4dc437fa513c168f48a04ee%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D332195194521&rt=nc
Lenni that’s insane…$600 for a 70s reissue!? Why not just buy a Japanese reissue?
ha!
Although $80 for a stereo NY of Leapin’ isn’t that bad… great record in any event.
$643.00 for the Mobley UA reissue!!! UNREAL!!!