There was a time, and perhaps that time will come again, when jazz collectors seemed only interested in original pressings of original LPs. That seems to be changing somewhat, at least with the Blue Notes and Prestiges. I noticed that with a couple of items I was selling, and with another item that caught my eye as I was watching other records on eBay. Last week, I put up the record Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 1502. This was a nice old copy of the record with heavy vinyl, but it was a West 63rd Street pressing, as opposed to an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was in nice condition: I graded it conservatively at VG++ for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $140.50. The other record I was watching was also a Miles Davis LP:
Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants, Prestige 7150. This is a straight re-issue and I’ve always kind of viewed it as a $30 or $40 record, at most. This was was in VG+ condition, both record and cover, and it sold for $80. I can see why someone would want this record, even if they have the original: To fill in the Prestige catalogue, to have the other cover, to enjoy the great music. So I don’t have a problem with the record becoming more of a collectible, but it’s an interesting trend to be aware of, for those of us buying and selling on eBay, if reissues and second pressings are starting to move up the collectible food chain.
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I have also seen the 2nd pressing phenomenon. Not sure if it is a trend or a newbie collector (like me 4 years ago) not quite understanding the distinctions between a 1st and 2nd pressing. (I’ve got access to all the red with yellow writing Columbias if anyone can find a market for them.)
Two (good ?) reasons for the rise of second press :
1 – Lesser availability of the first. High prices, and /or lower condition. Maybe some collectors think it is better to have an affordable NM than a pricey VG+ especially when it is almost the clone of the first.
2 – Ignorancy. I assume that there are many high bidders that have more money than knowledge. Not on Blue Note or Prestige, when it comes to Riverside, many second press are sold as first, and many described and believed seconds are first. I’ve seen a Stereo (!!) True Blue sold for 600 !!!
7150 reissue: do you mean one with the blue label? I have had a version with a black/white unlaminated front cover, yellow label, which was definitely a 2nd pressing.
Agree to Michel’s analysis. I for one prefer a mint authentic W63 Blue Note pressing over a run down Lex.
Riverside is posing a problem: when it comes to original blue labels, what is the first pressing, the small or big blue label? Anyone who can shred some light on this?
Second pressings are a great value. One common example are solid blue label Blue Note pressings from the 1970s. Most of these pressings used the same master as the original pressings (look for the RVG or Van Gelder stamp in the deadwax), or used new masters. I have yet to hear a bad sounding solid blue label pressing (except for Electronically Re-Channeled LPs – not my bag). While a clean first pressing of Freddie Hubbard’s “Goin Up” would cost you $300 or more, you could get a great sounding solid blue label for around $20. They can hold their own most times with Japenese King pressings that often sell for $40 and up.
Eventually these second pressings will increase in value as the original master tapes and/or stampers for jazz sessions are just getting older and less stable.
I am unfortunately afflicted with the desire to snag first pressings whenever possible – partly for value, yet mostly for sound quality. I especially love mono pressings and sometimes there are no mono second pressings.
As for distinguishing pressings for Riverside, Jazzland, look for a deep groove under the label. First pressings of early Riverside dates, such as Nat Adderley’s “Branching Out” (Johnny Griffin is an animal on that one), have a smaller diameter label, along with the deep groove, than subsequent pressings. I often reference a site called popsike to look for the highest selling examples, which usually indicates a first pressing. When in doubt, bid like it is a second or later pressing, there will usually be another copy for sale soon!
Riverside label is complex, and tricky. Here are some points of interests :
From beginning to around 240-241-242 : “white label era” : labels are white with clear blue lettering. Some flat edges.
From 242 to around 270-280 (probable overlappings) : “large blue label era” : the original labels are LARGE blue, the deep groove is not always pronounced. Some of them bears a Pat pend US abd GB for export purposes (after that Fontana pressend directly in England)
From 280 to around 330-335 (probable overlappings): “small blue label era”: the original labels are SMALL.
From 330-335 to the end: “new style large blue label era” : back to the LARGE label, BUT, with a more pronounced and squared deep groove. Anyway, on some titles, during the end of this period, deep groove COEXISTS with no deep groove. Means that different stampers where used at the same time.
Anyway, when “large blue labels era” titles were later reissued, they have the small label : those reissue are often taken as original, and they are not.And you can also find “small label era” titles, reissued later with new style large labels DG or not. Cover has often a thinner spine.
Hope this will helps. Many other issues such as adresses, lamination.
Riverside labels: very interesting stuff. I always thought the small blue ones were first pressings. Thanks Michel, also for the insight on Taschen (Mr., instead of Taschen Bücher, as I anticipated), which is not a big deal anyway.
Re Riverside, I have big labels up to and including 277 and white labels up to and including 241. But I know a white label 242 exists.