Today’s Jazz Vinyl: Burrell, Warhol, A Sealed Book
Let’s up date some of the Jazz Vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay this week, starting with: Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1543. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing — the last of the Lexingtons — and it has the Andy Warhol cover. Quite a find. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover, the original framed cover, was also in M- condition. It sold for $2,025 and I’m sure will be a welcome addition to the buyer’s collection.
One of our regular readers pointed this one out to me, thinking the price was inordinately highly, but I’m not sure I agree. For original Blue Notes in M- condition, there seems to be no limit these days: Horace Parlan, Up and Down, Blue Note 4082. This one sold for $665.55.
This one was still sealed, but was it the original seal? If so, how would you be able to tell?
Booker Little, Out Front, Candid 8027. The seal was loose, which, I assume was how the records were packaged in 1961? When did the tight vacuum seal come into vogue? This one went for $365.
Some day, although not this day, I will add an original copy of this record to my collection: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing In From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This one was in VG++ condition for the record and the cover and it sold for $919.
I’ve never been able to find anything definitive on sealing practices because they were phased in differently by different companies. Anyone know of anywhere that this information can be found. I don’t bid on sealed records often because I find they tend to be valued beyond what I would value a M- copy. And there is the uncertainty.
Every mom-and pop record store had a shrink wrap machine from the early 60’s on. There are many many machines out there right now. I could re-wrap a record in 4 minutes that you would swear is the original seal,shrunk with a medium-heat hair dryer. There’s a skill to the shrinking for sure, to make it look original.
I would never assume, these days, that a seal is original, especially at the huge gap in pricing of open vs. sealed. It’s too big of a temptation for some.