Updating the $1,000 Bin
What have we been watching lately on eBay? Let’s look at some records for the $1,000 bin:
Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing sold by Atomic Records. The record looked to be VG+ or VG++ and the cover was listed as VG+. The pictures were nice and clear, so perhaps that helped in getting a high bid. This one sold for $2,280.55.
Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was an original pressing sold by my friend Steve at Round Again records in Providence. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG. The price was $1,936.88.
John Coltrane, Coltrane, Prestige 7105. This was an original yellow label New York pressing sold by our other friends at Music Matters. It was in M- condition and sold for $1,280.55, definitely a high-water mark for this LP on Jazz Collector.
This one was from our friends at the Jazz Record Center:
Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This is the one that’s had a lot of discussion on the site because of the sans serif typeface. It was in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover and sold for $1,175.
Not sure we’ve ever seen this one in the $1,000 bin before: Hank Mobley, No Room For Squares, Blue Note 4149. This was an original pressing in M- condition. The seller, the reliable roverd-90 described this as one of the greatest jazz LPs ever. Quite high praise. I haven’t listened to this record in years, so I’ll have to put it on the turntable later and see if I agree. This one sold for $1,009.
Sorry, this is the correct link, not as in the note above
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19121992@N00/5277680904/
Great to know that we’ve all had our ideas about this 😀 And I have to say, London Calling, your attempt doesn’t look bad at all. In my mind I envisioned a horizontal time bar and then the catalogue numbers in vertical, but I see that your idea might be a bit easier to read. The question remains if you want to add recording dates to the time line, since there are of course many albums that feature tracks recorded at various dates and your current setup depicts exactly that what I think is on everybody’s mind: what addresses run from what catalogue number to what catalogue number, from what catalogue number to what catalogue number do we find DG, etc etc. With your basic Excel sheet in hand one can already actually sit down with his records close at hand, grab his BN copy off the shelf and compare his copy to what the sheet says. Additional details like pressing runs and recording dates can simply be added as soon as they pop up and can also be updated with additional recording date information (extra tracks recorded on that date, that did not appear on the LP due to time limitations but that appeared later on on CD for instance). On the other hand: if Larry Cohn is indeed working on something like this as well, according to Dottorjazz, then maybe we should ask him where he is with his efforts 😉
My purpose is to offer here a short description of the characteristics of FIRST PRESS. No second press described here !!
This is an early stage,there are many mistakes. Please correct, add, change, precise….
Original first press during this period always have ear ( in fact, “p” for playstilite), and RVG in the dead wax. Around 4200, some record were issued originally without ear (Blakey 4193, Mobley 4209, for example)
Lamination cover has been ignored here,although there are many exceptions, overlapings, in 4130 – 4140 numbers regarding laminated, non laminated covers.
Ask me more and i will tell you, if i’m able !!!!!
BLP 7001 to 7028 and 5001 to 5066 : Lex adress, Flat edge DG, kakubuchi cover.
BLP 1501 – BLP 1541 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, Kakubuchi, lex cover
1542 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, kakubuchi, NY 23 cover
1543 – 1557 : NY 23 lbl, flat edge, DG, NY 23 cover
1557 – 1565 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1566 – 4012 ( ?) : 47 W inc lbl, DG, NY 23 cover (1597 : no DG)
4013 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
4014 – 4022 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4023 – 4058 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4059 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG side 2, 43 W cover
4060-4062 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / no DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4063- 4066 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4067- 4080 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl , 43 W cover
from 4080 to 4250 ( ?) NY lbl inc ®, 43 W cover
Correction : 1566 – 4012 no inc label (of course !!)
Phew… That’s a lot of details Michel!
That’s just wonderful what’s happening right now. And btw. if you’re right, Michel, my Bluesnik-NY-pressing becomes an original in this moment! 🙂
I’ll have to check my other records, when this grows more, but are there really 47W-labels of 4076 or 4077??
Yes there are, at least for 4077. Not mine, but i have seen one.
Correction 4067 has been issued also DG both sides
Corrections added
This is an early stage, please correct, add, change, precise….
Original first press during this period always have ear, and RVG in the dead wax. Around 4200, some record were issued originally without ear (Blakey 4193, Mobley 4209, for instance)
Lamination cover has been ignored,although there are many exceptions, overlapings, in 4130 – 4140 numbers regarding laminated, non laminated covers.
Ask me and i will tell you, if i’m able !!!!!
BLP 7001 to 7028 and 5001 to 5066 : Lex adress, Flat edge DG, kakubuchi cover.
BLP 1501 – BLP 1541 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, Kakubuchi, lex cover
1542 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, kakubuchi, NY 23 cover
1543 – 1557 : NY 23 lbl, flat edge, DG, NY 23 cover
1557 – 1565 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1566 – 4012 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY23 cover (1597 : no DG)
4013 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 inc cover
4014 – 4022 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4023 – 4058 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4059 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG side 2, 43 W cover
4060-4062 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / no DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4063- 4067 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4068- 4080 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl , 43 W cover
from 4080 to 4250 ( ?) NY lbl inc ®, 43 W cover
So it’s been only 20 minutes, that my “Bluesnik” has been an original! 😉
Crikey! (as we Brits say) – that information is hot! (as you yanks say)
This is priceless. It is not documented anywhere I have seen. Michel keep it coming.
Matty you correctly identified how mine works – it spans five or so A4 pages and goes in a carry-around folder with me when I go “shopping” In my full version it brings in all the details of all the BNs I have next to their listing, so I know exactly what kind of copy I have got.
Ive done the same for King and Toshiba as I have a lot of Jap (Sayonara, as they say)
@Michel: You’re absolutely right with 4077 (I checked popsike), but I’ve never seen any 4076 with 47W labels. Any proof would be highly appreciated!
More corrections added
This is an early stage, please correct, add, change, precise….
Original first press during this period always have ear, and RVG in the dead wax. Around 4200, some record were issued originally without ear (Blakey 4193, Mobley 4209, for instance)
Lamination cover has been ignored,although there are many exceptions, overlapings, in 4130 – 4140 numbers regarding laminated, non laminated covers.
Ask me and i will tell you, if i’m able !!!!!
BLP 7001 to 7028 and 5001 to 5066 : Lex adress, Flat edge DG, kakubuchi cover.
BLP 1501 – BLP 1541 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, Kakubuchi, lex cover
1542 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, kakubuchi, NY 23 cover
1543 – 1557 : NY 23 lbl, flat edge, DG, NY 23 cover
1557 – 1565 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1566 – 4012 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY23 cover (1597 : no DG)
4013 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 inc cover
4014 – 4022 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4023 – 4058 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4059 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG side 2, 43 W cover
4060-4062 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / no DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4063- 4067 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4068 – 4075 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl , 43 W cover
4076 : NY lbl inc ®, 43 W cover
4077 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl , 43 W cover
from 4078 to 4250 ( ?) NY lbl inc ®, 43 W cover
Katharsis : Right, no Doin the thing with W63rd labels. Correction added
#
More corrections added
This is an early stage, please correct, add, change, precise….
Original first press during this period always have ear, and RVG in the dead wax. Around 4200, some record were issued originally without ear (Blakey 4193, Mobley 4209, for instance)
Lamination cover has been ignored,although there are many exceptions, overlapings, in 4130 – 4140 numbers regarding laminated, non laminated covers.
Ask me and i will tell you, if i’m able !!!!!
BLP 7001 to 7028 and 5001 to 5066 : Lex adress, Flat edge DG, kakubuchi cover.
BLP 1501 – BLP 1541 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, Kakubuchi, lex cover
1542 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, kakubuchi, NY 23 cover
1543 – 1557 : NY 23 lbl, flat edge, DG, NY 23 cover
1557 – 1565 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1566 – 4012 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY23 cover (1597 : no DG)
4013 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 inc cover
4014 – 4022 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4023 – 4058 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4059 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG side 2, 43 W cover
4060-4062 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / no DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4063- 4067 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4068 – 4075 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl ,DG / DG one side (?) 43 W cover
4076 : NY lbl inc ®, 43 W cover
4077 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl , 43 W cover
from 4078 to 4250 ( ?) NY lbl inc ®, 43 W cover
Downgraded several of my collection from first to second pressings, 🙁 thank you!
Where I am struggling is the handover point between Plastylite and Liberty pressing plants.
I have around ten in the series between 4227 (Mode for Joe) and 4250 (The Jody Grind) Every one has NY labels and not one has an “ear”.
4251 onwards, again I have lots, and every one has “Division of Liberty” on the label and none carry the ear, so that at least is clear.
The area of contention for me is whether there exist Plastylite/ “ear” 1st pressings in the 4227 – 4250 range or were they all pressed by Liberty plants and still a “1st pressing”, but with Liberty using up the stock of pre-printed NY labels.
I have always read the “ear” stopped with 4226 (Don Cherry) Any thoughts anyone?
4193, 4209,4227 and somes others were originally issued without the “ear”. 4169 was not issued with ear : it is a later issue with an early catalog number. Some ear copies are rumoured to exist anyway. 4212 is a liberty press (and cover design !) with an early catalog number.
Great job, Michel! Please allow me to give some additions:
1516: does not exist with kakubuchi cover
1532: no flat edge
1543: lex label
1552: no flat edge
1556: no flat edge
1557: flat edge
1560: 47W lbl
1564: 47W lbl
1568: NY23/47W lbl or both sides 47W lbl (both sides NY 23 does not exist)
1575: NY23/47W lbl
1577: NY23/47W lbl
4013: correct
4014-4016: 47W lbl
4014-4021: NY23 Inc cover
4055: no DG
4066: never seen DG with (any) 47W lbl
4071: NY lbl, DG
4072: NY lbl, no DG
4075: NY lbl, no DG
4080: NY/47W lbl
That’s it for now!
Cheers, Peter
Thanks Peter ! I realize how many exceptions i forgot.
London Calling: you are correct, 4226 is the last one with the ear.
As Michel mentioned some lower numbers have also been released without the ear, because the release date was (sometimes much)later than planned. Here is the complete list of pre-4226 titles without the “ear” (I posted this list earlier on the Organissimo forum):
– 4118 Free Form – Donald Byrd;
– 4171 Extension – George Braith;
– 4193 Indestructible – Art Blakey;
– 4196 Blue Sprits – Freddie Hubbard;
– 4203 Andrew! – Andrew Hill;
– 4204 Gettin’ Around – Dexter Gordon;
– 4206 Contours – Sam Rivers;
– 4209 Dippin’ – Hank Mobley;
– 4212 The Gigolo – Lee Morgan;
– 4213 Components – Bobby Hutcherson;
– 4215 Right Now! – Jackie McLean;
– 4217 Compulsion! – Andrew Hill;
– 4218 Action – Jackie McLean;
– 4219 The All Seeing Eye – Wayne Shorter;
– 4222 Cornbread – Lee Morgan.
lexington era:1542 s. rollins
here Rudolf’s words as reported in JC
August 16th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I have a copy of 1542 which I consider to be an authentic first pressing (flat edge, the typical deep groove; cover Lex Ave adress, frame cover, thin spine) but the adress on the labels is 47 W 63rd NY 23, not Lex Ave!
so we know about existance of lex labels AND lex cover for 1542.
lexington era:1543 k.burrell
I confirm Peter A correction:
lex label- cover:47 west 63rd
1543 is the last lex and is flat edge
no info ’bout kakubuchi for this one
lexington era:1531-1532 f navarro
I don’t confirm Peter A correction:
both are flat edge
More corrections added, thanks to Peter !!!
This is an early stage, please correct, add, change, precise….
Original first press during this period always have ear, and RVG in the dead wax. Around 4200, some record were issued originally without ear (Blakey 4193, Mobley 4209, for instance)
Lamination cover has been ignored,although there are many exceptions, overlapings, in 4130 – 4140 numbers regarding laminated, non laminated covers.
Ask me and i will tell you, if i’m able !!!!!
BLP 7001 to 7028 and 5001 to 5066 : Lex adress, Flat edge DG, kakubuchi cover.
BLP 1501 -1515 – Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, lex cover kakubuchi
1516 : Lex lbl, flat edge, lex cover
1517 – 1531 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG kakubuchi
1532 : Lex lbl, DG, kakubuchi
1533 -1541 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, Kakubuchi, lex cover
1542 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, kakubuchi, NY 23 cover
1543 : Lex lbl, flat edge, DG, NY 23 cover
1544 – 1551 : NY 23 lbl , flat edge DG, NY 23 cover
1552 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1553 – 1555 : NY 23, flat edge DG, NY 23 cover
1556 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1557 : NY 23 lbl, flat edge DG, NY 23 cover
1558-1559 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1560 : 47W lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1561 -1563 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1564 : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1565- 1567 : NY 23 lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1568 : NY23/ 47 W lbl, DG, or both sides 47W lbl, NY 23 cover
1569 – 1574 : 47 W lbl, DG NY23 cover
1575 : NY23 / 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1576 : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 cover
1577 : NY23/47W ,DG, NY 23 cover
1578 – 4012 ( ?) : 47 W lbl, DG, NY23 cover (1597 : no DG)
4013 : 47 W lbl, DG, NY 23 inc cover
4014 – 4021 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, NY23 cover
4022 – 4054 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG 43W cover
4055 : 47 W inc ® lbl, 43 W cover
4056 – 4058 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG, 43 W cover
4059 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG side 2, 43 W cover
4060 – 4062 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / no DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4063 – 4065 : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / no DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4066 : 47 W inc ® lbl, 43 W cover
4067 – 4068 ( ?) : 47 W inc ® lbl, DG / DG one side, 43 W cover
4069 – 4070 : 47 W inc ®/ NY lbl , 43 W cover
4071 ; NY lbl, inc ® DG 43 W cover
4072 -4073 : NY or 47 W, inc ®, 43W cover
Please add correction direct to list. i’m too tired !!
Dottore:
My copy of 1543 Burrell definitely has a kakubuchi cover(sorry Michel, forgot to mention!)
Navarro 1532: if you have a copy please check it. Please watch the disc closely if it has a completely flat edge (and not slightly rounded. I thought my copy was flat edge as well, but Larry Cohn pointed out it does not exist (I know this all sounds a bit weird…).
Cheers,
Peter
(Amsterdam)
That’s incredible, folks… Never thought that my time line suggestion would harvest such an overwhelming (and in some cases sobering) amount of details. I now also noticed that I forgot the flat edge/non flat edge thing in my earlier post, which thankfully was mentioned by the others. Anyway, with all the details coughed up here today, I think it should be possible to create that time line, although I wonder if I can do it better than London Calling; first of all it’ll be hard to create a new Excel sheet without stealing bits ‘n pieces from his current concept and second of all I guess I’m too much of a beginner to come up with something that breathes knowledge, experience and an incredibly large record collection. Still I’m willing to give it a try based on all the info harvested today. To be continued I guess and lord knows how long it’s going to take me. London Calling, if I need some help, can I contact you? 😉
47 west new york 23 era:
my info are incomplete,please help
1544 h mobley and his all stars is the first with 23 address on label
1545 and 1547 can’t confirm
1546 and 1548 to 1552 :new york 23
1553:not used
1554 to 1559:new york 23
1560 can’t confirm
1561 to 1563:new york 23
1564:can’t confirm
1565:new york 23
1566 and 1567:can’t confirm
1568:new york 23 ONLY on side 2/no known copies 23 both sides OR side 1 only
1569 to 1574:can’t confirm
1575 to 1577:new york 23
can’t confirm means I’ve never seen these numbers with 23 address BUT this doesn’t mean they do not exist:for me they should but wasn’t enough lucky to encounter them.
Hey Michel,you sailed to sea,don’t give up !
I’m pretty sure all this info will be compacted in a short time for general use and corrected when “old cats” like me will come on board,Al ? Rudolf ?
My suggestion is to try a list with all known details that indicate a genuine original FIRST pressing,as Michel said before.I think could be easier to divide into label periods ie lex,new york 23,47 west,NY with particular attention to transitional periods.
steps missing:different letterings,colors,covers,spine,and so on.
once we have all traced a believable list,say up to 4200,we could ask corrections to Larry
this is maybe the first time I feel many of us caught up in this project.
don’t let it sink,please.
’round midnight in Milano now:tomorrow morning will try an almost complete Lex list with all details uncovered up here:this looks the “simple” part of the job.Difficulties await for us later,in transitional periods,expecially around 4059…
good afternoon to the West,good morning to the East and good night to old Europe.
unfortunately I can’t check navarro:sold them 10 years ago and thought to be sure about flat edge:this detail has been cited in copies sold on Ebay in the last four months and on a list of records dating 1999.
I found this info re 1511 t monk,which exists in real flat edge:”not a flat lip edge, but it’s hard to tell, just the slightest hint of a bump at the edge, pretty flat, but not completely”.
is this what larry thinks about ?
There are even more interesting details, for instance:
– jackets (kakubuchi, covers with ‘bump’ [in the middle of the upper or lower seam], laminated or non-laminated, white or brown cardboard etc.)
– inner sleeves (I like the early ones from the lex period).
I just can say it as well: It’s wonderful to see. And it’s so “mouthwatering” to see all you guys having a lot of these records!!
According to 1511: My Lex-copy has a – as I would call it – perfect flat edge. (If I understood it right, that this is questionable?!)
It’s bedtime for me here in The Netherlands as well, folks. My head is still ringing from all the information… Time machine, anyone? 😉
This is like a dream come true. Thank the lord that there are enough other people with OCD in the world that love great jazz! I have been keeping my cheatsheet, but this is much more comprehensive. Thanks for everyone’s generous contributions.
I can confirm that 4077 (Dexter Gordon Doin’ Allright) was pressed with 47W63 labels, RVG, ear, no DG as I own this one (bought recently on Ebay). Cover is 43 W61, New York 23. Listening to it now – really great LP!
My version of 4067 (Jackie McClean Bluesnik) has DG on Side 1 only, 47W63 labels on both, RVG, Ear on both sides…there is also 9M in the side 2 run-off. not sure if there is any significance to that. So, is this a first press, Michel?
Wow! I have been away for 2 days and could not believe my eyes when I checked the site: 84 comments! That smells like a new milestone in commenting one topic. Great work, thanks to everybody! I cannot wait to check my records whether I can contribute another hint! Though I fear that my number of “first ones” will rather decline…. Nonetheless: Great article!
Mattyman – contact at my “disposable” email address – as the last time I used my real one online it was picked up by a spambot harvester and filled my mailbox with spam for years.
andrewsouthlondon(at)hotmail.co.uk
Exchange “real” email address through there.
I am going to “work” on all the stuff contributed here. Its a real breakthrough in collective knowledge, thanks to everyone for contributing.
before goin’ through a first tentative Lex part one I would like to ask Peter A more about navarro NO flat edge.As reported:**I thought my copy was flat edge as well, but Larry Cohn pointed out it does not exist (I know this all sounds a bit weird…)**
here in RC,dec 23,2009 we can read what Mr.Larry Cohn through Don Lucky declared on flat edge/flat rim.”ALL of the original Lexington releases were flat edge,both for the 1500 and the 1200 series”.And more:”November 1955:12″ LPs were introduced by BN,using the old 767 Lexington Ave.blank foreground labels previously used for 10″ LPs.All pressings flat edge”.And more:”Every Lexington Blue Note,ranging from 1201-1205 and 1501-1543,was initially issued flat edge.Any Lexington seen with a safety lip is automatically a second pressing”.
if Peter A citation is older than 12.23.2009 ok,
Larry’s studies changed his opinion,but if it’s more recent we got another problem.
Big Bear has noted something I have seen a few times in the run off – the engraving “9M”. One ebay seller claimed the presence of “9M” proved it was a first pressing, something I dismissed.
Any one any knowledge of the significance or otherwise of of “9M”?
Also just an observation – some of the above comments are beginning to throw up conflicting or ambiguous information.e.g.
4072 -4073 : NY or 47 W
Surely can’t be either.
Most ambiguity regarding the label on a 1st press is in the range 4069 – 4077 – the period of crossover between 47W and NY.
Also 4060 – 4065 regarding DG/no DG/ Side 1 only.
I also noticed the 9M engravings, but never paid attention to it since nobody ever addressed it here. Could it be that instead of 9M, we’re maybe dealing with initials: G M or W G? Maybe those are the initials of the man that made the actual stamper, since Rudy only cut the lacquer disc that would serve as a template or ‘positive’ for the actual stamper which of course is a ‘negative’.
Many thanks for all information.It is really helpful and interesting.London Calling you’re right as I have many blue notes which I consider to be second pressings and they all have 9M.A while ago I was trying to search it myself and didn’t come up with anything.
i have seen it on a non-deep groove BUT lex adres JJ Johnsen vol1
The owner states that it is a original??
it is incredible indeed, the plethora of data all of you guys have come up with.
Mattyman says 9M engravings, sometimes I thought 6W, depending how you look at it. The meaning is obscure to me anyway.
Marteen Kools : no it is not original. Liberty used old stocks of Lex stickers for new pressings.
Mattyman : my 4073 has 47 w adress no DG both sides.
I think the 9M / 6W / GM / WG or whatever it is must be something that refers to the person that made the stamper or maybe the location where the stamper was made. In the world of seventies funk, which I collected for years, you’ll find many 12″ maxi singles that, for instance, carry the name of Herb “Pump” Powers, a known name in the world of mastering and stamper processing. But then again we don’t know enough at this point to conclusively say what the 9M / 6W / GM / WG stands for. One thing is clear: someone must have engraved it, ’cause it’s clearly not a machine stamp and it must indicate something…
To Michael: Are your sure abourt this liberty / lex. labels story? I also own a JJ Johnson Lex / no DG copy and always asssumed that it was the third/fourth stamper which was used without DG maybe in the late 50s / early 60s…..
@marten kools & GW: Do your records have the ears or other signs of originality? I would say, that these records are no first pressings without a DG, even if they would have an ear.
One other question: Up to which number were the “RVG” and “RVG STEREO” stampers used?
The funny thing is, that I have 4072 Liberty pressing, but with “RVG” engravings. To my knowledge, this is an oddity, because all my Liberty pressings have “VAN GELDER”, wether stereo or mono.
In my collection I have noted RVG (hand-written), RVG (machine stamp), RVG STEREO (machine stamp), and the blunt “VAN GELDER” machine stamp.
I have never fully understood the difference or heirarchy other than the handwritten RVG is found only on my records dating from the mid-50’s, machine stamp RVG on early sixties, and VAN GELDER on 1962+ NY labels and later reissues Liberty and UA.
The problem with solving jigsaw puzzles in real life is you can never be sure your pieces are all from the same puzzle!
Just a quick note on that copy of Sonny Clark’s Cool Struttin’ (Blue Note 1588) above… Sadly there was a “R” under the E on side two, and still it went for $2,280.55.