Volumes of Jazz Vinyl
I’ve been back in New York for the past week or so, but haven’t had a chance to visit any record stores. If you had a few days in New York, where would you shop these days? If you were shopping on eBay, here are some of the items you may have considered, starting with Pete LaRoca, Basra, Blue Note 4205. This was an original New York USA pressing that looked to be in VG+ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover, although the seller listed it as VG++ (it wasn’t). When we wrote about it last week, the bidding was in the $750 range. The final price was around $1,190. I kind of assumed this would have been the highest price ever for this record, but according to Popsike a copy last summer sold for $2,375. There were also a few others that ended up in the $1,000 bin, so my assumption was not quite accurate.
Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Café Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was in only VG condition and the cover was only G+. Despite those condition issues the record sold for $2,125.99. From the same seller came Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets, Volume 1, ABC Paramount 122. This was in VG condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $450, quite a disparity between this one and the Blue Note, which must be label-related, since the music on both is quite excellent. I wonder if ABC Paramount ever intended to issue a Volume 2 of this record, or maybe even a Volume 3. I have the Japanese pressings of Volume 2 and Volume 3 of the Café Bohemia records, but I don’t think there was ever a Volume 2 of the Jazz Prophets.
Finally we see Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in VG condition for the record and VG- for the cover. The final price was $1,259. Glad I have an original after all of those years of searching (Shades Of . . . ).
The K.D. on ABC Paramount, Vol.1, reminds me of the Gerry Mulligan Songbook, vol. 1 on World Pacific. A second volume never saw the day, in either case.
That Mulligan record is a great one.
Looking forward to a spirited discussion of the Vinyl House UK auction.
The seller of the La Roca also got over $2,000 for Joe Harriott’s “Movement.”
I’m with you Paul!
What really slays me about that Dorham At The Bohemia is that it doesn’t even look like a frame cover, despite claims from the seller … not seeing the frame line along the top and the one along the spine seems more narrow than it should be, more like the reinforced spine later copies have. Not that I personally care about all commonly accepted first pressing signifiers being present, but at a price like that for a trashed copy you’d better well hope they would be.
BTW, if I recall correctly, it was CeeDee who turned me on to that Mulligan record, so thank you.
Hello Al,
Did you see the price gotten for that recent True Blue sale?
it’s an insane price for True Blue, indeed. Those Vinyl House auctions went wild.
Stuart/Clifford. I did not, but I’ll take a look for my next post.
My prediction was that VinylHouse UK:s prices would go down after Brexit hence the 20-30 % extra cost for foreign buyers. Well, I was wrong:)
$2K for Mal-1! I think that’s a bit high..
Yes very high prices! The True Blue looked very nice but what a price! That is a record right?
The Mal-1 was indded very high. Probably “a one time off price”
The seller being based in the Uk makes also me wonder if the buyers are in UK or in EU where they have to put os sales tax of ca 20% in checkout.
BW not many nice 1568 are surfacing now. Any comment?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284718648471?hash=item424a8dcc97:g:pQkAAOSw8a5iOksj
And many more high prices !!
“If you had a few days in New York, where would you shop these days?” …The Jazz Record Center of course !!! I haven’t been in to see Fred for ages.