Watching Some Nice 10-Inch Blue Notes
Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay:
This seller has some nice 10-inch LPs, including: The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 3, Blue Note 5070. This is an original pressing featuring Hank Mobley and Horace Silver. It looks to be in very nice condition, graded VG++ by the seller for both the record and the cover. This one has a start price of $250 and there are no bidders so far. Also, Lou Donaldson and Clifford Brown, New Faces, New Sounds, Blue Note 5030. This is an original pressing also graded in VG++ condition. The start price on this one is $200 and there is one bid as of now. One more: Lou Donaldson, New Faces, New Sounds, Blue Note 5021. This is another one that looks great, with a sparkling cover rate in M- condition. Don’t see that too often. The cover is VG++. The current price is $275 and there are more than four days to go.
Speaking of 10-inch Blue Notes:
It looks as if that copy of Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 5065, will sell. This is the one that was part of the group that was on sale last week for very high start prices and relisted this week with lower start prices but reserves. This one seems to have met the reserve price and is currently at $700. Several others from the group are still lingering below their reserve prices. You can check out the link on this one to look at the seller’s other items.
This one caught our eye because of the price: Jimmy Giuffre, Western Suite, Atlantic 1330. This looks like an original deep groove stereo pressing with a yellow label. The record looks to be in M- condition for the vinyl and the cover and is currently priced at more than $80. This is a nice record but not one we often track at Jazz Collector because it usually doesn’t fetch collectible prices. Wonder what the appeal on this one is. In any case, it will make it to the Jazz Collector Price Guide for the first time.
Al: over 80 dollars is a high price for the Western Suite. Yesterday two NM mono copies of the same album went for some $ 20 – 25. This having been said, in absolute terms the price of 80 dollars is fully justified. The music is just gorgeous. Giuffre, and Lennie Niehaus, are two of my all time favourites, as good and original as vintage Mobley or L. Morgan. I am glad to have been raised with these two schools around all the time.
Anyway, Rudolf, don’t you think that, generally speaking, prices are going down ?
Michel: I am bearish too. Some top items still fetch high prices, but the run of the mill stuff shows considerable weakness.
If I would be reasonable and follow my trader instincts, I should ditch all my first pressing Blue Notes right now.
In the past ten years, prices went crazy. Is it just a return to normal situation ? Or the end of the game ?
http://completed.shop.ebay.com/vinyl.unlimited/m.html?rt=nc&LH_Complete=1&_fln=1&_trksid=p3911.c0.m283&_rdc=1
If you look closely at this recent sale, you’ll see that NO ONE of those high end collectors actually sold to the seller’s expected price.
This have gone quiet since Japan took that hit…
Here’s my take:
First,if you look at some of the lps Michel refers to,you’ll notice that a number of lps went from few bidders when first posted to multiple bidders the second time around,selling for around the minimum bid. To me,this simply reflects the “luck of the draw”-in other words,there is no SET number of viewers from week to week,and therefore a continually changing number of potential bidders. If you catch the market at the right moment,you’ll benefit. Some sellers-who may not have sold many to Japan in the first place-won’t notice a change. Those who did,may see prices fluctuate-but that should be expected. Somehow,lp “must haves” don’t seem quite so essential in the face of natural disasters.
Secondly,what are we really saying here? That things are looking shaky economically and it’s time to “ditch all(our) first pressing Blue Notes” as Rudolf’s instinct suggests? Or do we feel-as I do-that the market for rare vinyl is wide open,but that buying what YOU like is truly the only guarantee of satisfaction? Like the real estate “bubble” in recent years,unrealistic LP prices had no place to go but down. Maybe someone will write a piece on “Zen and the Art of Record Collecting”,but for me there’s a simple equation that I apply to my own transactions-“Add what you love,and subtract what you don’t.”
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item3a6640e116&item=250823631126&nma=true&pt=Music_on_Vinyl&rt=nc&si=KXnpmG9qbXno1MKClqioy1Zk%252BdE%253D
There was a time when you had to spend around 100 for this (fine) record in equivalent condition. Now look.
To be honest, there are still strange stories…:-D
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&autorefresh=true&hash=item48408f0718&item=310320760600&nma=true&pt=Music_on_Vinyl&rt=nc&si=KxvLZzDZjsFQQLPIpCLnaI0DNp0%253D#ht_2232wt_1141
Michel: this Paris dealer had an initial greedy approach, but was absolutely non-commercial. At those high starting prices you get no bids. A reserve price sale is also something which inhibits people. But in the end he obtained grosso modo the prices he had in mind.
The Rosolino is a sad example of a very narrow approach of present day collectors. If the guy is white on a West Coast label, or even classic East Coast label (Coral etc), there is just no interest. I seem to remember though that Sonny Clark is the pianist on the Rosolino album. But who of the present day neophytes knows that? Conclusion: people have acquired tastes dictated by the environment they live in, mixed with an investment approach, Blue Note being a golden chip.
For the real music lover, who happens to be a buyer, the present situation offers very nice possibilities as highlighted by your Rosolino example.
Sonny definately is on the Rosolino, I payed like $45 for it last year sometime in VG++ condition. Oh well, I don’t regret it. It’s a good album.
I don’t think that Rosolino is a good example of”low bids”,IMO. It has neither the word Bethlehem NOR Sonny Clark in the heading,so only someone looking specifically for Rosolino-or just browsing-would be apt to see the listing. It was therefore obviously listed by a novice in terms of knowing the music,which would make me even MORE hesitant to bid on an lp described as being in “fine shape”. Is that better than “ok” or just “good enough”? The irony is that I’ve been looking for that lp for a while,but honestly can’t say I would have taken a chance on it had I seen it.
ceedee: you may be right. Let’s check on the one now open for bids. Strong VG+, actually at $ 9.99 and still four days to go.
I once bought an absolute first of Grant Green’s “Am I Blue”. It was advertised as VG and indeed it was, ’cause when I played it, it had so much crackle that it sounded as if I had a nice log fire poppin’ in the background. But hey, I comfort myself by saying that at least the hissy, poppy and crackly noise adds that little bit of extra ‘vintage’ atmosphere to the listening experience 😀 A lot of VG records are quite affordable and the few VGs that I have still have a great looking cover, so the joy of holding that great and heavy Blue Note in your hands, sniffing it and playing it is enough fun to dismiss the VG sound quality. 😉
Ceedee ad Rudolf : the Rosolino is here, let’s see what happens !
http://cgi.ebay.com/FRANK-ROSOLINO-LP-56-BETHLEHEM-DEEP-GROOVE-STRONG-VG-/350466809513?pt=Music_on_Vinyl&hash=item5199731ea9
yes, that is the one I had spotted.
By the way… just listened to my NM copyof “I play trombone” (from Euclid records !)…it is so fine. Fine as lace…So incredible trombone playing. Will the talent of those 50’s and 60’s musicians be ever matched ?
Rosolino sold for 49 $…