Watching Some Nice Jazz Collectibles
Catching up on life and on eBay, so here are some jazz records I am watching and have been watching.
Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This was an original pressing, still in some kind of shrink wrap with a $1.79 price sticker. Wouldn’t that be great, $1.79 for an original pressing of True Blue. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It did not sell for $1.79. It sold for $1,414. Not a bad price, all in all. So, when you get this home do you take off the shrink wrap or do you leave it on? If it’s me, I’m pretty sure I take it off and put the record in a nice plastic sleeve.
This one also ended up in the $1,000 bin: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original West 63rd pressing. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,280.55
This one closes later today. Price is still out my range: Clifford Jordan Sextet, Blue Note 1565. This is an original pressing. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG+. The picture in the listing could be better, but that doesn’t seem to be effecting the bidding, which is now up to $800.
And let’s throw in a couple of non-Blue Notes:
Phil Woods, Warm Woods, Epic 3436. This was an original white label promo copy in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $224.50.
Zoot Sims, Down Home, Bethlehem 6051. This is an original red label pressing. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover is VG+ to VG++. The start price is about $160 and the auction closes in five days or so. No bidders yet.
I’d take the shrink off, as well.
Years ago Dusty Groove was selling an original “True Blue” for $89.99. Naturally I jumped on it but somebody beat me to a punch for a great deal. I believe it was a clean copy, too. The King pressing has had to suffice, but it’s a great LP.
Good to see you’re back on track again, Al. And of course with a few beauties again. I only wonder -I don’t have Fred’s book or Dottorjazz’s Blue Note illustrated near- if the Tina Brooks is supposed to have the trademark “R” on the label. Have to flip through the books later on I guess 😉
Thanks, Mattyman. My sporadic posting schedule had more to do with the volume of my real work rather than anything storm-related. I lost Internet for a day, but otherwise was not impacted that much. I wish that were the case for others around here. The storm has been quite devastating and it seems it will take quite a long while for many to get back to a semblance of normalcy, if at all. Everything is disrupted, and so many have lost their homes. Meanwhile, we have an election tonight that could dramatically reverse the course of the country, but we’ll hope that good sense prevails among the American citizenry. I know this is not the place for politics, but I must admit I am quite nervous. And, not to be cryptic, what I am nervous about is the possibility that Obama may not win.
Here in The Netherlands we followed the news about Sandy closely and we saw the devastation and misery, all these families, it breaks your heart. And although I don’t live in the States, I share your nervousness, Al 😉
I went to the home of an older, audiophile, jazz collecting friend tonight in order to avoid the sorts of things Al hints at. Instead of following electoral votes, I listened to a sound system that cost more than my cars. Rather than prognosticators, I heard Lee Morgan, Mingus, and Miles with a deep groove clarity that outperformed the pundits. Thank you vinyl jazz for a moment of joy before the voting storm! (Oh, and I would take it out of the shrink wrap.)
Daryl, sounds like you had a great evening. It was also great watching the news for a change, as the reports coming in were pretty positive right from the beginning of the evening. WHEW!
YES HE DID!!!!!!!!!!!!
…..of course, ..out of the shrink wrap…
Off with the shrink!
(And glad to hear you’re okay, Al.)
Time to put on the original Candid: We Insist! Freedom Now suite
I’m looking for the veteran collectors’ insights related to the auctions above. Specifically, when comparing the Woods on Epic and the Sims on Bethlehem, what sorts of factors might drive the difference in winning bids? Is it overwhelmingly past sales’ histories? Is it scarcity? Is it artist, label, or LP quality? Can someone share his/her(informed) thoughts on why the Sims closed at $160 & the Woods at $225? Perhaps this requires an entire column? Thanks!
I have had a few LPs in shrink wrap over the years – of it comes immediately. My thinking is that you want to let the outer sleeve breathe a bit of fresh air at least once every 40 years…
I am surprised so many people would take the shrink wrap off. Is it because most Blue Note LPs were not originally issued in shrink wrap?
I typically leave the shrink wrap on the used albums I find. To me, the shrink wrap is a part of the album’s history. Also, I have noticed that descriptions of albums where they are “still in their shrink” typically sell for more money.
Bill-re:”shrink-wrap”-I’ve found that shrinkwrap+time+humidity=a slightly warped lp,more often than not. Off comes the shrink,on goes the plastic sleeve…that’s my policy.