Seven for the Jazz Collector Price Guide

Hank Mobley copyLet’s catch up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with: Hank Mobley Quartet, Blue Note 5066. This one was in just VG condition for the record with what the seller described as “some feelable scratches.” It apparently plays well for the condition, but the condition isn’t so great. The cover was VG+. It was, of course, an original 10-inch LP with a very cool cover. This one sold for $665.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing with the purple labels and the deep grooves. The record was listed in VG+ condition and the cover was VG-. It sold for $711.07.

Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. I had thought this was an original but in an earlier post Earl corrected me and noted that only one side has the New York 23 cover, so perhaps it is not a first press? It’s definitely an early press. This one was listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,344. As for those other Sonny Clark records we were watching:

Read more

eBaying For Blue Notes and Prestiges

newk copyHere’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay now, starting with Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038. This looks like an original pressing to me with the first cover illustration, which means it is probably the original frame cover. The seller admits he doesn’t know much about jazz records, but he has this listed in VG++ condition for the vinyl and Ex for the cover and it’s certainly a fine-looking record. The start price is $250 and so far there are no bidders. Am I missing something, or will the bidding just come in late?

Among all kinds of weird stuff, this seller has mixed in a couple of 10-inch jazz gems, including Miles Davis, Young Man with a Horn, Blue Note 5013. This looks to be an original 10-inch pressing. In one place the seller lists it as VG+, and in another he has the vinyl as M-. Quite a difference. The start price for this is about $500 and there is one bid.  From the same seller is Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue Note 5022. This one has a similar issue, listed as VG+ in one place and VG++ in another.  This one has a start price of around $400 and there is one bid.

Read more

A Monk Autograph (and More)

Monk copySo what are some of the rare jazz records we are watching on eBay as we head into what promises to be a lovely weekend as autumn sets in here in the Northeast region of the U.S. of A.? Let’s start with a little Monk: Thelonious Monk, At the Blackhawk, Riverside 323. This looks to be an original pressing with several unique characteristics. For one, it ostensibly comes from the collection of the jazz pianist Frank Strazzeri, who passed away a few months ago. More importantly, the record contains an autograph by Monk, signed on a separate piece of paper and attached to the record by scotch tape. Given the provenance you would think it would be perfectly legitimate, but not being an autograph expert, I leave that to others to debate and discuss. Don Lucky, are you out there? This one has two punch holes on the cover, and the vinyl is listed in VG++ condition by Atomic Records, which, in my experience, is one of the more reputable sellers on eBay. The current price is in the $400 range and there are more than two days left on the auction.

Speaking of Monk, there is:

Read more

Keeping Track of 10-Inch LPs

clifford copy 2Here are some of the items we’re watching on eBay now, starting with some 10-inch LPs: Clifford Brown, New Star on the Horizon, Blue Note 5032. This is an original pressing listed in VG condition for the record and VG for the cover. There are three days left on the auction and the bidding is in the $50 range. Lately, we’ve been seeing high prices for original 12-inch Blue Notes, even those in not-such-great condition, like this one. I have a feeling we won’t see the same phenomenon for the 10-inch records, simply because they are a greater risk to begin with. They typically have more surface noise anyway, at least to these ears. Not sure why that is. Readers? Watching the auctions from this seller will give us a sense of the market, since he has a lot of nice 10-inch LPs in similar shape, including Thelonious Monk Plays, Prestige 189. Actually, this one is in better shape, graded at VG+ for both the record and the cover. The bidding, so far, reflects the better condition. This one is now in the $70 range.

I was also watching this one from the same seller, and I was surprised it fetched as high a price as it did:

Read more

Book Cooks and Cook Books

BookHere’s some more jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Booker Ervin, The Book Cooks, Bethlehem 6048. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $616, proving, again, that it is not only the Blue Notes that are fetching collectible prices. This one was listed by my friend Steve at Round Again Records in Providence, RI, who has some nice records for auction last week. With all of the “books” that Booker recorded — Freedom, Song, Space and Blues — a Cook Book record would have been nice. Not sure what would have worked for a Cook Book, but I’m sure we can come up with some songs with a food theme here. I’ll start with Fats Waller’s “All That Meat and No Potatoes.” and, of course there’s Mingus’ “Eat That Chicken.” Any others?

This one seemed to be on eBay forever and it finally sold last week:

Read more

Report From the WFMU Record Fair

record fairSorry I haven’t been posting regularly. I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of apologizing for this lately. I do have a lot of real work, but that is no excuse, right? I will try to do better. Last week I was also engaged with preparing for the WFMU Record Fair at the 69th Regiment Armory on 26th Street in Manhattan. I had a table on Friday, and arrived around 2 p.m. for my setup, so I was able to walk around a little. There were a couple of tables that had some nice jazz records, but by the time I got there, several of the dealers from Japan had already swooped in on them and were pulling out the best pieces. I have come to know these dealers over the years and I like them very much and am happy for their success in getting records because I realize they are working on relatively low margins, spending money to come to the States every few months and criss-crossing the country in search of records that may or may not be marked up sufficiently when they return to Japan.  Read more

Shopping eBay For Rare Jazz Vinyl

Bill evans jazz vinylHere are some of the jazz records we are watching on eBay as we enter a new week at Jazz Collector, starting with Bill Evans, New Jazz Conceptions, Riverside 223. This is an original pressing with the first cover and the white labels. The seller has his own grading system. Based on what he says, I would guess that the vinyl is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG or VG+ with cutout holes through the center of the cover and the label. Not an attractive feature, as we all know. This one closes later today and the bidding is in the $340 range. We may have discussed this already here, but does anyone out there know why Riverside changed the cover so early on this one, as well as on the Thelonious Monk Plays Ellington album? Both went from covers with very cool pictures to less appealing (IMHO) illustrations.

Art Blakey Quintet, A Night At Birdland Volume 1, Blue Note 5037. This is an original 10-inch pressing listed in excellent condition for the record and the cover. The buyer says “search your life you won’t find a nicer copy.” Fortunately, I just have to search my shelves for one. I also Read more

A Story Of Blue Notes (And One New Jazz)

hank mobley jazz vinylHere’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay, starting with some Blue Notes:

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. I’m not sure what pressing this is. There are so many Blue Note permutations to consider. This one has deep grooves and ears and RVG and the West 63rd address. One side has no Inc. and no R, the other side has the Inc. and the R. What does that make it? Probably not a first-pressing original, going by the bidding so far. This on is in Ex condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. There are three days left on the auction and bidding is in the $250 range.

This seller has some nice records, including Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1560. This has the deep grooves and the West 63rd address, which would seem to make it an original pressing. The record is in VG- condition and the cover is VG. Bidding is in the $400 range and the auction closes in three days. VG- condition, to repeat. Not making any judgments. Just pointing it out for future edification.

Here’s a pretty pair:

Read more

A Conclave of Coltrane

tenor conclave jazz vinylJust cleaning out the last of my eBay watch list before moving on to new items.

John Coltrane, Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. Notice how I listed this as a John Coltrane record. It is actually one of those Prestige jam sessions featuring Coltrane along with Hank Mobley, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. So Why do I think of it as a Coltrane record? Because that’s where I place it within my collection, under the Coltranes. Where else would you put it? Mobley aficionados aside, Coltrane is the one transformational musician in that group, aside from being, by far, my favorite tenor play among the four of them. So, to me, it’s always been a Coltrane record, and one I am quite happy to own.  This one was in M- condition for the record and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $350. A bargain for someone, IMHO. This one falls into the same category: John Coltrane, Wheelin’ and Dealin’, Prestige 7131. This one features Coltrane along with Frank Wess and Paul Quinichette. For me, it’s a Coltrane record. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and the cover and sold for $263. Wonder what prices they would be selling for if they were on Blue Note? Double that? Triple?

And now some Blue Notes:

Read more

Candy, An Autograph and 10-Inch Vinyl

dizzy gillespie autographHere are a few more items from our watch list on eBay, starting with Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. As a bidder I would be careful of the “light background noise” part of the description because the cleanest copies of Blue Notes don’t typically have background noise, at least not the original 12-inch pressings. Other bidders seem to be more sanguine about the description. The bidding is now in the $1,800 range with two days left.

Dizzy Gillespie Volume 1, Atlantic 138. This looks to be an original 10-inch pressing signed on the front by Dizzy Gillespie. I’m sure Don-Lucky or one of our other readers will weigh in on the authenticity of the autograph. The cover looks to be in VG+ condition and the record is described as VG+ as well. Bidding is in the range of $110 and there’s more than a day left on the auction.

Speaking of 10-inch records, we also had our eyes on these: Read more

1 8 9 10 11 12 30