Updating the $5,000 Bin (and More)

Sonny Clark copyMichael posted this as a comment in earlier post, but it’s worth a mention all on its own: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing probably in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $5,156. There were 13 bids and eight bidders. In the last minute the bidding went from $1,888 to $3,767 to $5,056 to $5,156. I’d be curious to know to which country this record is going, but I don’t think you can discern that from the eBay listing, can you? This is a new one to the $5,000 bin.

It looks like there will be some additions to the $1,000 bin as well: John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York 23 one one side. It is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Despite the condition, the record has already been bid up to $1,385 and the bidding will close in about two hours from the time I am typing this.

The bidding on this one is more than $1,200 and there are still SIX DAYS to go on the auction:

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Jazz Vinyl and a Touch of the Poet

Tina Brooks copyBeen a while since I did an update from the Jazz Collector inbox and, so we shall do so today and close with a little bit of jazz vinyl poetry, courtesy of our friend CeeDee. This one came in from Michael with a simple note: “Nice one.” And it is: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This is an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,900, with 29 bids. It went from about $1,900 to the final price in the final seconds. Frankly, I’m surprised it didn’t sell for a higher price. How many M- copies of True Blue do you think there are left in the world? How many ever come up for sale? Not a lot.

Somebody also sent me this completed listing: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing with the New York 23 labels. It was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The seller had a buy-it-now price of $1,250 with the option of accepting the best offer, which he did. So we don’t actually know what it sold for.

As for the jazz vinyl poetry:

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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:

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A Trifecta of Rare Jazz Vinyl

Flanagan copyBack on eBay after an extended absence, for which I apologize once again. Took a quick check of some listings and found this: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. This looks to be an original New York pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding ends tomorrow and it is already more than $1,000, perhaps on its way to the $2,000 bin. Interesting thought about this record: Did Prestige ever issue this on the yellow New Jersey label? I don’t recall ever seeing one or hearing about one. I guess it’s possible they just issued it once in the original format, which is what makes it so rare and so treasured by collectors.

Our friend Serge in Canada has several nice records on eBay now, including Jutta Hipp at the Hickory House, Blue Note 1515. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG++ to M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The bidding is in the $450 range, but it hasn’t yet reached the seller’s reserve price.

My goodness, look what happened to this one:

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Another Blue Note Tuesday

Walter Davis Jr.I spent some time on eBay the other day and wound up putting a bunch of Blue Notes into my watch list, starting with Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The auction closes later today and the bidding is already more than $1,000.

Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This looks to be an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The auction closes later today and so far there are no bidders at a start price of about $750. I would expect this one to sell, wouldn’t you?

This seller has a lot of nice items on eBay this week, including Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 1522. This looks to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price is $350 with no bidders so far. There is also a buy-it-now price of $700.

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Now Here’s a Rare Jazz Record

Clark copyHere’s something I would love to hear and own: Bill Evans Acetate, US Army Dance Band Jazz 1951. This seems to be a legitimate recording of Bill Evans in 1951. The problem for me is that the start price is $1,000 and that seems too high unless I planned to do something with it, like transfer it to digital and make it available for broader consumption. I would be willing to do that, but not at that price. It makes me think that we should form some sort of non-profit Jazz Collector collective to acquire some of these rare items to share and preserve them. If you recall, there was also a very rare J.R. Monterose recording  of him as a teenager that we had an opportunity to acquire, as well as a recent Dizzy Gillespie concert and I’m sure many others.

This seller has some interesting items, including Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This looks to be an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and probably VG+ for the cover. The bidding is in the $450 range and there are still two days to go on the auction. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $3,000 on many occasions in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. One of the things I find interesting about this auction is

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Updating the $2,000/$1,500 Bins

JR copyI step away from eBay for a few days and come back and my watch list looks like it has exploded with records in the $1,000 and even $2,000 bin. First there was this from our friends at Euclid Records: J. R. Monterose, In Action, Studio 4 100. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $2,175. We have seen this one sell for more than $2,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is a new high for us. To me, it’s almost always a surprise when a record sells for more than $2,000. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.

Speaking of $2,000 records, there was also Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ or M- for the cover. In a previous post I admonished the seller for the poor quality of his picture. Turns out the seller is one of our regular readers and, in fact, someone I have had very pleasant dealings with over the years. So I will be a little bit more circumspect in some of my comments. Although, it really was a poor picture. No matter. The record sold for $2,181.

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Prices Rising, Regardless of Condition, It Seems

clifford copyLet’s catch up on some of the jazz records were were watching on eBay before we were so rudely interrupted by life.

Clifford Brown and Max Roach, Study in Brown, Emarcy 36037. This is, of course, one of the classic records of the era. I haven’t noticed it selling for big prices in recent years, but perhaps that’s just me not noticing. Looking in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, I see we have several instances of the record selling for between $400 and $700. This looked to be an original pressing in just VG condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. I was surprised to see that it sold for $280.55, which is why I was watching it. I thought it would sell for less.

I thought this would sell for less as well: Thelonious Monk Plays, Prestige 189. This was an original 10-inch LP in VG+ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $504.99. That seller did well not just with the Monk and Clifford records, but also with the Sun Ra records he had and some of his other 10-inch LPs, including Dexter Gordon Quintet, Dial 204. This was an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $333.

Here’s one for the $1,000 bin:

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Shades of Jazz Collector

Redd copyFreddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original West 63rd pressing, listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. I had it on my watch list because I was actually considering a bid for it. As loyal readers know, this one has been my nemesis for years. I forgot to put in a bid because I am still buried in work and also having computer problems, so I let it pass. Wouldn’t have mattered anyway. It sold for $762, which is quite a bit more than I would pay for the record, particularly in VG+ condition. I think there’s something to be said about waiting and waiting for the records you want, and going through the hunt, rather than filling in your gaps by paying a lot of money on eBay. I have enough records if I want to listen, and if I really want to listen to Shades of Redd I have two nice Japanese pressings, one in each home. I can wait, and I can hunt.

A separate “Red” listing from the same seller inspired a note from our friend CeeDee, as follows: “I thought that this one my slip by, but NOOOOOOO. Better luck next time.” The listing in question:

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Catching Up on A Couple of Jazz Vinyl Rarities

Sonny Rollins Plays Jazz VinylHey, everyone. Checking in from vacation. Just spent three lovely days in Creede, Colorado, and I’m now in sunny San Diego, where, apparently, there is an excellent record store I should be checking out. And perhaps I will. In the meanwhile, I’m sneaking in some time to take a look at my eBay watch list and see what I’ve been missing. BTW, I am not here for the Comic-Con convention. One crazy obsession is enough for one lifetime.

Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This was an original  deep-groove pressing listed in M- condition for the record and the cover, although the cover seemed slightly less to me. I’d love to own this record someday. Hard to imagine that it’s eluded me for more than 40 years, but that’s part of the joy of collecting, isn’t it: To always have something to look forward to. This one sold for $1,136.11.

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