Jazz Vinyl Update: Saxophone Colossi

Let’s catch up on some of the rare jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original pressing with some very nice pictures. The seller provided very little information and he had less than 30 feedbacks. Still, the record sold for $1,247. Here’s another copy of Saxophone Colossus that sold at around the same time from a well known and highly regarded seller. This one was listed in VG condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,050. Interesting that the prices were so close, despite the disparity in the condition. Shows the value of knowing the seller, either from experience or just by brand name, even on eBay.

This one was interesting as well: Joe Henderson, In ‘N Out, Blue Note 4166. This one certainly looks like an original, with the mono cover, New York USA labels, etc. But the seller never makes mention of the ear in the deadwax, so you do wonder. It looks to be in VG++ or M- condition for the record and cover, and it certainly looks cool with the original shrink wrap and price. It sold for  $511.01, so someone must have been pretty sure, or quite hopeful, that  there is an ear in the deadwax.  This is the second highest price we’ve ever seen for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Catching Up: Blue Notes, Prestige, Clef

Let’s catch up on some odds and ends jazz vinyl we were watching last week:

First one of the heavyweights: Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. As noted this was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. This one looked to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover and was described by the seller as “museum quality,” which is an interesting term we don’t see very often. We predicted that this one would make the $2,000 bin and speculated that it would perhaps even hit the $3,000 bin. It sold for $2,450.

Another really nice one that fetched top dollar: Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. This was also an original pressing, also in M- condition for the record and the cover, also described as a “museum copy.” It sold for $766.99, which is the top price we’ve seen for this one in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

I’ve never seen this cover on this record:

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Jazz Vinyl Watch: Morgan, Mobley, Dinah

Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay:

This one is heading for the $2,000 bin, or perhaps even the tough-to-crack $3,000 bin: Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. his is an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record is described as close to mint and the cover looks to be in beautiful condition as well. The bidding has already topped $1,500 for this fine LP and there is still more than a day to go.

Here’s another nice one that will sell for quite a bit less, based on condition: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York 23 and it is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The current price is a bit more than $300 and there’s still another day to go.

Is it possible this next one won’t sell at all: Dinah Washington, Dinah Jams, Emarcy 36000? This is a great LP, featuring Clifford Brown, among others, and it has sold for relatively high collectible prices in this past. We’ve clocked it in at more than $130 on the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This copy is an original pressing with the blue back cover and it is listed in M- condition. The start price is $100 and there are no bidders with a few hours to go.

Updating the $1,000 Bin (And Then Some)

Some of you have beaten me to the punch on this, but let’s all catch up on some of those heavy-duty auctions that closed yesterday, starting with Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was the one from the Leon Leavitt collection, in unplayed condition for the vinyl and pristine condition for the cover. It was sort of a first press, with the deep grooves, West 63rd address but not the NY 23 on side two. Read the comments on the earlier post for details and opinions. Anyway, at one point this one had a buy-it-now price of $5,000 and I suggested someone should just jump in and take it, but then the buy-it-now option disappeared from the listing. Good decision by the seller. This one sold for $5,600. There were 20 bids but, incredibly, nearly 1,900 page views, which to my recollection is the most I’ve ever seen for any jazz record. This is also the highest price for a jazz record we’ve ever recorded at the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

This seller did quite well last week with stuff from Leon Leavitt’s collection don’t you think? Here are a few more:

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Bidding Up – Up – Up

While the Jazz Collector community is deciding whether the Hank Mobley Blue Note 1568 is an original pressing or not, the jazz bidding community is pushing the price way up the stratosphere. As of this writing there have been twelve bids and the price is already up to $3,000. I would say that one of those bidders should just end it already and go for the $5,000 buy-it-now price — but I don’t see that option anymore. Is it possible the seller removed it?  For the record, my opinion on this is that I would consider this an original pressing, based on all of the comments. It was pressed at the same time in the same press run. I never thought this was the case, but perhaps even my obsession has limits.

The same seller is going to make a small fortune this week. Check out some of these other items he has: Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This is also an original pressing and it is also described as M- unplayed condition for the record and pristine for the cover. The price is already more than $1,000 and this one still has a buy-it-now price of $5,000. Here’s another one that’s ready for the $1,000 bin already:

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A Trio of Blue Notes For A Monday Morning

Back to watching records on eBay. Don-lucky send me this as a heads-up, knowing my interest, expressed many times here, in obtaining an original pressing of this record: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that was close to M- for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price was $721.67. This was way too rich for my blood. As I’ve explained, I’m in transition now, with some records in storage, so my collection isn’t all together in one place, so it’s hard to think about buying more records when I don’t even have access to all of the ones I currently own. Still, if I came upon a nice copy of this record for a reasonable price, or if someone offered up a nice collection, I assume the old adrenaline will kick in and I’ll be peeling off $100 bills.

Here’s some jazz vinyl for the $1,000 bin: Kenny Dorham, Round Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it was listed in Ex+ condition for the record — is that better than VG++, but less than M-? — and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,259.77.

This next one didn’t quite make the $1,000 bin but it came close:

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Jazz Vinyl Catchup And Confusion Over Grading

Let’s catch up on some more rare jazz vinyl that sold recently on eBay.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This looked to be an original black label pressing. There were some questions about the deep grooves, since the picture wasn’t clear, but the seller confirmed that there were, indeed, deep grooves on both sides. This one was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $622.70. In the Jazz Collector  Price Guide we’ve seen Giant Steps sell for more than $1,000 several times, so perhaps it’s a bargain, perhaps it’s just market changes, perhaps it’s unfamiliarity with the seller.

Jutta Hipp, New Faces, New Sounds from Germany, Blue Note 5056. This was the original 10-inch pressing. It’s one of those listings that confuses me a little on labeling of conditioning. The seller says it looks VG+, but it plays more like Ex and therefore it was graded as Ex. In my thinking I’ve always correlated VG+ with Ex, but it sounds like Ex is more like VG, based on this listing, which I assumed to be a downgrade, but perhaps I’m wrong and it’s an upgrade based on the next item below. The cover was listed in just G condition, which is never very good. The price was $247.50.

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A Couple For the $1,000 Bin, and More

Here’s some heavy-duty jazz vinyl that sold recently on eBay.

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This was an original West 63rd pressing with the deep grooves. It was in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,315. So, if you have this record, where do you file it, under Morgan or under Mobley? Mine, a Japanese pressing, is under Mobley.

From the same seller came: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowin’ In From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. Love the cover. This was a promo copy in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover, although the picture looks like it might be a little less so. It sold for $1,155.

Also from the same seller: Sonny Clark, Dial S for Sonny, Blue Note 1570. Same for this one: An original pressing, vinyl in VG++ condition, cover in VG+ condition. The price was $896.

How about something that’s not Blue Note:

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Jazz Vinyl: Two for the $1,000 Bin, Plus A Couple More

Been away from my posting for a few days. Trying to get back into the swing of things, but there were a couple of days of hurricane delays, plus the lovely Mrs. JC is on vacation. Anyway, I vow once again to be posting more regularly, starting today with some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay.

Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original New York pressing. The record was described as M- condition and the cover looked to be at least VG++, perhaps M- depending upon your grading system. This one sold for $1,536. We’ve seen this one sell for more than $2,000 several times in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, and once approach $3,000. So perhaps this is a bargain, or perhaps it’s just where the market was on this particular day. The item did have more than 400 page views, which is a significant amount.

Here’s a Riverside that did quite well for the seller, which was Euclid Records: Wynton Kelly Piano. Riverside 254. This was an original Blue label pressing with the deep grooves. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $710. Nice cover on this record, right? Straight from the ’50s.

So this next one made the $1,000 bin after all:

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Jazz Vinyl on eBay: Some Blue Notes & A Nice Norgran

I logged onto eBay last night, found a number of interesting records to watch and, with great pride, was able to go to sleep without slipping into the temptation of placing any snipe bids. Progress, right? Anyway, here is some of the jazz vinyl we were watching that closed yesterday:

John Jenkins, welcome to the $1,000 bin: John Jenkins and Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This was an original deep groove West 63rd Street pressing and it was in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. It was a reputable seller, there were 11 bids and more than 450 page views and the price was $1,136.55. Not bad in a soft market if, indeed, this can be called a soft market.

Actually, perhaps in retrospect I should have put in a snipe for this one: Sonny Red, Out of the Blue, Blue Note 4034. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Quite a fair price, depending, of course, on what VG+ means to the buyer and seller. As we’ve learned long ago, VG+ is in the eye of the beholder. I had this record once upon a time but traded it away in a lopsided trade that favored the other guy. Not sure what I was thinking at the time, but I’m more knowledgeable now. So this is one that got away. Getting it back for $283 or so, which is what this one sold for, would be quite a coup in my eyes.

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