Back in Action: Updating the $1,000 Bin

Been so busy around here, haven’t even been on eBay in days. So what have we been missing? Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl stuff.

Donald Byrd, Byrd, Transition 5. This was an original pressing with the booklet. The record was listed in VG condition and the cover/booklet both looked very nice, probably VG++ the way we rank things around here. The price was $1,336.55. I was willing to sell my Byrd’s Eye View on Transition, no booklet, but no one has really taken me up on my offer to shop through my collection in person. Now, I’m starting to pack things up in preparation for the big moves, coming soon — although the “store” is still open.

This one also made it to the $1,000 bin: Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing, quite lovely, and it was in what looked like VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,300. Just seeing pictures of those Lexington Avenue labels gets the heart kind of racing.

While we’re on Blue Note Lexingtons, how about this one from the same seller: J.R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This also looked quite lovely, probably VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,200.

 

Catching Up: Byrd, Tenorman, Golson, Cool Struttin’

Sorry I’ve been out of touch for so long. Now that I’m back, let’s start by updating some of the items we were watching on eBay:

This one had that very high start price: Lawrence Marable, Tenorman, Jazz West 8. It was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. Not only did it sell, it made it all the way to the $2,000 bin. The price was $2,175.

This one didn’t quite make the $2,000 bin, but it did all right for the buyer and seller: Donald Byrd, Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill, Transition 17. This was an original pressing sold by Euclid Records and it included the original booklet. The record was VG++ and the cover was VG+. The labels, as they do with all Transitions, had fallen off. The price was $1,691.88. Euclid also did well on this one: Benny Golson, Gone with Golson, New Jazz 8235. This was an original purple label pressing with the deep grooves. It was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $355, quite a nice price for an LP with Golson as the leader.  Our previous high in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $335.

This next one was described as an “original” pressing, but upon further detailed reading of the listing, it clearly was not — unless, that is, you consider an “original” Blue Note anything that was issued prior to the purchase by Liberty:

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A Few For the $1,000 Bin

So what’s been going on at eBay? Here are some recent interesting sales of jazz vinyl:

Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It was among that batch of records that were originally listed with a very high start price and then re-listed with lower start prices but undisclosed reserve prices. This one was originally listed at $2,500 and eventually sold for $2,450.

This one got a nice price, right: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,352. That’s the highest price we’ve ever recorded for this item in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Not bad for what seems to be a down market.

Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079.This was an original New York pressing, another one with the “EX” grading system, which I’m still not sure how to interpret into the one I use. VG++, perhaps. The cover was VG+. The price was $1,324.

 

A Few For the $1,000 Bin

Shall we update the $1,000 bin? Why not.

No surprise on this one: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. This was an original pressing. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. This one sold for $1,606.

I’d have loved this one from the same seller, but, alas, it is not an amount I spend on individual records: Cliff Jordan, Cliff  Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,555.

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing. The record was listed in VG+ condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,025.

High Prices Yes, But Not as High As Before?

It’s been a few days since I’ve been on eBay or posted on Jazz Collector. So many records, so little time. Here’s an update on some of the ones we were watching last week:

The Jazz Record Center seemed to do well with it’s most recent auction, although careful scrutiny would suggest that prices are down from previous expectations. That copy of Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134, sold for $1,891.88. Last year at this time we logged two copies of this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide at more than $2,000. Miles Davis Volume 3, Blue Note 5040. This original 10-inch LP was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $565. Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 5038. This also looked to be in M- condition. It sold for $359. One more: Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038. This was an original New York pressing with the frame cover. The record looked to be in M- condition and the cover was probably around VG++. The price was $345. In my view, somebody got a bargain on this one.

There was also that other copy of Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003 in VG++ to M- condition. It looked for a while that this one might go cheap, but it sold for $1,705, which, given this one’s condition and recent prices of other copies, was cheap, relatively. This one, of course, has the Andy Warhol cover.

eBaying: Miles Test Pressing, Dolphy, Roy Haynes

Here’s an interesting one: Miles Davis Volume 1, Blue Note 1501. This was a test pressing, no cover. What’s makes it cool, in my view, is the original Plastylite logo and the date, which looks to be  12-5-55. Seems pretty original, no? This one was listed in excellent plus condition and sold for $1,025. In the past I’ve owned several test pressings and, while they’re nice to have, I’ve always missed having the covers. This, I think, would have been an exception, but not at that price. Speaking of prices, that copy of Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024, sold for $495 the other day and, no, I was not the winning bidder. As Mrs. JC and I are starting to explore downsizing once again and moving to Manhattan, I am much more of a mind to be selling rather than buying these days.

This one got a high price, all things considered: Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, New Jazz 8260. If you click on the link you’ll see what I mean: The record and cover were both listed as VG+, but there seems to be a pretty nice amount of ringwear on the cover, so I guess I’d be a bit skeptical. The winning bidder apparently was not. It sold for $535.

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Andy Warhol Jazz Covers Keep Rising, But . . .

Other than the Andy Warhol covers, which seem to be going out of sight, I’m sensing some softness in the market these days. Not sure if it’s because of what’s going on in Japan or just the usual ebbs and flows of prices, often dependent upon who is on eBay and who is not on eBay. In any case, let’s start with the Warhols. I’ve never seen this one at this price: Count Basie, RCA 1112. This is in VG++ to M- condition for the record, but only VG for the cover. Still, it is already close to $350 with several hours to go. This one looks quite familiar: Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003. Methinks this belongs, for now, to Rudolf, correct? If so, I think it will finally sell. There are five days left on the auction and it is already more than $1,000.

So why am I mentioning potential softness in the market? Here are a few examples, perhaps not a trend, but examples nonetheless. Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This is an original West 63rd deep groove pressing in M-/VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. Hard to find this record is such nice shape and it has sold for more than $1,000 previously in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This one has a start bid of $300, it closes tomorrow, and there are no bidders. Hmmm. I can use an upgraded copy for my collection.  Or perhaps there are many snipers lurking in the weeds for this.

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Updating the $1,000 Bin & A Few More

Here are some $1,000 and near-$1,000 records we missed:

Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This was an original pressing that was listed in M- condition for the record and excellent condition for the cover, which is, what, VG+, VG++? This one sold for $1,315.

People have already commented on this one elsewhere on Jazz Collector, but it seems reasonable to me, given the state of the Blue Note market: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This looked like an original pressing and was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,250.

This one came from the bobjdukic batch and, given the condition, sold for a fairly whopping price tag: Lee Morgan, Indeed!, Blue Note 1538. It was listed as “insanely rare” (of course), but it was also listed in VG to VG-minus condition for the vinyl, which would definitely indicate surface noise. The cover was VG+ and the price was an even $1,000, which, I suppose, is a sign of something  to conspiracy theorists.

Here was an original copy of Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079, the barely missed the $1,000 bin. This looked to be in VG+ or VG++ condition for the vinyl and probably around VG+ for the cover. It sold for $948,

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eBaying: Warhol, Cliff, Horace

I had never even seen the Cool Gabriels album until a few weeks ago, and now it keeps popping up on eBay and selling for quite high prices. I was tracking two copies this week. This copy, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003, was listed in VG+/VG++ condition for the vinyl and, more importantly, M- for the cover. The reason the cover is more important is because it is the Andy Warhol illustration that is presumably driving the high prices, rather than the music by Conte Candoli, Nick Travis, et al. Don’t want to break Rudolf’s heart, but this one sold for $2,310. The other copy, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003, was listed in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. This one sold for $1,807. If you want to see a picture of the cover, you can scroll down a few posts on Jazz Collecctor.

Here’s a beauty for the $1,000 bin: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original West 63rd pressing with the deep grooves and was listed in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1,330.

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Updating the $1,000 Bin, Plus a Few More

Let’s catch up on some of the high-end jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

Here are a few from the Jazz Record Center auction: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This one was in beautiful condition, M- all the way around. It sold for $2,380.99. Sonny Clark, Dial S For Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This was another beauty that was M- for the record and probably VG++ for the cover, depending upon how you view things such as small splits and slight wear. It sold for $2,039. Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This was in M- condition for the record and somewhat less for the cover. The price was $1,613.88. And the big one: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and between VG++ and M- for the cover, depending upon how you grade such things. The price was $3,618.

Here’s a $1,000 record that was not sold by the Jazz Record Center:

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