A Couple More $1,000 Records

We have two more records to add to the growing list of Jazz LPs selling for more than $1,000. The first is Eric Dolphy in Europe, Debut 136. This is the original pressing from Denmark. It was in M- condition, from a very reputable seller, and fetched a price is $1,225. Also breaking the $1,000 barrier was a copy of John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This was an original pressing, also in near mint condition, also from a reputable seller — Euclid Records — and it also sold for $1,225. We’ve been tracking Blue Train in the Jazz Collector Price Guide ever since we started the guide in 2004. This is the first time we’ve seen this record cross the $1,000 threshold. Part of it has to do with the reputation of the seller, a topic we plan to address in a post later today or tomorrow.

Another $1,000 Record, and A Few More

Here’s another record that recently broke the $1,000 price barrier: Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The vinyl was in VG++ condition and the cover was listed as VG+. The final price was $1,114. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide, we’ve previously seen this one sell for as high as $895. We’ll be adding this copy to the Price Guide later today. Also breaking the $1,000 barrier was that test pressing of the Jackie McLean Quintet, Blue Note 84116. This was a very rare pressing in M- condition and sold for $1,220. The other two test pressings that were available yesterday, also sold for fairly high prices: The Leo Parker, Rolling With Leo, Blue Note 84095 test pressing, sold for $631; the one from Sam Rivers, Dimensions and Extensions, Blue Note 84261, sold for $480.55.

Another $1,000 Record, Another Blue Note

A few weeks ago we were keeping a running tab of records that sold for more than $1,000. Here’s another one to add to the list, from a couple of days ago: JR Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. It was a very reputable dealer and the price was $1,225. We looked in the Jazz Collector Price Guide and, surprisingly, we hadn’t tracked this record in the past, so now it will go into the guide by the end of the week. You can go into the Price Guide and sort by highest prices first to get a sense of which records consistently go for the top prices. No surprise that Blue Note is the label that appears most often, but there are also several records from the British Tempo label that have cracked the $1,000 barrier.

Remembering Freddie Hubbard

I’m sure many of you saw the news that Freddie Hubbard passed away yesterday at age 70. Hubbard, of course, was a seminal figure in the post-bop era. We write about his records often in the posts at Jazz Collector, particularly since his LP Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040, is one of the top collectibles, often selling for more than $1,000. He also played on Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041, another of the rarest of jazz collectibles. Our own memories of Hubbard stretch back to the great Oliver Nelson LP, The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Impulse 5, where he played in a great setting with Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy and others. I always remember Nelson stating that Hubbard sounded like John Coltrane playing the trumpet, and that always stuck with me. Hubbard was never quite as inventive as Trane or as experimental, but he certainly had a style and sound that was immediately recognizable. Other favorite early recordings are Eric Dolphy Outward Bound, New Jazz 8236, and Art Blakey, Buhaina’s Delight, Blue Note 4104. I saw Hubbard many times at the Village Vanguard in the early 1970s, and he was always a passionate, charismatic performer. What are some of your memories, and favorite Hubbard recordings? Please feel free to comment on this post.

Back Again, Looking at High-End Vinyl

Wow, have we really been away for three weeks? Sorry, sorry, sorry. 

So, where were we when we were so rudely interrupted. Ah, yes, we were looking at records that crossed the $1,000 barrier. We just did a quick search of eBay and found a few more for you, just from the past few weeks when Jazz Collector went AWOL. Here are a few to peruse and muse about:

Walter Davis, Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original deep groove pressing with the West 63rd Street address. It was in M-/M- condition and sold for $1,248. 

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original mono pressing with the black label. It was also in M-/M- condition. Price: $1,031.66

Art Pepper, Modern Art, Intro 606. This was an original pressing that was in M-/M- condition. Price: $1,075

Yow, I’m sure most of you saw this one: Charlie Parker, Bird Blows The Blues, Dial LP1. This is a 12-inch LP, issued from the Spring of 1949 with no cover. The dealer listed it as being the first 12-inch jazz LP ever produced, which we’ve never seen disputed. This was in VG+ condition, with a yellow label and purple vinyl. Price: $2,850

George Wallington at the Bohemia, Progressive 1001. This was an original pressing that came directly out of George Wallington’s collection. It was listed by his brother, who listed the vinyl as M- and the cover as VG, but he said there were virtually no flaws. The price was $1,380.50.

That’s it for now. We’ll be back soon. Promise.

Keeping an Eye on the $1,000 Barrier

We were looking at records that broke the $1,000 price barrier last week. It’s always interesting to take note of high-end collectible prices. Here’s another one that broke the barrier yesterday: Horace Parlan, Us Three, Blue Note 4037. This was an original pressing, of course. The vinyl was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The final price was $1,620 and there were 22 bids and seven bidders. Looking ahead at today’s records, there isn’t likely another $1,000 record, although this one may come close: Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040. This is an original pressing and the vinyl is in M- condition. The cover, however, is only VG+ and that might limit the bidding. At this point, the price is $543 with a few hours left to go. We took a look at the Jazz Collector Price Guide and found several instances of this record being sold for more than $1,000. The highest price we recorded was $1,591.

Another $1,000 Record, in Waiting

Yesterday we referenced a bunch of records that recently broke the $1,000 price barrier. Here’s one that WILL break the barrier in a few days: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original pressing that is in M-/M- condition. It’s listed as a featured item on eBay, which means that everyone searching for jazz LPs will see it, not just those of you who are, ahem, wise enough to read Jazz Collector. We’ll keep an eye on this record for you, as well as a few others, although our posting might be limited the next few days with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up in the U.S. The highest price we’ve recorded in the Jazz Collector Price Guide for Candy in the past was $1,302, but that was a few years ago and we’re betting that this one will surpass it. What do you think?

Some $1,000 Records

As we were writing the latest post, we noticed that Jazz Collector has been keeping an eye on some records from the past few weeks that sold for more than $1,000. This is always an interesting barrier, so here are some of the records that crossed it:

Sonny Clark, Dial S For Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This was an original pressing, of course. The record was VG++ and the cover was VG+. Price: $1,401

Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address. The vinyl was in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. Price: $1,275

Donald Byrd, Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill, Transition 17. This was an original pressing with the booklet. The record was M-, the cover was VG+ and the booklet was M-. The price was $1,913. 

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Prices: Sonny’s Crib, House of Blue Lights and More

Working today to update the Price Guide, and here are a bunch of the items I’m putting it. I’m not attaching links to any of these because they’ve all already appeared on the site. If you want to look at the record, just do a search and find the original post.

This one had the highest price of all the ones we’re entering: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This was an original pressing in VG++/VG+ condition. Price: $1,524.99

Eddie Costa, House of Blue Lights, Dot 3206. This was an original pressing in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $355 Read more

Catching up on Some Nice Collectibles

Here’s a long list of records we’ve been watching:

Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This was an original pressing in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $679.58. That’s a pretty steep price for a VG+ record.

Speaking of steep prices for records in VG+ condition: Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original New York pressing in VG+/VG+ condition. Price: $1,475

And yet another in VG+ condition: Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record was VG+ and the cover was VG+. The price was $749.99 Read more

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