Category: 78-RPM Records

Record Temptation, Then and Now

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I had my eye on this one and someone also mentioned it in a comment on the previous post: Bill Evans, New Jazz Conceptions, Riverside 223. This was an original white label pressing with the original photo cover. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG++, although perhaps VG+ may have been more accurate given the tape/tape residue on the back cover. Nevertheless, you rarely see the front cover this clean, and it’s such a gorgeous cover, you wonder what they were thinking at Riverside when they changed it. Anyway, this particular copy sold for $3,629, with the buyer and other bidders no doubt entranced by the clean picture of the cover. A quick click to Popsike tells us that this is by far the highest price ever paid for this record. Read more

Feeding the Obsession, Yet Again

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So that trip to Spike’s Record Rack in Catskill, NY, sparked a bit of inspiration for me, as far as listening to records and enjoying my collection. First of all, I realized, one again, and this is obvious to everyone who knows me, including all of you here who know me but don’t actually know me, that I really enjoy buying records. I know, it’s a big reveal, but sometimes it’s easy to forget. For years it has seemed that the era of going to record stores and actually finding collectible jazz records in nice condition was over and never coming back, having evolved to an online/eBay world. Who would have thought that there would a vinyl revival, not just in records but in stores that carry jazz vinyl and cater to vinyl enthusiasts such as us? It is a pleasant and wholly unexpected surprise that an activity that has given me so much enjoyment all of these years is now something I can do again. Now, if my knees would cooperate with basketball and my arm with stickball, I’d really be drinking from the fountain of youth. Read more

Hardee Bop

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Let’s catch up on some jazz records from our eBay watch list, starting with that John Hardee 78 album, Blue Note 101. When we last looked at this the start price was around $100 and there were no bidders. As noted, the condition leaved a lot to be desired and, alas, no one was willing to bid the $100 it would have taken to purchase it. The item is relisted at the same price, so maybe someone will see this and get the urge. One of the reasons I’m writing about it again is because I wanted to include the picture of the cover, which is quite cool, IMHO. Is it worth $100 just for that? Probably not, but close.

I’m always intrigued by records I’ve never seen before in my nearly 50 years of collecting jazz. This was one of them: Slide Hampton, Exodus, Phillips, B 77.915L. This was an original French issue from 1962. It was listed in at least VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. Looks like a good record, given the personnel (George Coleman, Richard Williams, Butch Warren, et al) and the tracks (Moment’s Notice, I Remember Clifford, Confirmation, Straight No Chaster, et al). Anyone have a copy and want to share some insight?

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Blue Notes, 78s and Idiocy: Happy Friday

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This record, like a lot of later Blue Note pressings, has increased quite a bit in value the past few years: Bobby Hutchinson, Happenings, Blue Note 4231. This was an original pressing with the New York USA label and it was in its original shrink wrap, which seems to have some appeal to collectors, although I’m not sure why. Perhaps because of the added protection for a record that is probably 50 years old? Anyway, this one was probably in M- condition for the record and maybe VG++ for the cover and sold for $299.99. Not one of my favorite Blue Note covers. I typically like the covers that feature the artists.

Here’s a rare Blue Note that did not sell:

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Newk, Gigi And Some Rarely Seen Blue Notes

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Here are some of the records we’re watching now on eBay, although nothing as exciting or expensive as the ones in our last two posts: Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This looks to be an original New York yellow label pressing. Condition is not clear from the seller’s description, but if I were bidding I would be thinking VG+ for the record and the cover. The auction closes in four days and there is a start price of $150, but so far there are no bidders. This one also has zero bids so far: Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet, Riverside 229. This is an original white label pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The start price is $250 and there are more than four days left on the auction. I’m guessing both of these records sell.

Here are a few Blue Notes you rarely see — in fact, I don’t recall ever seeing them on eBay, and I’ve looked at eBay a lot through the years, although Popsike tells me they’ve been there, I just missed them.

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A Prestige Pair; a Bird Autograph?????!!!!!!!!!

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clifford-brown-jazz-vinylWe’ll start the week with a couple of nice Prestige records on eBay and then move on to a possible autograph (?) by Charlie Parker. First up is the Clifford Brown Memorial Album, Prestige 7055. This is an original New York yellow label pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding starts at $155 and so far there has been no action. The auction closes in a bit more than two days. This has never been one of the Prestiges overly coveted by collectors, but I would still expect it to sell for a decent price, in the $300 or more range. We’ll see. Clifford is one of the greats, so it has always eluded me why collectors might be willing to pay a higher price for a Moondog Prestige versus a Clifford Brown. I guess it’s supply and demand, but you’d think the demand for a great Clifford record would be higher.

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E-baying: Newk, Jackie and a Bix 78

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Sonny Rollins Jazz Vinyl

Catching up on some more jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with this from the seller bill-sf, who is a regular reader and commenter here at Jazz Collector: Sonny Rollins Plus 4, Prestige 7038. This was an original pressing with the yellow New York label and the first cover. The record was listed in a strong VG+ condition with an Ex cover. Surprised to see this one sell for Just $249.99. To me it’s one of the classics of the era and kind of a “must have,” if there is such a thing. When I compare this price to the price of some of the other records of this era, it looks like someone got a great bargain. To wit, as someone else mentioned, that copy of Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601, which was in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover, sold for $2,400, nearly 10 times the price of the Rollins. For what it’s worth.

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Rare Jazz Potpourri: Classic Trane, Billie’s First

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A Love Supreme Jazz VinylHere’s a jazz vinyl potpourri for today, starting with John Coltrane, A Love Supreme, Impulse 77. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the Van Gelder stamps in the deadwax and the orange labels. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is in Ex. The bidding is getting close to the $450 range with a little more than a day left in the auction, as of this writing. Although A Love Supreme has pretty much always been regarded as a masterpiece, I really saw it as a big collector’s item until the last few years. Sort of like Kind of Blue: Even though there may be more copies of these records than some others, there is also much greater demand for original pressings. These records not only appeal to collectors, but pretty much to anyone with a love for jazz.

I find this one really interesting:

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Catching Up on Jazz Vinyl Auctions

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Paul Chambers Jazz Vinyl copyI’m actually cleaning out my eBay watch list in preparation for finally doing a modest updating of the Jazz Collector Price Guide. So, as I clear out records, I will just post some random results for the next couple of days, starting with one for the $1,000 bin: Paul Chambers Quintet, Blue Note 1564. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address. The record looked to be in VG++ condition and the cover was probably VG. It sold for $1,203. This came from the same seller: Kenny Burrell at the Five Spot, Blue Note 4021. This was an original West. 63rd Street pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $334.

Another Blue Note: Horace Parlan, Headin’ South, Blue Note 4062. This was

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A Diversion Into the World of 78s

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Charlie Parker copyMy eBay watch list is overflowing and there are some interesting items we don’t often see here, including some 78-RPM records. Let’s start with Charlie Parker, The New Sounds in Modern Music, Savoy 510. This is a boxed set of Charlie Parker 78s. Unfortunately, the seller doesn’t say which ones, although if I were interested (as I may be) I would at least attempt to pose the question. The records — can’t call them vinyl — are in VG+ condition and the cover is probably VG or VG+, depending upon the condition. I am probably one of the few among us who still collects 78s. I’ve had the good fortune to run into a few inexpensive collections, and then I was very fortunate with the 78s I purchased in the infamous Baltimore collection. I probably have about 1,000 78s, with probably about 40 Parkers on Savoy, Dial and Mercury, but a Bird Savoy boxed set would make a nice addition to the collection. There is a big concern with buying 78s on eBay, because

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