I was watching another high-ticket item and wondering if it would sell. That would be The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album on Fantasy with autographs by Evans and Bennett on the inner sleeve. The seller had it priced at $3,600 and I was wondering if there would be any takers following the death of Tony Bennett. There wasn’t, and the seller has it relisted at the same price. What do you think? Overpriced by about $3K or so?

Finally, there was John Coltrane, Coltrane, Prestige 7105. This is a sealed copy. When the album was originally issued in 1957, they weren’t using vacuum seals. Would anybody be surprised if they opened this and the label was blue instead of yellow? The seller had a start price of about $2,000 and didn’t get any bids. If it were me, I’d unseal the record. If it was an original New York yellow, I’d keep it, play it and cherish it. But that’s just me.

While we’re on the subject . . . .This is one of the records from The Jazz Record Center Auction: The Return of Art Pepper, Jazz West 10. This is an original pressing that is probably in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The auction closes tomorrow and the bidding is in the $250 range.

Jackie McLean, Lights Out, Prestige 7035. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. The record is listed in VG+ condition and the cover is VG, although the picture looks quite nice on the listing. The seller says he hasn’t been able to listen to the record but that the record is “returnable” if the buyer is not satisfied with how it plays. We assume returnable is synonymous with refundable, right? The start price is $345 and so far there are no bidders.

they really don’t ship well. I know this first-hand from having sold 78s and doing everything right to ship them carefully, with the right packaging and all. And I’ve still had breakage. This one is sitting at about $35 with a few hours to go. I may be tempted.

Here’s a Blue Note 78 that is getting some surprisingly heavy action: Thelonious Monk, Straight No Chaser/Four in One, Blue Note 1589. This is listed in VG+ condition. There are five bidders and 15 bids and the price is already up to $60. Fortunately, this is one that I own.

A couple more while we’re on the subject: Charlie Parker and Leo Parker, The Parkers, Savoy 509. This is a three-record boxed set with 78s by both of the Parkers. It looks to be in very nice condition and the cover alone makes it quite enticing. The price is less so — starting at about $100. So far there are no bidders. New Sounds in Modern Music, Savoy 508. This is a four-record set of 78s including a potpourri of boppers, including Bird, Fats Navarro, Sonny Stitt, Tadd Dameron and, of course, the famous Izzy Goldberg (need I reveal the real identity of “Izzy?). This one also looks to be in nice shape, but it also carries a hefty start price of about $125. Alas, there are no bidders for this either. It closes later today.

BTW, for those who may be curious, I do listen to my 78s. I have an old Califone record player that they used to use in the public schools. It works great and the sound is just fine. I was able to pick one up pretty inexpensively on eBay and a quick glance tells me there are still many for sale. If you get the 78 itch, that’s an easy way to scratch it. For me, there’s something still thrilling about putting on a Bird 78, or Billie Holiday, or Louis Jordan, and listening to the sound as it was originally meant to be heard. If you do get the itch, you’ll never be the same.

they wanted to press more they would just use the original artwork. Perhaps they felt they could sell a few more copies with a different cover. It seems as if Prestige did this type of thing all the time. In any case, I’m keeping the original, sending the other over to eBay. Keep an eye out for it — this is a great record, by the way, featuring John Lewis, Bill Perkins and Jim Hall.

Another record with a very interesting cover closing today is:

Toshiko Akiyoshi, Her Trio and Her Quartet, Storyville 918. This is an original 1956 pressing that is listed in VG++ condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The current price is $100 and there are two bidders, so this might be gettable for a decent price. It features Oscar Pettiford and Roy Haynes. I’m not an expert on art, but the cover design looks like Joan Miro to me. I will look it up later, or perhaps by the time I get back someone will provide the answer.

Benny Carter, Cosmopolite, Norgran 1070. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $111.50.

Bud Powell, Jazz Giant, Norgran 1063. This was an original pressing that was

also in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. It sold for $400.50.

Count Basie, Basie, Clef 666. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $89. You don’t often see Count Basie in Jazz Collector, but we have a feeling this one sold for a decent price specifically for the great David Stone Martin cover.

Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 2, Blue Note 1597. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $482. Frankly, we would have expected it sell for a higher price in this condition.

Thelonious Monk, Monk, Prestige 7053. This was an original pressing with the New York address. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG++ as well. The price was $600.

Moondog, The Story of Moondog, Prestige 7093. This was an original pressing with the New York address. The record was in VG+ condition

and the cover was also VG+. The price was $250.50.

Finally, there was this: Joe Newman, I’m Still Swinging, RCA 1198. This was an original mono pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $203.50. The last time we tracked this record it sold for $58. Quite a leap.

We don’t often see Dizzy Gillespie among the higher-priced LPs, but here was a nice one that was sold earlier this week by Euclid records: Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge, Roy & Diz #2. This record was in M- condition, both record an cover, and sold for $145. No doubt helping the value of the LP is the great illustration by David Stone Martin.

Also featuring a David Stone Martin illustration is The Tal Farlow Album, Norgran 1047. This was also sold by Euclid and was also in M- condition. It sold for $83, not bad for a quality record like this in today’s market. Seems that within the Norgran/Clef/Verve pantheon there are still bargains to be found. Also, please take a look at our earlier post on this album Today on eBay: Tal, Drew, Kenny Dorham, True Blue. I had mentioned that my good friend Dan Axelrod was a good friend and protege of Tal, and he shares some personal insight about the album that’s worth reading.

Speaking of Kenny Drew, that copy of The Kenny Drew Trio, Riiverside 224, that

was being sold by Euclid, became the latest member of the $2,000 record bin. It was an original white pressing in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,080.55.