Pick A Peck of Pepper, For a Price

How about another Art Pepper record: Art Pepper Quartet, Modern Art, Score 4030. I’m kind of kidding showing this one. Why? Well, it’s the version on Score and not Intro, so it is less than original, right? And it’s in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover, so that’s OK. How about the start price? How about $19,999? If this one sells, we’re all doing something wrong. More realistically, there is this one: Art Pepper, Modern Art, Intro 606. This is an original pressing  and it’s listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the vinyl. There’s more than a day to go and the price is in the $550 range, which is a bit more like it. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,000 many times, and even once at more than $2,000. But never at $19,999. While we’re on the subject: Art Pepper Quartet, Tampa RS 1001. I’ve seen this with a pink label and this one has a black label, so I’m not sure which is original. This one is only in VG condition for the record and VG- for the cover and is priced at $67.

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.

Read more

Jazz Vinyl on eBay: J.R., Dex, A Rare Transition

Here are a few big-ticket items I missed while I was packing and hauling boxes.

J.R. Monterose, In Action, Studio 4 SS 100. This is an original pressing of a rare record that we’ve written about fairly extensively in the past. We even posted some very rare audio that, to our knowledge, is only available here (More on J.R.: Original Audio). This was quite a descriptive listing, although it’s not so easy to decipher what it says. Bottom line, it seems like the record was in VG++ condition and the cover somewhere about VG. It sold for $1,500 with just one bid, which always makes me a little suspicious.

Doug Watkins, At Large, Transition 20. This was an original pressing, with the booklet. Based on the description, this one looks to be about VG+ for the record, VG or VG+ for the cover and M- for the booklet. It sold for $1,136.

Dexter Gordon, Dexter Blows Hot and Cool, Dootone 207. This looked to be an original with the red vinyl. The record was listed in VG condition and the cover was listed as VG++. It sold for $933.50.

eBaying: Burrell, Warhol, Newk and More

Watching some nice records on eBay and, for now, the prices are not so astonomical. Of course, as they say, astronomical is in the eye of the beholder. Here are a few:

Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 1, Blue Note 1596. This looks to be an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and deep grooves. It has, of course, the Andy Warhol cover, which makes it quite collectible and often quite expensive. This one looks to be in M- condition for the vinyl and probably VG++ or M- for the cover. There’s one day left to bid and the price is about $535.

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing.  The seller lists it as M-, but he does mention some marks on the vinyl. The cover is listed as VG+. There are four days to go and the price is still less than $150. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $3,000 in the past, so we would expect it to go quite a bit higher, likely into the $1,000 bin.

Sonny Rollins, Moving Out, Prestige 7058. Not my favorite Rollins LP, but an original Prestige right in the sweet spot of the label. This one has been posted by Euclid Records and is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover, with the adjective “gorgeous” bandied about in the description. This is already close to $500 and there are still five days to go, so perhaps this one will reach the astronomical stage.

Another Blue Note:

Read more

Watching Blue Notes From a New Seller

In between packed boxes, hauling records, driving back and forth between Great Neck, Manhattan and Monterey, Ma., I was actually able to take a peek at eBay and find some interesting jazz auctions that I’ve been watching the past few days. Here are a few:

Ah, the longing . . . how often will I watch this, one of my favorite records, before I finally take the plunge and acquire that original pressing I’ve desired for 20-plus years: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that was listed in  M- condition. It sold for $737, quite a reasonable price, all things considered. It was an interesting auction because the seller, from South Africa, put up a bunch of nice Blue Notes all at once and he had only one feedback rating (at least it was positive). The seller makes the strong case that he is new to eBay, but not to record collecting, and he seems to be knowledgeable. With a more secure seller, this would have sold for more money, right? In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,200. This one came from the same seller:

Read more

eBaying: Criss, Trane, Tenorman

Here are some interesting jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

We were somewhat surprised to see this one in the $1,000 bin, considering that the market seems a bit down these days: Sonny Criss, Go Man, Imperial 9020. There were 28 bids, which is a lot. It was a very reputable seller, the record was in M- condition, and the cover was VG+. The price was $1,259.

This one was only in VG condition for the record and the cover, yet is still nearly made the $1,000 bin: Lawrence Marable, Tenorman, Jazz West 8. This one even had audible scuffs. Nevertheless, it sold for $909.99.

One of my all-time favorite records, in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover: John Coltrane, Soultrane, Prestige 7142. This one sold for $338.99

Jaro, Jaro, Jaro

What’s the collective knowledge out there about the Jaro label? I mention this because I am watching copies of the Kenny Dorham and J.R. Monterose records, which are both on eBay now, and because I listened to a reissue of the Monterose record a few weeks ago and it was terrific. Here’s what we are watching, among other items: The Arrival of Kenny Dorham, Jaro 5007. This looks to be an original pressing in strong VG+ condition for the record and the vinyl. The start price is about $200 and, so far, there are no bidders. There are two copies of the Monterose I’m watching: J.R. Monterose, The Message, Jaro 5004. This looks to be an original mono pressing that is in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding has reached about $230 with a little more than a day to go and the seller’s reserve price has not yet been met. There is also this one: J.R. Monterose, The Message, Jaro 8004. This is a stereo pressing of the same record. The vinyl looks to be VG+ and the cover probably VG++. The start price is $160 and so far there is one bidder.

Placing Hope in a Snipe

I haven’t been buying records at all and, in fact, I am planning a major sale of records and other stuff from my collection. Keep tuned to this space for details or, if you want a really early start, send an email to me at al(at)jazzcollector.com. But the buying bug never really leaves, does it, and yesterday I was looking at this record Elmo Hope Quintet, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043, and it looked in nice condition and the copy in my collection is a second pressing of Two Tenors, which, don’t get me wrong, is quite nice and is in perfect condition, but an original is an original and a Prestige is a Prestige and the price was lingering nearly $125 with just a few hours to go so, I figured, why not. And, even though I’m not buying these days I, of course, still maintain a sniping account, just in case, so I put in a snipe for this record in the mid-$300 range figuring I might actually have a chance, given that prices on eBay seem to be a little flat these days. But, alas, ’twas not to be. I looked this morning and the record went to somebody else for $405.02. Perhaps it’s for the best. I can always listen to Two Tenors, right?

Jazz Vinyl Worth Watching on Ebay

As always, we are watching some interesting jazz vinyl that will be selling (or not selling) on eBay this week. Here are a few samples:

This is another one where the seller is starting with a very high price: Lawrence Marable, Tenorman, Jazz West 8. This is an original pressing that looks to be in superb condition, at least VG++ for the record and the cover. The starting price is $1,800 and there are no bidders.

This is a pretty hefty price for one of the Benny Golson New Jazz LPs: Benny Golson, Gone With Golson, New Jazz 8235. This is an original deep groove pressing and it is in M- condition. It is also being offered by Euclid Records, one of the better known brands in our community. There are already eight bids on this LP and the price is close to $200. Note that the pianist on this date is Ray Bryant who passed away on Thursday.

I have to say, I’m tempted on this one: Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This looks to be an original New York pressing, although the listing is definitely lacking in details. The condition looks excellent and the price is only $135 and it is ending today. This may call for a visit to my sniping software. Will keep you posted. Of course, publishing my intent on Jazz Collector may not be the wisest strategy, huh?

Bethlehem Beauties, Blue Note, Warhol (Again)

Here’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay.

Let’s start with a couple from the Bethlehem label, which doesn’t always get a lot of attention here: Mal Waldron, Left Alone, Bethlehem 6045. This is an original pressing. The vinyl is VG++ and the cover is only VG. The current price is a little over $300 and there are still 10 hours to go on the auction. This next one is a little tough to figure: Charles Rouse and Paul Quinichette, the Chase is On, Bethlehem 6021. I love this record, but this is a stereo pressing with a blue label. Can’t imagine this was issued the same time as the mono pressing, so it much be a later pressing, right, even if it is the first stereo issue?  In any case this stereo pressing is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It’s closing later today and is in the $150 price range so far.

Here’s a Stanley Turrentine Blue Note doing quite well:

Read more

1 4 5 6 7 8 45