Category: Prestige

A Trio of Rare Jazz Vinyl For Your Perusal

18 comments

Back on eBay catching up on a few items, starting with Teddy Charles/Mal Waldron, Coolin’, New Jazz 8216. This was an original purple label deep groove pressing. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG++, although the former owner’s name stamped three times on the back lessens the grade for me. The final price was $478, which is quite a lot for a session led by Teddy Charles. Is this now just the going rate for original New Jazz pressings, or is there something in the personnel — Mal Waldron, John Jenkins, Idrees Sulieman — that makes this record a bit more of interest to collectors than some of the other Teddy Charles dates? This is not a record I have ever owned, so I can’t vouch for the music, but the music seems to hold less sway these days in determining how much collectors are willing to pay. Not a big fan of the cover, BTW, so that wouldn’t helping in piquing the interest of this collector.

Read more

Into the Woods (At the Right Price)

28 comments

I was watching a few items from the Jazz Record Center auction that closed yesterday, including Phil Woods, Woodlore, Prestige 7018. This was an original yellow label New York pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The final price was $493.88. In looking at this auction, I realize I’m still somewhat of an old-school collector whose attitudes haven’t changed all that much, even as the value of the records has increased over the years. I love this record and have never owned an original pressing. As you know, I’ve been collecting jazz records for nearly 50 years. Still, as much as I would want an original pressing of this record in may collection, I would prefer to go without it at this kind of price — even though the market value will likely increase — and continue to wait until I get lucky and find it for a price I feel is reasonable. It’s not the money and it’s not even the principle. It’s more like the ingrained habit and the ethos of “this is how I choose to collect.” If I want to listen to Phil Woods, I have a lot of other great Phil Woods records to listen to. If I really want to listen to Woodlore, I have my Japanese pressing. That’s good enough for this collector.

Read more

Jazz Vinyl Miscellany From A Random eBay Watch List

17 comments

Going deep into my watch list on eBay to clear out some of the older items that have been sitting there. Let’s start with Ben Webster, Soulville, Verve 8274. This was an original trumpeter logo that was in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. The final price was $207.50, which presents a question for me to pose here. I’ve noticed that among the Verve/Clef/Norgran records, Webster seems to be just below Lester Young in terms of value, more than Stan Getz, Johnny Hodges, Sonny Stitt, Buddy DeFranco and some of the other Verve regulars, who were either contemporaries or of the next generation. That’s not even counting Ella, Basie, Hampton or Tatum, whose records seem to have fallen off the value charts completely. Anyone care to proffer any theories for the elevation of Webster in the eyes of collectors, assuming you agree with my observation?

Read more

Dolphy Vinyl, Autograph Updates

25 comments

Here are a few odds and ends we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with some Dolphy: Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume One, New Jazz 8260. This was an original purple label, deep groove pressing. The record and cover were both listed in V++ condition, although the picture of the back cover would be more VG+ in my eyes. It’s always tempting when the front cover is so nice to try to ignore other blemishes. In my eyes, VG++ is reserved for covers that would otherwise be M- but have a single minor flaw, such as the original owner writing the date on the back, which was the case with all of the records I purchased in the Bruce M. West collection in Baltimore. A cover such as this, with blemishes and tape stains doesn’t quite say VG++ to these eyes, but I’m sure the buyer will be pleased, otherwise, he wouldn’t have bid $612.50.

Read more

All Star Autographs?

11 comments

We are going to need the expertise of our friend Don-Lucky for this one: Sonny Rollins, Blue Note 1542. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing with a signature on the front that purports to be a Sonny Rollins autograph. I actually have an authentic Sonny Rollins autograph in my collection and, to my eyes, this one definitely looks legitimate. But this is Don-Lucky’s area of expertise, so I will refer to him, assuming he’s paying attention to Jazz Collector these days. The record looks to be in about VG condition and the cover is graded as good, but it does potentially have Sonny’s signature. The price is around $90 and the auction still has four days left. I find this of particular interest, not only because it would be cool to own an original pressing of this record with Sonny’s autograph, but because the seller has several other cool records with purported autographs, including this very special one:

Read more

A Rare 10-Inch Trio and $3K For Saxophone Colossus

20 comments

Been offline for a few days, but back in business. Here are a few records that sold on eBay whilst I was away, starting with Jack Sheldon Quartet, Get Out of Town, Jazz:West 1. This was an original 10-inch pressing. To be honest, this is a record I’ve never seen before and I wasn’t even aware of any 10-inch records on the Jazz:West label. Apparently, there were two, both by Jack Sheldon. This one was in VG+ condition for the record and G for the cover. It sold for $450.45. And the same seller had the second Jazz:West 10-inch LP as well: Jack Sheldon Quintet with Zoot Sims, Jazz:West 2. This one was in much better condition, listed as M- for both the record and the cover. It sold for $560. You would think, based on the condition, there would have been a bigger discrepancy between the prices.

Read more

An Unusual Quartet of Jazz Vinyl

13 comments

I’m always pleased to see my little love notes from CeeDee, although I usually expect to see them when I’m hardly posting. That hasn’t been the case this week, but I got a couple anyway, with links to a bunch of records that typically defend the sensibilities. The first such record this week was an auction from December, so I’m curious about the delay. Anyway, Yusef Lateef, Before Dawn, Verve 8217. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter label. The condition looked to be around M- for the record and the cover. This one sold for $350 and, yes, that is an unexpectedly high price for a Yusef Lateef record on Verve, IMHO.

This one also comes from December: Roland Alexander, Pleasure Bent, New Jazz 8267. This was an original pressing with the purple labels and deep groove. The record was in M- condition and the cover was Ex. The final price was $293. High? The last time I went to the WFMU Record Fair in Brooklyn I purchased a mint copy of this record for $50. That was in May 2015. I guess the value has gone up in less than three years. A lot.

Read more

Hardee Bop

9 comments

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?

Read more

Newk, Gigi And Some Rarely Seen Blue Notes

8 comments

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.

Read more

Another UK Esquire and an Audiophile Question

12 comments

Back with another Esquire Prestige to start with, if you will all kindly indulge my new obsession: Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham, Gene Quill, Phil Woods, Pairing Off, Esquire 32-026. This is an original UK pressing listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It’s a another cool cover, IMHO, illustrating the instruments of the two sets of pairs, the trumpeters and altoists. It’s quite a bit different than the U.S. version, which was released as a session led by Phil Woods. Bidding is in the $120 range with more than a day left on the auction.

Read more

1 … 11 12 13 14 15 … 71