Category: Prestige

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SonnyA friend sent me this one a few days ago, assuming, I think, that I would buy it. Ever since, I’ve been debating whether to buy it and/or whether to post it on Jazz Collector for all the world to see. And now, here it is on Jazz Collector: Sonny Rollins Quintet, Esquire 20-080. This is an original 10-inch British pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It would be quite a nice find under any circumstances, and it would also satiate my newfound addiction to European pressings. But, making it more appealing, the cover is also signed by Sonny Rollins. I must give the owner credit: He had Sonny sign it in 2008. It was a lot smarter having him sign this beautiful original 1955 pressing rather than some later record or, heaven forbid, a CD. Anyway, I have not purchased this record, although it is there for the taking at slightly less than $400. Once I click the “Publish” button to publish this post, I suppose I will be committed to letting it pass. I must be getting frugal or something in my relative old age, because this would be quite a cool record/collectible to own.

Speaking of cool records to own,

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24 Hours on Ebay, Redux

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monkSo while perusing my 24 hours on eBay I found two listings so tempting I had to place a bid. Well, I didn’t have to, but if you’re reading this site you know exactly what I mean. Here’s one of the records: Thelonious Monk, Genius of Modern Music Volume 2. This was clearly an original 10-inch pressing. The seller described it as being in VG++ condition for the record and “very good” for the cover, although the cover looked quite nice in the listing. There were about four hours left in the auction when I came upon the listing and there were no bidders with a start price of $85. I looked again at the listing, and I couldn’t figure out why there was no interest. Then I looked at the shelves in my office and, alas, there is no copy of this record in my collection. Perhaps, I figured, I could get this record at what I would consider to be a reasonable price, which would have been anything under $125 or so. So I put in a snipe bid, waited, waited some more, went onto eBay and, tada, I won the auction at $90. Three bidders came in at the end, but the second highest was only $89. This will be a nice addition to my collection: Another 10-inch Blue Note to fill in a gap. Hopefully my guess about the condition is correct.

I bid on this next record purely for the reason that the bidding seemed to be so low:

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Speculating on Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

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LeeHere are some jazz records we’re watching on eBay, starting with this beauty: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This is an original deep groove Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. There are more than two days left in this auction and the bidding is already more than $1,100. Think this one will surpass $2,000? I do. I’m sure the seller hopes I’m right.

Not sure what to make of this one: Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound, New Jazz 8236. This is an original purple label pressing with a couple of oddities. One, it has a “Preview Copy” stamp on the back, which looks original. But is also has a cutout hole through the cover and the label. Usually the cutout hole was used for returned copies, not preview copies. I can’t recall owning any other Prestiges with both a Preview Stamp and a cutout hole. Perhaps Rudolf, who had the rare distinction of buying copies directly from the Prestige warehouse, can shed some light on this?

Wonder if this one will sell:

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A Yellow Book And One (VG) for the $3,000 Bin

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bookOK, I just went to my Watch List on eBay and it looks like they have changed the view, all with the idea of trying to get you to buy more stuff. Lovely. Progress, I guess. I think I can still find things, such as: Booker Ervin, The Song Book, Prestige 7318. This was an original pressing with the yellow label, one of the last of the yellows for sure. It was in Ex+ condition, which I assume is pretty close to M-, for both the record and the cover. This is quite a great record, certainly one of Book’s best. It sold for $263.99.

And now we enter the $3,000 bin: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad-Lib 6601. This was an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and only VG — VG — for the cover. It sold for $3,050. I thought collectors cared about covers. I know I do.

Cool cover on this one: Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 185. This was an original 10-inch pressing in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ condition for the cover. It sold for $268.

 

 

Temptation: A New Jazz & A Test Pressing

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bennyI spent a couple of hours perusing eBay the other night and put a bunch of items on my watch list and even placed a snipe bid on this record: Benny Golson, Gettin’ With It, New Jazz 8248. This was an original pressing that was probably in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. I bid on the record primarily because I don’t have it and I thought it might sell for a reasonable price. It’s also a record I used to own and, frankly, I can’t remember why I don’t own it any more. But I don’t. When I placed my snipe the bidding was at $87 with several hours left, and I thought maybe I could get a nice original New Jazz. My snipe was about $160 and I thought I would get the record. I didn’t. The top bid was $190.50.

I was watching this one, not because I was interested, but because I wanted to see how high it would go, which was plenty: Grant Green, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Blue Note 4202. This was an original mono New York USA pressing in M- or so condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $511.11. Here’s the existential question for today: Why?

Our friend CeeDee sent this link to tempt me:

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Blue Notes, Prestiges, Jazz Collector Price Guide

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Bone & BariSorry. I had promised more updates for the Jazz Collector Price Guide and then got distracted by the lovely holiday weekend up in The Berkshires. So here are a few more that will go into the Price Guide soon:

This is a new high point for this record: Curtis Fuller, Bone & Bari, Blue Note 1572. This was an original pressing with the West 63rd Street and NY 23 labels. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $1,789. I have an M- copy of this record. Would I sell it for $1,789? Hmmmm.

This one also sold for quite a hefty price: Ray Bryant Trio, Prestige 7098. The record and cover were only in VG+ condition, although the cover certainly looked nicer in the photo. Good lesson to be learned here: Spend some time on the photos if you are going to list on eBay, and make sure they are nice and clear. This record sold for $987.77.

Jerome Richardson, Roamin’ with Richardson, New Jazz 8226. This was an original purple label with the deep grooves and the record and cover both seemed to be in M- condition. This one sold for $374. Frankly, I thought it would fetch a higher price.

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Catching Up With The Jazz Collector Price Guide

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dolphyI am taking advantage of the holiday time to update the Jazz Collector Price Guide, which could use some new records. So for the next couple of days, at least, I’ll be following up on records I mentioned earlier, or some I never mentioned at all and somehow missed the first time around. Here goes:

Boy did I have my eyes on this one: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This was an original 10-inch pressing in what looked to be VG++ condition for the record and probably VG for the cover. When I was pondering this there were a few hours to go and the price was just in the $110 range. It wound up selling for $430.

Eric Dolphy, Out to Lunch, Blue Note 84163. This was an original stereo pressing in just VG+ condition for the record and the cover, but it was packaged very nicely and we anticipated it would get a nice bid. It did, topping out at $303.

This was a strange one: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad-Lib 6601. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. When we first wrote about it, we noted that there was a buy-it-now price of $2,000. We figured someone would grab it up at that price. No one did. However, the bidding ended up at $1,975. Seems to me if you were willing to bid as much as $1,975 for the record, just buy it for $2,000 and save yourself the stress and aggravation.

 

First Pressing? Who Cares

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MobleyHere’s a catch-up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching:

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was a West 63rd Street pressing, deep grooves, but it did not have the New York 23 so, I guess, that would make it a clear second pressing, but a very early second pressing? The record was probably VG++ with some light surface noise and the cover was VG. The price was $908.

Kenny Dorham, Round ‘Bout Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. The consensus seems to be that this was a later pressing using old Lexington Avenue labels and an older Lexington Avenue back cover. It was listed as a first edition, however, replete with flat edge and deep grooves. The record was probably VG++ and the cover was VG. It sold for $578. It was, by the way, the same seller as the Mobley, who did all right with a couple of records that were not quite first pressings.

Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad-Lib 6601. This was an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,975.

A few more:

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Two Pairs: Blue Notes, Prestiges

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Eric DolphyHere are some more of the jazz vinyl auctions we are watching now on eBay:

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This is an original mono pressing with the purple labels and the deep groove. It looks very nice from the picture, although the grades are only VG+ for both the record and the cover. I was watching this all week and there were no bids for a long time at a start price of about $200. The auction closes in a few hours and now there is a bid. I don’t think it will be the only one, because, as I said, the record looks really nice in the photos. Here’s another Dolphy from the same era: Eric Dolphy, Out There, New Jazz 8252. This is also an original pressing with the purple label and deep grooves. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. It also looks very nice in the photo. The start price is around $250 and there is one bidder, so the record will sell.

This one is mentioned by a commenter in the post below, but we’ll write about it here and see what people think: Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This one is listed as having the deep groove, flat edge, ear, etc., but from the picture it doesn’t look like a deep groove. Also, there is the question of whether the cover is an original framed cover. What does everyone think? Is it just a poor picture that would indicate a lack of deep grooves, or is it just a later pressing with Lexington Avenue label? I have

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A Newk 10-Inch LP, Prized Stereo Blue Notes

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sonnyI should watch this record on Jazz Collector each time it appears on eBay, just so I can put the picture of the cover on the site: Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, Prestige 190. This is an original 10-inch LP in Ex+ condition for the vinyl and VG for the cover. I would think the record plays really well to be graded Ex+. As you may tell from the longing in my first sentence I do not own a copy of this record. But I would love to. This one is in the $110 range with less than a day to go, although it hasn’t yet reached the seller’s reserve price.

Herbie Hancock, Takin’ Off, Blue Note 84109. This looks to be an original stereo pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Not sure how the stereo compares with the mono, either in sound or in collectibility, but, for me, I’m quite content to have the original mono pressing. This one closes sometime today and is in the range of about $105 with eight bids.

Eric Dolphy, Out To Lunch, Blue Note 84163. The seller does a nice job of presenting/packing this one, with the nice picture and the original inner sleeve. Makes it look attractive, wouldn’t you say? This is a stereo pressing, looks like an original, with the ear, Van Gelder and New York USA label.  Bidding closes tomorrow and is already over more than $200. So, IMHO, the nice packaging seems to help.

 

 

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