Category: Price Guide

Three All-Time Classics

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Here’s some jazz vinyl we’re watching today and this week on eBay:

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This is an original New York yellow label pressing closing in a few hours. The record and the cover are both listed in VG+ condition. The current price is about $300.

Look who’s back, the seller bobdjukic, who is somewhat controversial among readers of Jazz Collector. This is one of his: Bill Evans, Waltz For Debby, Riverside 399. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the blue label and deep  grooves. There six days to go on this auction and there are already 17 bids and nearly 300 views. The guy certainly has a knack. Record and cover are listed in VG++ condition and the price is nearly $500.

Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This looks to be an early/original pressing that is in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The price is close to $500 and the auction closes tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

A Pristine Selection of Rare Jazz Vinyl

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Just got an email from the Jazz Record Center that they have a new auction up this week, so let’s take a look and see what’s there:

This one has a start price of $2,000, and it’s already gotten a bid, so we should expect quite a high price: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This is an original pressing in what is described as “near-new” condition, perhaps played once. The cover looks to be equally pristine.

Here’s another we wouldn’t mind putting on our own shelves: Elmo Hope, Meditations, Prestige 7010. This is an original New York yellow-label pressing, also in “near new” condition for the record and M- for the cover. The start price is $400 and there are no bidders yet, but there will be.

Bill Evans, Portrait in Jazz, Riverside 315. This is an original deep groove pressing with the small reel logos on the label, as opposed to the larger reels, which I had forgotten was a distinguishing characteristic of Riverside. Someday, perhaps in 2013, I will go through all of the vast research we have accumulated here at Jazz Collector and put together a more definitive guide to what makes an original pressing on various labels. I think the information is here on the site, it just needs to be mined. Anyway, this one is in near new condition and has a start price of $200.

Back in Business Watching Collectible Jazz Vinyl

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Bet you’re wondering if I’m OK. I am. Just been a busy period before the holidays. It’s been so long since I’ve posted on Jazz Collector or even been on eBay that all of the items I was watching are now closed. Which gives me a nice opportunity to give a big review, starting with:

Horace Parlan, Us Three, Blue Note 4037. This was an original West 63rd pressing in what was described as VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It also had the original shrink wrap, if that means anything to anyone. I guess it means the cover was well protected for all of these years. The top bid on this was a very nice one, $1,136. But guess what? It didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price, so it didn’t sell. We’ve seen this one sell for as much as $1,725 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so I guess the seller had certain expectations. I had a copy of this record in very nice condition, mentioned it on Jazz Collector and was offered $1,500 to sell it. I did. Haven’t missed it since, to be perfectly honest.

Similar situation with this one from the same seller: Sonny Clark Trio, Blue Note 1579. This was an original West 63rd pressing. The record was in VG++ condition and the cover looked to be VG. The top bid was $717 but, again, it failed to sell because it didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price.

This one did sell and I thought it might fetch a higher price: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This one was in VG++ condition for the record and probably similar condition for the cover. It was offered by one of the top eBay sellers and sold for $1,405. A nice price, but we’ve seen this one sell for more than $3,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

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Three for the $1,000 Bin

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I’ve been so busy with real work lately, I’ve missed a lot of nice jazz vinyl on eBay, including some of the heavyweights that regularly occupy the $1,000 bin. Anyway, here’s an update of some items I’ve missed, all of which will eventually find their way into the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original deep groove pressing with the purple label. It was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover and from the pictures with the listing it looked absolutely pristine. It sold for $2,247.66.

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,593.88

Paul Gonsalves, Boom-Jackie-Boom-Chick, Vocalion LAE 587. This was an original British pressing that looked to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,783.

Catching Up on Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

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Looks like everybody’s been busy posting on Jazz Collector this week, except me. I do like to see that, but I like to post as well. So, here goes, with some of the items we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was the one with no New York 23 on one side and, to me, is an original, although some sticklers beg to differ. The record looked to be in VG++ or M- condition and the cover was probably VG++. The price was $3,340. Question: What do you think it would have sold for if it had the New York 23 on Side 2?

Lou Donaldson, The Time is Right, Blue Note 4025. This was an original original and it was probably in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price was $570.

Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This was not an original pressing, but a West 63rd pressing. It seemed to be VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $243.50.

Finally, there was the sealed copy of Waltz For Debby, Riverside 399. It sold for $590. We have seen Waltz for Debby fetch a higher price tag in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is certainly top dollar. Hope the seller is satisfied — if he even opens it.

 

 

Tracking Some Very High End Jazz Vinyl

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While we were busy buying the Irving Kalus collection, a lot of rare and valuable (and high priced) jazz vinyl was being sold on eBay. Here are some of the high-end items we’ve missed.

Tommy Flanagan, Overseas, Prestige 7134. This is one of the major rarities and it sold like one. The record and cover were both in M- condition. The price was $3,216.66. That’s the first time we’ve seen the record surpass the $3,000 mark in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

While we’re on the topic of $3,000 records: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. This is the listing that mentioned Jazz Collector as a pricing/value source, which we appreciate. The sale price was $3,600.

This didn’t quite make the $3,000 bin, but it gave it a good run: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original purple label pressing in near mint condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $2,650. Do you think there’s a distinction between a record described as “near mint” versus one described as “mint minus?” Just thought I’d ask. “Near mint” has a nicer ring to it, IMHO.

One more:

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Jazz Vinyl: Zoot, Newks and More

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Let’s catch up on the results of the latest jazz vinyl auction from the Jazz Record Center. I follow their auctions closely because, to me, they are the most reputable of all dealers and, therefore, I see their auctions as fully reflective of market realities, no hype.

Zoot Sims, Down Home, Bethlehem 6051. This was an original red-label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $510. I recently picked up my first copy of this record and listened to it the other day. Quite nice: Great Zoot and nice to hear early Dave McKenna. The copy  I purchased is in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. Very pleased.

Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. This was an original white label pressing in what looked to be M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $426. This one went for a little more than usual: Sonny Rollins, Sonny Boy, Prestige 7207. The record looked to be M- and the cover was probably VG++, with a couple of minor blemishes. It sold for $170.39.

Grachan Moncur III, Evolution, Blue Note 4153. This was an original New York USA pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $688.90. Wow.

Lee Konitz, Tranquility, Verve 8281. This was an original pressing with the trumpeter logo. It was in M- condition for the vinyl and probably VG++ for the cover. It sold for $111.87.

 

Catching Up On Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

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Here’s an update on some jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Interesting, isn’t it, that we’re no longer surprised when VG+ records sell for more than $1,000. This one fetched a price of $1,009. Interesting to look at the cover of this record, given most of the covers that Blue Note was producing at the time, usually featuring some kind of picture of the artist. Simple graphic of a red suitcase and not sure what that has to do with Peckin’ Time or Mobley. There are also no pictures on the back cover. A little bit strange, no? I wonder if there is a story behind the cover?

Here’s another one that broke into the $1,000 bin: Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040. This looked to be an original pressing, although the seller put in the wrong catalog number. It was listed in VG++ condition for the vinyl and Ex for the cover, which I still take to mean around VG+, although it could be better. This one sold for the same price as the other, $1,009.

I seem to be a bit focused on $1,000 Blue Notes today. Here’s another:

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Top Prices Are Not Limited To Blue Note

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Sometimes you think it’s only — or mostly — the Blue Notes that are going up in value, but it’s quite a bit broader than that. Here are a few cases in point of jazz vinyl for sale on eBay now:

Eric Dolphy, Far Cry, New Jazz 8270. This is an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It is quite a lovely record, and rare, and the condition is great, and the picture with the add is quite nice as well. Still, the highest price we’ve ever recorded for this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide is around $230. This will sell for quite a lot more than that. The current price is $515 and there’s nearly a day to go.

Blue Mitchell, Blue’s Moods, Riverside 336. This is also an original pressing, with the blue label and the deep grooves. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The current price is around $400 and there are still four days to go before the auction closes.  This one will also set a new record for the Jazz Collector Price Guide. 

And here are a couple of nice Prestiges:

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No Economic Crisis In Collectible Jazz Vinyl Market

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Now that I have that Bird article out of my system, it’s time to get back to the task at hand, watching rare jazz vinyl on eBay. Here are some of the items we’ve been watching:

Phil Woods, Woodlore, Prestige 7018. As you may recall, this one was sitting at $200 with no bids and I was considering taking the plunge myself. Glad I didn’t. The record wound up selling for $527 — way beyond my comfort level — and, to make it worse, there is now a dispute about the sale, as you can see on the Jazz Collector site under the earlier post. From the same seller was: Charlie Rouse, Yeah!, Epic 16012. If you look at the listing, you’ll have a hard time figuring out the record’s condition. It says both ex+ and ex- and it talks about light scratches that will sound on both sides. Hmm. Someone paid $538 for this record. We’ll see if there’s a dispute about this one as well.

Wow — didn’t expect this record to reach the $1,000 bin: Hank Mobley, Workout, Blue Note 4080. This was an original New York USA pressing, with the RVG and ear in the deadwax. It was in beautiful M- condition for the record and cover and sold for $1,009.99.

This one also entered the $1,000 bin, but not all that suprisingly:

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