Old Jazz Collector Habits Die Hard

Now that I’m sort of settled in from my month of moving, I’m resorting back to some old habits, browsing eBay page by page by page and even occasionally throwing in a bid, even though I really don’t want to be buying records and would much prefer to be selling records. But some habits are hard to break and, when I see what may be a bargain on eBay, it is hard to resist swinging over to the sniping software and placing a bid. There is a mindlessness to it and, as they say, idle hands are the Jazz Collector’s tools. In any case, I didn’t win last night’s snipe, thank goodness, which was this: Jazz By Matthew Gee, Riverside 221, which looked to be an original white label pressing with what may have been original plastic wrap. The record was M- and the cover was VG+ and with two hours to go on the auction there was only one bidder and $9. I figured I could possibly get the record cheaply, so I put in a snipe at about $45, but I didn’t come close. It wound up selling for $126.17.

I was also considering a bid on this one because it wasn’t getting much action:

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Jazz Vinyl Update For the $1,000 Bin (and More)

Here we go with an update on some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

This one inspired quite a bidding war, with nearly 1,000 page views and 32 bids among 17 bidders: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing. The record was listed as M- and the cover was only VG+. The price was a whopping $3,350.

This one also entered the $1,000 bin (nice picture, huh?): Lee Morgan, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was listed in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price was $1,385.

I think prices are starting to come back again to previous levels. Look at this one: Zoot Sims, Zoot, Riverside 228. This was an original white-label pressing. The record was described as excellent, which I translate to VG++ and the cover was probably VG+ with tape on the top seam. The price was $457, which is the highest price we’ve seen for this LP in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

 

Griff and Warhol For The $1,000 Bin

Here are a couple of recent sales we’ve been watching:

Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580. This one looked to be an original pressing. The listing doesn’t mention deep grooves, but they are clearly visible in the photo. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,091.77. That’s a high price, to be sure, but with what’s happening in the Blue Note market lately and the market for Andy Warhol covers, I’m frankly surprised it didn’t sell for more.

Bill Evans, Waltz For Debby, Riverside 399. This was a white label promo copy, which looks quite cool. The record was in mixed condition: Side 1 was listed as VG++ and side 2 was listed as VG. When I have a record like that, I tend to go with the worst-case scenario and rate it VG. The cover was listed as VG++. The price was $790.

An Opportune Time For eBay Bargains?

Today may be a time to find bargains on eBay. When I bid on records, which is not too often these days, I use a sniping software called BidNip. Earlier today I tried to snipe two records, but the software wouldn’t allow it. These were records closing within a few hours, yet the BidNip software showed them both closing sometime in 1999. Indeed. Anyway, I’ll share my secrets: One of the records was this: Randy Weston, Trio and Solo, Riverside 227. This was an original pressing with the white label. I love those white label Riversides and I don’t own an original copy of this. It was listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. I was going to put a snipe bid of about $71, since it was only at $30 with about an hour to go. I would have lost: The record sold for $83.20. The other record is still coming up, but I’ll have no chance to win it, snipe or not: Stanley Turrentine, Look Out, Blue Note 4039.  In the Jazz Collector Price Guide our top price for this is nearly $400 and this one is sitting at about $125 in VG+ condition. I might have gone close to $200 for it, but not with confidence and not expecting to win it. The point of all this is that

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Some Later Blue Note Pressings, Plus a Few More

Here are some odds and ends of interest for various reasons:

As prices have been rising for original Blue Notes, we’ve also been watching prices rise, although not as drastically for later pressings. We had an eye on this one: Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4194. This was a stereo pressing with the Liberty label. The record as M- and the cover was VG++. It sold for $38. I couple of years ago, these Liberty pressings were selling in the $20 range, so there has been movement, as you would expect. When I first started collecting jazz in 1970 or so, if you went into a local store such as a Sam Goody, these were the pressings you would typically find. If I had been prescient, or if I had the money, I would have bought them all.

This seller was trying to take a shot with a record of similar vintage: Hank Mobley, No Room For Squares, Blue Note 4149. This didn’t have a description of the label, but it did clearly show in the picture that it was a Liberty pressing. He tried with a start price of $100. There were no bidders, and it has now been listed for around $50, with the same pictures. Presumably there will still be no bidders, but you can never tell. This seller’s feedback rating, by the way, is 98.8 percent.

This one is hard to figure:

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More Updates For the Jazz Collector Price Guide

I’ve been spending time this weekend updating the Jazz Collector Price Guide and realized there are a bunch more interesting items we’ve mentioned here but haven’t followed up, so here are a few of them:

George Wallington, Jazz For the Carriage Trade, Prestige 7032. This was an original New York pressing with a record in M- condition and a nice shiny cover in VG++ condition. It sold for $395.

Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter, Imperial 9024. This looked to be an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $350.99.

Lou Donaldson, Swing and Soul, Blue Note 1566. This was one of the recent records sold by the Jazz Record Center. It was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and it sold for $544.44.

From that same auction were these:

The Wes Montgomery Trio, Riverside 310. This was an original pressing in M- condition and sold for $305, the highest price we’ve seen for this record.

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Watching eBay: Wes, Sonny Clark, Dex & More

Here is some interesting jazz vinyl we’re watching on eBay:

The latest auction from the Jazz Record Center is closing today, with some interesting items, such as: The Wes Montgomery Trio, Riverside 310. This is an original pressing in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. We haven’t seen this record sell for high prices very often, but this one will: It is already close to $175. Sonny Clark, Leapin’ and Lopin’, Blue Note 4091. This is an original pressing with the New York USA labels. It is in M- condition and is priced at more than $300 with a few hours to go. Did you see the Sonny Clark articles referred to by Mike in the Reader Forum? They are terrific. Go to the Reader Forum for the links. Here’s one more: Dexter Gordon, One Flight Up, Blue Note 4176. This is also an original pressing in beautiful condition.  It is currently in the $180 price range.

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Catching Up on Some Odds & Ends

Here are some non-Blue Note odds and ends we’ve been watching:

Blue Mitchell, Blue Soul, Riverside 309. This was one of the ones from the recent bobdjukic auction. It was listed in VG++ condition for both the vinyl and the cover and it looked to be an original deep groove, blue label pressing. It sold for $275. One of the reasons I was watching this is that I just bought another small collection and a nice original mint copy of this record was in the batch. There were also a few original Blue Notes so, if I ever get back to selling records on eBay, I’ll have some nice items to start with . . . . or if I have Jazz Collector readers come to the house, as previously proposed.

Harry Carney With Strings, Clef 640. This looked to be an original pressing, although there was no picture of the label, with a beautiful cover illustration by David Stone Martin. It was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $110.50. You have to wonder how much longer there will be a market for Harry Carney LPs. Case in point: The Astaire Story. This was the original Mercury boxed set in beautiful condition, signed by Astaire, with the Stone Martin illustrations and the exclusive photos. In M- condition, this would have sold for somewhere in the range of $2,000 just a few years ago. Now, the seller had a start price of $800 and there were no bidders.

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Catching Up on Some Jazz Vinyl

Let’s catch up on some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

First there were those beautiful 10-inch Blue Notes: Clifford Brown, New Star on the Horizon, Blue Note 5032. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing listed in M- condition for the vinyl and what we would characterize as VG++ for the cover. A beautiful copy. It sold for $535.49. From the same seller was this: Miles Davis Volume 2, Blue  Note 5022. This was in similar condition to the Clifford record and sold for $630.

That brilliant copy of Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners, Riverside 226, did not reach the  $1,000 bin, to my surprise. This was a white-label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $898.08.

We’ve never seen a copy of this record fetch a higher price:

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Jazz Vinyl on eBay: Brilliant Brilliant Corners, et al

Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl to watch on eBay as we head into the Thanksgiving weekend in the U.S.:

This seller has some nice items up now, including: Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners, Riverside 226. This is an original pressing with the white label, quite hard to find, and it is in M- condition for both the record and the cover. This one is a bit more than $300 and there’s another day to go and I wouldn’t be surprised if this one breaks into the $1,000 bin. This one is from the same seller: Dizzy Gillespie, Horn of Plenty, Blue Note 5017. This is an original Blue Note Lexington Avenue pressing. The record is in M- condition and the cover looks to be VG+. It hasn’t even hit the $100 mark yet. Correct me if I’m wrong — and I’m sure someone will — but I think this is the only Dizzy record on Blue Note, right?

This seller also has some beauties, including: Sonny Clark, Leapin’ and Lopin’, Blue Note 84091. This is an original stereo pressing, which means it doesn’t have the same cachet or value as a mono pressing, but it is still about $140, closing later today. It is in M- condition with the shrink wrap still on it.

Okay, I need some help figuring this one out:

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