eBay Watching: Blue Notes, Prestige

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Which jazz vinyl shall we watch on eBay today? Here’s a few of note.

This one is quite tempting to me, since I do not own an original: Mal Waldron, Mal/2, Prestige 7111. This looks to be an original New York pressing and it has the presence of John Coltrane. The record looks to be what I would grade as VG++ and the cover is M-. There are a few days to go and the price is in the $150 range. When I see records such as these I have to remind myself that I am getting rid of records, not acquiring them. It is a tough sell to myself, however, since the joy is in the hunt.

This one is also strangely tempting to me, even though it is not an original: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. The copy in my collection is a black and blue Liberty stereo. Yuch. This one is not an original because it doesn’t have the deep grooves, but at least it has the West 63rd Street address. It wouldn’t give me the creeps every time I would look at it in my collection. But, alas, the start price is about $400 and that’s a little too steep for me for a non-original, even a great record like this in beautiful condition.

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A Tale of Two Blue Notes

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We were quite interested in those two Curtis Fuller Blue Notes from the same seller. Look at this one: Curtis Fuller, The Opener, Blue Note 1566. This was listed as a “rare mono pressing,” which it may be, but it still a pressing from the 1970s or 1980s with the United Artists labels. We’ve seen these often in the $20-$30 range. This one sold for a pretty whopping $91.10. A new pricing trend or just a creative listing and a gullible buyer? You make the call. Perhaps someday this UA pressings will be worth hundreds or thousands. You never know, perhaps this is a good investment. I’d rather pay $500 or so for the original, but that’s me. Speaking of which . . . from the same seller came: Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This one looked to be an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It sold for $500. We’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,400 before, so that’s quite a comedown. Karma?

eBaying Strategies & A Few Blue Notes

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Sorry I haven’t been posting as often as usual. Lots going on here. If anyone want to fill some of the void, we always welcome guest columns. In the meantime, eBay goes on whether we post or not, and this week there are some sellers with many, many big-ticket items. Here are a few we’re watching:

Somebody in the comments complained about the start prices from the records from this seller, including: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This one has the West 63rd Street address and ear, but it doesn’t look like any deep grooves. This is one of the ones that causes consternation among collectors, right? DG or not DG, that is the question. If I recall Fred Cohen’s explanation, this could have one side DG and be an original, or it could also have no DGs and be an original? Perhaps someone can look it up. In the meantime, this copy is in M- condition for the vinyl, is VG++ for the cover and has zero bids at a start price of $1,200. If you click this item, look at the seller’s other auctions and you’ll see a potpourri of fantastic collectibles, all at high start prices, all without bids (so far).

Here’s another seller with some nice items, including: Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This looks to be an original pressing based on the description. The record is VG++ and the cover is M- and the price is a bit over $200 now and has not yet met the seller’s reserve. If you look at the seller’s listings, make sure you read them carefully. I noticed he’s selling another Curtis Fuller Blue Note that is listed as a “rare mono pressing” and is a United Artists pressing. It is already more than $50.

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Jazz Record Collector’s Bash in June

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If you’re in the New York Metropolitan area at the end of June you might want to head over to the Jazz Record Collector’s Bash in Iselin, New Jersey. This is a two-day event, June 24 and 25, and there are dealers with records for sale and vintage video presentations. Last year there were 36 dealers on the first day, according to Art Zimmerman, who runs the event. This event has been going on annually for 37 years, believe it or not, and there’s a history on the Web site at Jazz Record Collector’s Bash. There was a time I used to go regularly, often looking for records, but a couple of times renting a table. I do remember a couple of very nice scores there when I was a dealer: I know I’ve told this story, but there was a guy who had a bunch of beautiful Prestige Swingville and Moodsville in unplayed mint condition and he was selling them for $5 apiece and I was able to get to him before anyone else, so I scooped up most of the good stuff. I also remember that he had a 10-inch Sonny Criss on Clef that I bought for $5 and eventually sold for $175. Thinking about it, I’d love to go again this year, but I fear my schedule may not permit it. If anyone does go, feel free to write a guest column for the rest of us at Jazz Collector.

 

If It’s Thursday, It Must Be Blue Note

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Did a quick eBay search on jazz vinyl this morning and was quite amazed to see the quantity and quality of Blue Notes for sale right now. Perhaps this is a time to buy, with the market seeming to be somewhat soft. Here are some of the items worth perusing:

This one is already headed for the $1,000 bin: Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This is an original West 63rd pressing that looks to be in about VG++ condition for both the record and the vinyl. It closes later today and is already at more than $1,100. This one is from the same seller and it has most of the makings of an original pressing but, unfortunately, not all: Hank Mobley, Roll Call, Blue Note 4058. This is a mono pressing with the West 63rd Street address, the ear, the Van Gelder stamp but no deep grooves. What do we think of pressings like these. They are likely pre- Liberty, right, with the Plastylite ear, but are not the very first pressing? I’d be happy to have this one in my collection even if it is not an original, but the price is already at $250.

This seller also has several Blue Notes in varying conditions, including: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This is an original pressing that’s listed in excellent condition for the vinyl, which we generally take to be VG+, and VG condition for the cover. There’s a day to go on the auction and the price is in the $460 range. From the same seller is:

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Tales Of The Hunt: Meeting An Idol

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Nick from Brooklyn is back with another Tales of the Hunt. You’re going to like this one, but Don-Lucky, it’ll break your heart.

Tales Of The Hunt: The day I met my IDOL!

Like I have mentioned in previous Tales of The Hunt, I used to send postcards to record companies, etc, with these Tales of The Hunt. I had found a great rock instrumental and the BMI publishing company was in a residential area of Brooklyn, so I sent a postcard to the address requesting records. Around a month later I received a phone call wanting to know why I had wrote him. I explained that I found this record and that I sell records and wanted to know if he had any more of them left. He said he might and we set up an appointment. When I arrived at his house his wife answered the door, she greeted me with a big smile and invited me in, we had coffee and were talking about the music business, he then pulled out a few boxes of 45 RPM records and told me to take what I could use. I asked him how much and he waved his hand as to forget it. He then pulled out some records

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High Prices Yes, But Not as High As Before?

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It’s been a few days since I’ve been on eBay or posted on Jazz Collector. So many records, so little time. Here’s an update on some of the ones we were watching last week:

The Jazz Record Center seemed to do well with it’s most recent auction, although careful scrutiny would suggest that prices are down from previous expectations. That copy of Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134, sold for $1,891.88. Last year at this time we logged two copies of this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide at more than $2,000. Miles Davis Volume 3, Blue Note 5040. This original 10-inch LP was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $565. Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2, Blue Note 5038. This also looked to be in M- condition. It sold for $359. One more: Sonny Rollins Plus Four, Prestige 7038. This was an original New York pressing with the frame cover. The record looked to be in M- condition and the cover was probably around VG++. The price was $345. In my view, somebody got a bargain on this one.

There was also that other copy of Conte Candoli, Cool Gabriels, Groove 1003 in VG++ to M- condition. It looked for a while that this one might go cheap, but it sold for $1,705, which, given this one’s condition and recent prices of other copies, was cheap, relatively. This one, of course, has the Andy Warhol cover.

Tal Farlow, Downbeat, One More Time

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Dan is back with another request. This upcoming memoir better be good. (Actually, it is: I’ve seen early drafts). This time Dan is looking for a high-res scan of the following photo from Downbeat, May 2, 1967. I know I have this issue in nice condition, bit it is somewhere in storage and I can’t access it. So if someone out there can help out (again), I’m sure it would be most appreciated.

 

Bethlehem Beauties, Blue Note, Warhol (Again)

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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:

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Tales of the Hunt: Tribute To A Friend

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Nick From Brooklyn is back with another in his ongoing Tales of the Hunt series. Enjoy.

It was, I believe, 1993 and a friend had called me and asked me to track an arranger by the name of Larry Lucie. At the time I did not know it would be the most rewarding journey I would have of all the people I came in contact with in the music business. After looking for a couple of days on and off, I came up with his name in New York’s Union Book for musicians under “Guitar.” I called his home phone number and explained that I was a dealer and collector of jazz. As soon as I said jazz he invited me over to his home, which I think was on 43rd Street and 9th Avenue. When I arrived it was like I was a lost friend, he greeted me with a welcome I will always remember, he was what I call a Teddy Bear of a guy. We went up to his apartment, we started talking about jazz and he started telling me stories about who he played with, and I sat there

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