. . . And The Prices Keep Going Up

Bill Evans Jazz VinylI’m sure many of you are way ahead of me, but please let me catch up on some of the interesting auctions we were watching, starting with Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby, Riverside 399. This was an original white label promo copy. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover looked to be about VG+ because a previous owner had stamped his name and address on both the front and the back. When I first wrote about the record, there were several hours left in the auction and the bidding was in the $265 range and I guessed that the final price would probably surpass $1,000. To my surprise, and probably to the surprise of many of you here, the final price was $2,248. And that’s not even counting the Global Shipping Program charge of nearly $475, which is discussed in the comments on the earlier post. I’d be curious as to who is spending this kind of money on these records, and why? Is it for listening? Is it for investment? Is it just for collecting and owning the history?

Read more

And Now For Some Rare Vinyl on eBay

Cliff Jordan Jazz VinylNow that all of the excitement over the new site has settled in, let’s get back to the business of watching rare jazz vinyl on eBay, starting with Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This is an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address and deep grooves. It is listed in Ex condition for both the record and the cover, and the pictures show there may be some issues with the back cover for those who are sticklers. The bidding on this is in the $450 range with more than three days left. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this one sneaking into or approaching the $1,000 bin, which is certainly too rich for my blood, although this is an album that has long eluded me.

Here are a couple of nice 10-inch LPs that may not sell at a fairly optimistic (for the seller) starting price:

Read more

Back in the Vinyl Saddle Again

Sonny Clark copyTWO WEEKS!!!! The longest I’ve ever gone without posting. Weren’t any of you, aside from Mac, worried about me? I didn’t go anywhere, just took an unexpected and unscheduled break. Now I’m back, but only for a few weeks. I have a two-week vacation coming up in October. Anyone interested in doing some guest hosting for a couple of weeks? Send me an email and we’ll see what we can do.

In the meantime, let’s get back to eBay and see what’s going on. This was on my watch list the last time I looked and now it has sold: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing with the west 63rd Street address, deep grooves, etc. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was only VG, but it still sold for $2,081. There was also this one for the $1,000 bin:

Read more

How Much Would You Pay For These?????

Hank Mobley Jazz VinylWhilst I was away there was some email, as usual, so let me get to some of that as long as I am catching up. Clifford sent me a note under the subject “1568 Comedy Watch,” with the accompanying text: “I don’t know if people are getting bored with these, but I still find 1568 auctions fairly amusing/interesting.” Attached was this link to Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. The auction as over and the final price was $960. Was it a copy you would actually put on your turntable? Not me. The record was listed in G+ condition. Was it a record you’d be proud to display on your shelves? Not really. The cover was in VG- condition with water damage and small seam split. Was it a record you’d spend $960 on, so you could say you own a copy of the rarest of the rare Blue Notes? Clearly, there was at least one buyer who would say amen to that. It was funny seeing this email from Clifford, because just a few minutes later I got a separate email from Mike with the same link and the following question: “I wondered if you or your readership would be willing to part with US$960 for BN1568 in this condition? Speaking for myself, Read more

Classic Jazz Vinyl — But Will Anything Sell

Rollins copyFinally back from a long break, and the first thing I’m going to do is take a look at what I left behind on my eBay watch list and catch up. This seller has several nice items for sale, including Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This is an original New York yellow label pressing listed in VG++ or M- condition for the record and M- for the cover. You don’t run across too many in this shape. There are two days left on this auction, the bidding is in the $1,350 range and so far it has not reached the seller’s reserve price. This one comes from the same seller and also has not yet reached its reserve price: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This is an original pressing with the New York 23 labels. The bidding is in the $650 range. Surely, the bidding will move into the four figures, but whether that meets the seller’s price won’t be known until the auction actually closes.

Speaking of records not selling:

Read more

Isn’t This a Lovey Day?

Lovey copyI am watching about 10 jazz records on eBay now and not a single one of them has even a single bid. Could it be that the dog days of August are a good time to be buying? Or are sellers ratcheting up their prices as they see more and more high-ticket sales? Or is it nothing at all and the bidding will come in, as it usually does, at the last minute? In any case, here are some of the items, starting with one we’ve never actually seen in person: Lovey Powell, Lovelady, Transition 1. This looks to be an original pressing with the original booklet. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is M-. Not a record you see very often. This one has a start price of $247.50 and there are more than two days left on the auction. Do you expect it to sell? I do.

Read more

Four Jazz Classics, and Nary a Blue Note

Art Farmer copyAnd now for some more jazz vinyl from our eBay watch list, starting with Art Farmer Quintet, Prestige  7017. This is an original yellow label pressing with the New York address. The record and cover are both listed in VG+ condition. The price is only at $88 with less than a day left on the auction. Someone may be in line for a bargain (and a great record). In the same vein, and from the same seller, there is Art Farmer and Gigi Gryce, When Farmer Met Gryce, Prestige 7085. This is also an original New York pressing, listed in Ex condition for the record and the cover. Based on the seller’s descriptions, it looks like Ex is a higher grade than VG+. This one is at a bit more than $200.

While we’re on Prestiges, there is:

Read more

Tracking Some Nice 10-inch Jazz Vinyl

Bud Powell vinyl copyI happened to notice some nice 10-inch jazz vinyl on eBay this morning, so let’s start today’s post with The Amazing Bud Powell Volume 2, Blue Note 5041. This is an original 10-inch pressing that looks to be in M- condition, although the seller is not a record person and didn’t actually attempt to grade it. It looks quite lovely in the pictures, and that is definitely one of my favorite Blue Note covers. The bidding is now in the range of $235 with more than two days left and I would expect this LP to sell for quite a bit more. The seller has several other nice 10-inch LPs for sale, including Horace Silver Quintet, Blue Note 5062. This is also an original pressing, and the description is similar to the Powell record, no actual grading, but an implication that this one is also in M- condition for the record and the cover. The current price is around $125.

While we’re on the subject of 10-inch Blue Notes, there is also:

Read more

The $1,000 Bin (And Beyond)

Chambers copyLet’s catch up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with Paul Chambers, Whims of Chambers, Blue Note 1534. This was an original Lexington Avenue Pressing that was listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It wound up selling for $1,136. It’s amazing how the prices for these original Blue Notes have gone up in the years we’ve been doing Jazz Collector. A few months ago we saw a copy of this record sell for more than $2,700. Back in 2004, I gave myself a hard time for spending $300 on a M- copy of the same record.

This one did not sell because it did not meet the seller’s reserve price: Red Rodney, Signal 1206. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The top bid was $1,501. It’s hard to imagine that any of us, collectors or sellers, would have ever thought that $1,500 was too low a price for a single jazz record, but that day has certainly arrived.

This one made it into the $1,000 bin and actually did sell, despite the condition:

Read more

In The Jazz Vinyl Vortex Once Again

Dave Bailey copyI’m watching a few items from the current Jazz Record Center auction on eBay, including: The Dave Bailey Sextet, Bash!, Jazzline 33-10. This is an original pressing Kenny Dorham, Curtis Fuller, Tommy Flanagan and others. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover looks to be about VG+, based on the description. The bidding is at $200 with nearly three days left before the auction closes.

Oliver Nelson, The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Impulse 5. This is an original mono promo copy with the white label. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover looks to be about VG++. The bidding is at $100.

This is one that is completely new to me:

Read more

1 20 21 22 23 24 39