Jazz Collector | For Those Who Love Jazz | eBay auction results for Classic Jazz LPs

Jazz Vinyl From eBay and Remembering a Score

August 19, 2013 Al 15 comments

Another slow week of posting for me. Sorry about that. But it’s Monday, a fresh week, a beautiful day and here I am back at my post full of fresh optimism. This week I vow to post at least once every day, starting with: Wayne Shorter, Speak No Evil, Blue Note 4194. This was an original pressing with the NY USA label, the ear and the Van Gelder stamp in the dead wax. Seller describes the record and cover as Ex, which probably translates to VG+ or VG++, based on the more detailed description in the listing. I’d probably grade it VG+ if it was my record. This one sold for $560. This seller had a bunch of other nice listings last week, but this one fetched the highest price. Here are a couple more: Sonny Rollins, The Sound of Sonny, Riverside 241. This was an original deep groove pressing with the white labels. The record was listed as Ex+ and the cover was Ex-. The price was $318.66. Ray Draper Quintet, Tuba Sounds, Prestige 7096. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and New York address. The record was rated Ex- and the cover was listed as VG. No idea why the seller varies the descriptions between Ex and VG. In any case, this one sold for $141.80.

This seller also had a large number of items last week, including:

And The Bidding Is . . . . WHAT?

August 14, 2013 Al 12 comments

OK, I could use a good explanation for this one: Paul Chambers, A Jazz Delegation From the East, Score 4033. This is a reissue of the album originally released on Jazz West. The record is in G condition, described by the seller as “rough.” The cover is in VG- condition, with tape and wear clearly visible in the picture. Not necessarily a record to display proudly on your shelves and, in this condition, probably not one to place on your turntable either. Someone wants it, pretty badly, though. There are 11 bids, three bidders and the price is already more than $100. Because . . ?

From the same seller is this: Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059. This is possibly an original pressing with the deep groove on one side, although the seller is only showing one label. Without seeing the other label, I have my doubts. Also, there seems to be an issue with the condition. The seller lists the record as VG and the cover as VG+. However, if you look at the picture of the back cover, it is clearly not close to VG+, with a really bad stain. If that is VG+, you kind of wonder what the VG vinyl looks like. I imagine others have similar concerns. The bidding is at $89 with 12 hours to go. If bidders were confident in the condition and the provenance, the bidding would likely be a lot higher.

Blue Note

A Blue Train Wreck?

August 13, 2013 Al 21 comments

This week’s mailbox brings a note from Don Lucky about this listing: John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. It was listed as an original pressing in VG+ or VG++ condition for both the cover and the record. When the seller says the back cover is VG+, does that mean the whole cover would be considered VG+, even if the front is clean and near mint? Interesting question to ponder. More interesting are the comments from Don Lucky, which are as follows: “It has a nice cover, but it is not the original tone as defined by Fred’s book. The white “Blue Train” should be creme, the “Blue Note 1577” should be a charcoal, the “John Coltrane” green is too bright, and the photo is blue, not green-blue. This one also doesn’t show us the address on the back or list it, so in my mind its a bit of a gamble at that price.” What price was that? How about $1,880.05.

That Lee Morgan record we were watching yesterday, Blue Note 1541, which seemed to be not an original or perhaps a scam, wound up selling for $698.50 with five bidders. I guess we’ll watch the feedback on that one.

A Tale of Two Lees

August 12, 2013 Al 8 comments

It’s hard to see how anyone can bid on this listing: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This is listed as a mono pressing in near mint condition for the record. The cover is listed as VG. There is only one picture of the cover, no pictures of the labels or anything else, including the back cover. No mention of deep grooves or RVGs or Lexington Avenues or anything else. My bet is that this is a United Artists pressing from the 1980s. Still, some people are willing to take risks. There are three bids on this record and the price is close to $200. Perhaps the buyer won’t mind getting a United Artists pressing? Oh, yes, and the seller has a history of 13 items and an approval rating of 93 percent. By contrast, this listing has all of the information you would be looking for: Lee Morgan Volume 3, Blue Note 1557. This is an original deep groove pressing with the West 63rd Street address and the New York 23 labels. The record is VG+, but the cover is G with mold on the back. The price is in the $170 range, but it hasn’t yet met the seller’s reserve price.

I have a lot of 10-inch Prestiges, and you don’t often find them in M- condition, so this one is quite appealing: Stan Getz Volume 1, Prestige 102. The vinyl is M- and the cover is VG++. The seller is Atomic Records, which tends to be conservative on the grading, so this one must be really nice. It closes later today and the price is about $80.

One more Prestige:

Three for the $1,000 Bin?

August 7, 2013 Al 11 comments

Here are some jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay, starting with Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This is an original New York yellow-label pressing, with a promo stamp on the back cover. The record and cover both look to be in M- condition. This record, of course, features John Coltrane and Hank Mobley and was later issued as “Two Tenors.” There will be a lot of interest in this one. There are six days left in the auction, there are already five bids and the bidding is in the $300 range already.

Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1650. This is an original West 63rd, deep-groove pressing. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG. The bidding is getting close to $700 with three days to go.

Here’s one for the $1,000 bin: Sonny Criss, Go Man, Imperial 9020. This is a weird cover, isn’t it: Two white people, with a lot of nice leg, and no indication that this might be a black artist playing jazz. Anyway, this one was in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1.292.

From the Jazz Collector Inbox

August 6, 2013 Al 36 comments

Sorry I haven’t posted in a few days. I have a house full of guests in The Berkshires and have surrendered my office for several days. But I am back with a new feature. This one we can refer to as “stuff from the email inbox.” At Jazz Collector, we do get more than an occasional email. Sometimes it’s readers to point out particular records on eBay that either surprise or anger or intrigue them. Often, we get inquiries from readers looking to assess and/or dispose of collectibles. Sometimes this turns into a nice opportunity for us, as was the case with the Irving Kalus collection I purchased last year, In Memory of a Jazz Collector. To give you an idea, here’s what’s come in during just the past few days:

Louis Armstrong Autograph: “Hello. I stumbled on your site while researching values for 78 records and an autograph of Louis Armstrong and his band at the time (late ’30s, early ’40s) and wondered if you could help me find a place that I could get a value on these items?”

Jazz Book Collection: “My father was a massive jazz connoisseur, collector and discographer but sadly passed away in April, Age 92. Attached is a list of his books, which we wish to sell. We have done some EBay etc. research but would prefer a deal for the job lot via a dealer, or at least a select job lot. A number of the books have been signed by the authors and dedicated personally to my father.”

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568: Hi Al, Great blog! I post every once in a while. Here’s a recent eBay experience about 1568

Lee Morgan, Right Off the Shelf (Sort Of)

August 2, 2013 Al 14 comments

Let’s start this lovely Friday morning with a lovely Blue Note: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. There are more than two days left in the auction and the price is in the $725 range, on it’s way to . . . somewhere in the $1,000 bin. This was one of the first Blue Note records I ever bought back in the early 1970s when I started collecting. I bought it at Sam Goody’s, right off the shelf. Unfortunately, what was on the shelf in those days was a Liberty pressing with reprocessed stereo. In all the years since, I still haven’t been able to upgrade my copy, which I still own. But one of these days . . . .

We did a post a few weeks ago about collectible records by female musicians (not singers) and, if I recall, this one topped the list: Lorraine Geller at the Piano, Dot 3174. This is an original deep groove pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The price is in the $100 range with just more than a day left. We have seen this sell for as much as $1,580 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Blue Note

Click

July 31, 2013 Al 4 comments

A 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,

Three Tenors

July 30, 2013 Al 3 comments

There were many records we were watching this past week on eBay, so let’s get right to it, starting with Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This was an original deep groove pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. There were just two bids, but the record sold for $542.10. I am a big Sonny fan, as most of you know, and I think this is the only 12-inch Rollins record from the ’50s or ’60s where I am still looking for an original pressing. I’ll keep looking because the price of this one was too much for me.

Not sure when this became a $240 record, but apparently it did: John Coltrane, Live at the Village Vanguard, Impulse 10. This was an original orange-label pressing we presume, although the information in the listing was all screwed up. It was listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover, assuming that was the description for this record. Someone took a chance and won the auction at $239.

And, for the $1,000 bin we have Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing with the West 63rd address. The record and cover are both in VG++ condition. The record sold for $1,275.

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