Watching Closely As an Auction Winds Down

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I happened to go onto eBay just a few minutes ago and this auction was closing: Miles Davis, Dig, Prestige 7012. The record and cover were both in extremely nice condition, just a notch below M-. I decided to just watch and see how the action transpired in the closing minutes. It was actually quite fascinating. When I started watching, with a few minutes left in the auction, the price was in the $150 range. This was quite low, I thought, although I never considered bidding myself. I actually own two copies of this record, both in beautiful condition. As I was watching and as the seconds dwindled down, it shot up to about $250 and then, in rapid succession as the action was closing in the last 12 seconds to $350 then the final price of $463, which is about where I would have expected it to land.  If you look at the bid history, there seemed to be four bidders in the final stages and my guess is that each of them was using sniping software. The second highest bid was $458, so the next highest bid had to be $5 more, for the $463. We’ll never know exactly what the top bid may have been, but at $463 for this classic Prestige original, I would think that both the buyer and seller would be quite pleased. Yes?

A Bounteous Batch of Blue Note Beauties

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If you were to jump onto eBay today, as I have just done, you will find a large number of very nice original Blue Note records in extremely attractive condition. It isn’t always this way, but it certainly is now, and here a few to peruse, starting with: Curtis Fuller, Bone and Bari, Blue Note 1572. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ (or better) condition for the record and M- for the cover. This record features Sonny Clark on piano. The start price is $500 and so far there are no bidders, but it’s safe to assume that there will be. This seller, bluenote5, has a bunch of nice Blue Notes on eBay right now. For instance, Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This is another original pressing with the New York 23 label and it is also close to M- condition, based on the descriptions. The start price is also in the $500 range and so far there is only one bid.

Hank Mobley and his All Stars, Blue Note 1544. This is an original West 63rd/New York 23 pressing and looks to be in at least VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding has already surpassed $500 and there are still five days to go.

And then there are some nice Blue Notes from the Jazz Record Center, including:

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Catching Up on Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

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Let’s catch up with some of the jazz vinyl auctions we may have missed while we were caught up in our birthday euphoria, starting with: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad-Lib 6601. This was Rudolf’s listing in M- condition for the record and E for the cover. It long ago exceeded it’s reserve price and wound up selling for $2,247. We assume this was a duplicate.

Also for the $1,000 bin: Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $1,680.55.

John Coltrane, et al, Tenor Conclave, Prestige 7074. This was an original pressing with the yellow label and New York address. The record looked to be VG++ for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. When we first looked at this record there were no bids at a price start of about $100. Eventually bidders came along and it sold for $250, a relatively inexpensive price for a great record, IMHO.

 

 

 

 

 

Another Story

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So I said there would be another birthday story from yesterday and here it is:

About a week ago, you may recall, I posted an item about a lovely Phil Woods 10-inch record on the New Jazz label (Of Prestiges and Great Tenor Records). I mentioned that this would be of particular interest to a good friend, who has a passion for both 10-inch LPs and Phil Woods. That friend is the oft-mentioned Dan Axelrod and when he saw that post he emailed me a listing of yet another 10-inch Phil Woods record from the same era, and that was called Encores, the Phil Woods New Jazz Quintet, Prestige 191. And Dan told me that this is the record that has been at the top of his want list for years, and that it should also be at the top of my want list. Why? Well, in looking longingly at this record over the course of many years, Dan discovered that it was actually recorded on February 4, 1955. That was the exact date of my second birthday. Which was cool enough. But, in addition, there was actually a song on this record called “Toos Bloos.”  Get it: Too’s Blues and I was two on the day it was recorded. Well, to be honest, that coincidence didn’t do all that much for me, but for Dan it was a sign. I had to own this record. It was “my” record. And, if I had even one shred of a doubt, Dan told me one more fact that seemed to be the clincher that this was, indeed, a signal from a power far greater than any of us that this was “my” record and I must, at any cost, own it: Read more

A Story Goes With It

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You may recall several weeks ago I wrote a post for The Lovely Mrs. JC. It wasn’t entirely altruistic: She was seeking help from the Jazz Collector community in acquiring a birthday gift for me, preferably an original Blue Note that would fill a gap in my collection (A Blue Note Birthday). Helping her was, of course, helping myself. Well, it is a milestone birthday and the day has arrived and, as you can see from the accompanying picture, my birthday wish has been fulfilled, quite nicely I must say. I also promised I would tell you the story that went with the gift, so here it is, or at least as much as I can ascertain from The Lovely Mrs. JC. I will say that after my plea to the Jazz Collector community there was hardly a groundswell of enthusiasm. The Lovely Mrs. JC received one email. About a week after the initial post I asked her how it was going and she said not so well, so I put up another subtle reminder or two on Jazz Collector. Perhaps I was too subtle, for nothing came in. I gave her an updated wish list with a couple more records and she told me she would follow up with the one person who responded and we decided to leave it at that and I was not to ask about it anymore, lest I run the risk of ruining any suprise. She didn’t

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Tracking Some Jazz Vinyl in Top Condition

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The Jazz Record Center has a new auction up on eBay. I don’t usually follow particular sellers, but I like to follow their auctions because the records they sell are usually in beautiful condition and because they are such a highly respected seller. What they sell is often a current gauge of the market. Here are a few from their current auction, starting with: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1549. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $500 and there is already a bidder.

Miles Davis, Sketches of Spain, Columbia 1480. This is an original deep groove six-eye pressing. I don’t normally think of this as a collectible record, but this one has a start price of $75. We’ll see if it generates interest. It is in beautiful, near new condition.

This is another we don’t often watch here at Jazz Collector:

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Jazz Vinyl With Cool Covers

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I happened to be browsing on eBay last night when several of the auctions we’ve been watching from the seller robertb8640 were closing, so I plucked a few to watch and share, starting with: Thelonious Monk, Piano Solo, French Swing 33.342. I’m definitely developing a thing for some of these European pressings. This is a 10-inch pressing, apparently first issued in France? The record was VG and the cover was VG++. The price was $225.82. Fantastic cover, with a great picture of a pensive Monk.

Johnny Griffin Quartet, Argo 624. This was an original pressing with the very weird split cover. The seller showed some nice pictures of the cover and how it worked surrounding the record. This one was in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $471.88. Is this highest priced of all the Argo records. It is, indeed, according to the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

 

 

 

Esquire vs Prestige: Is There A Difference in Sound?

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I think I’m developing a little thing for the original Esquire covers. Here’s the latest I’m watching: Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 1, Esquire 32-173. Having been based in the United States during my whole jazz collecting life, many of these records are absolutely new to me, even though many of them are at least 50 years old. I think that’s one of the great things that eBay has brought to collecting: Creating a market where just about every item you can conceive — or even those that you can’t conceive — will at some point make an appearance. Anyway, this one is in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. The start price is $199 and so far there are no bidders with more than three days to go. The seller claims that this pressing has better sound than the original U.S. pressing. That sounds quite difficult to verify, but I imagine someone out there may have both pressings and could do a comparison. Rudolf? Speaking of Rudolf, it looks like this one of his has reached it’s reserve price and will sell: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. This one is M- for the record and Ex for the cover. The price is now more than $2,000 and the auction closes in two days.

 

 

Of Prestiges and Great Tenor Records

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Prestige Day at Jazz Collector. This one is for a good friend who has a passion for 10-inch LPs, and for Phil Woods: Phil Woods, New Jazz Quintet, New Jazz 1104. Man, look at that cover. Phil looks like he’s about 15. The record is in M- condition and the cover is VG to VG+. Start price is $250 and it’s closing in four hours. No bidders so far.

Sonny Rollins, Tenor Madness, Prestige 7047. This is an original New York pressing. The record and cover were listed in VG++ condition. The bidding is in the $275 range with more than a day to go. Someone recently sent me a list of something like the 50 greatest tenor sax records ever. I quickly glanced at the list to see what was #1 (it was either Giant Steps or A Love Supreme). I looked to see where this record ranked, since it would have it in my top two or three. But it wasn’t on the list. I clicked my off off the link and never looked back. I’m sure a quick Google search and someone will find it and post it here. I would have it Tenor Madness had been on the list.

This is another great tenor record I listened to recently for the first time in years:

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