The first note I received was very simple: The subject was “Jazz Record Center Auction – Coltrane Third Pressing.” The message body was one word: “Insane.”

Now, I have to be honest here: I don’t know for sure if this record is a first, second, third, fourth or fifth pressing. With Atlantic, once they get past the black labels, green labels and bulls-eye labels, it’s something of a mystery to me as to what is a first pressing. I generally trust the Jazz Record Center, but like others have noticed, they sometimes use the word “original” when it is not necessarily a first pressing. How our email correspondent came up with the definitive notion that this is a third pressing, is not something I can answer. Hopefully someone here can, and then we can have a better guide to Atlantic.

The second note came under the subject: “John Coltrane on Atlantic.”

Here is the text:

“In my never-ending quest to understand jazz collecting better I was curious to know if anyone could comment on what I though was a very low auction price for this John Coltrane My Favorite Things record from the Jazz Record Center. Versus this high price example on Popsike.”

For those not inclined to click the link, the Popsike copy of My Favorite Things sold for $1,525 more than three years ago. Here’s a photo from that auction.

To continue the email:

“The purple edge variation on the cover is the only visible difference I can see. The JRC example isn’t ‘pristine’ as the Popsike entry reads. Is that it? Both records seem NM, although the JRC version doesn’t have that in the listing. There are less-priced examples on Popsike, but not the same condition. I’m sure I’m missing something obvious to you or one of the experts on Jazz Collector – mind cluing me in? Thanks. Always love reading the site!”

This was my reply:

“Hi. I’m just back from vacation. I’ll post your question next time I do a post. To me, the interesting thing is the $1,500 price rather than the $255 price. My Favorite Things, as great as it is musically, has never been one of the most valued collectibles. It I were to guess an answer, it would be the purple edge, but that would just be a guess. Surely someone in the Jazz Collector audience will have a viable answer.”

Yes?

The post A Few of My Favorite Things first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]> https://jazzcollector.com/jazz-vinyl-on-ebay/a-few-of-my-favorite-things/feed/ 33 9130 https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/four-classics-from-the-golden-age-of-jazz-vinyl/ https://jazzcollector.com/blue-note/four-classics-from-the-golden-age-of-jazz-vinyl/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2015 14:40:56 +0000 http://jazzcollector.com/?p=6552 Now that I am back with a working computer, and fully recovered from the shock of the latest surge in prices for jazz vinyl, I [...]

Now that I am back with a working computer, and fully recovered from the shock of the latest surge in prices for jazz vinyl, I can get back to the business of watching rare records on eBay, starting with Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York 23 labels on both sides. The record is in M- condition and the cover is listed as Ex. There’s about a day and a half left in the bidding, and the price has already reached $1,225. However, it has not yet reached the seller’s reserve, so there’s a possibility this one may not even sell, despite what some might consider to be a pretty high price tag.

The Jazz Record Center  has an auction closing in two days, including John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This is what Fred calls a “P” pressing, although I’m not sure what the “P” actually stands for. It is the one with the deep grooves, ear, RVG stamp and West 63rd Street address, but no New York 23 on one side. I’ve always assumed this is a second press? Anyway,

the start price for this record is $500 and there is a bidder so the record will be sold. From the same auction is John Coltrane Plays the Blues, Atlantic 1382. This is an original mono pressing with the red and purple labels. Frankly, I’m not sure how to distinguish between the various Atlantic pressings to determine what is, or isn’t an original, but I always trust Fred because there is no one more knowledgable. This record is in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $100 and there is also a bidder, so this one will sell as well.

Here is another Blue Note from my want list that will likely remain on my want list until I find a less expensive copy, which may be forever the way prices are going up: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York 23 labels. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. There are more than two days left in the auction and the bidding is in the $275. I certainly would not be surprised if this one were to approach or enter the $1,000 bin.

 

The post Four Classics From the Golden Age of Jazz Vinyl first appeared on jazzcollector.com.]]>

Dexter Gordon, One Flight Up, Blue Note 4176. This was an original mono pressing, still in its original shrink wrap. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. It sold for $255. This was among a bunch of later original Blue Notes I was watching from the same era. Others included Blue Mitchell, The Thing To Do, Blue Note 4178. This also looked to be an original mono pressing and was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $280. Also: Wayne Shorter, JuJu, Blue Note 4182. This was also an original mono pressing and was listed in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover, with water damage and tape repairs. Nonetheless, it sold for $265. Here’s another one that seems destined to sell in the same range as these, perhaps even higher:

Wayne Shorter, Night Dreamer, Blue Note 4173. This looks to be an original mono pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. As of this writing the bidding is in the $150 range with more than two days left on the auction.

Finally, there was that mega rare copy of John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was the one with the bullseye label from bobdjukic (it’s scary how I can spell that name now without having to look it up). This one sold for a quite amazing $645.

Ornette Coleman, Change of the Century, Atlantic 1327. This was an original pressing with the black label. I haven’t seen that many black label pressings of this record, but I never considered it to be that much of a collectible. Perhaps I need to change my perspective. This copy was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $449.

I had mentioned these two in an earlier post: Curtis Fuller, The Opener, Blue Note 1567. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,291. Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This was also an original pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $751.

This one, from a different seller, fetched quite a nice price:

Jackie McLean, New Soil, Blue Note 4013. This was an original mono pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $787.

The seller bobdjukic as back with another batch of insanely rare records and he brings up an interesting question on this one: John Coltrane, My Favorite Things, Atlantic 1361. He claims this is an original stereo pressing with the blue and green labels and the white fan logo. I’ve actually never know the keys to identifying an original My Favorite Things and I’m certainly not about to trust this guy. Perhaps someone out there can shed some light, mono and stereo? This one is listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The price is already more than $100. Three are additional interesting items from this seller, which I will be watching for future posts. Stay tuned.

This is another nice one that is also lacking bids at the moment: Sonny Rollins, Way Out West, Contemporary 3530. this is an original promo copy in M- condition for both the cover and the record. Looks like a real gem, also with nice pictures from the seller. There is a start price of about $500 and a buy-it-now price of about $700. If any copy of Way Out West would set a new price high, this would seem to be it, an original promo in M- condition. But the start price is up there. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve never recorded a copy of this record selling for more than $300.

One more:

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original black label pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Another beauty. This one will sell. The bidding has just about reached $600 and there’s still more than a day to go.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original black label pressing. It was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $510. It’s nice posting Giant Steps every once in a while so I can put a picture with the post and just take a look at it again — inspiring me to put the record on the turntable.

Perhaps I owe CeeDee an apology for this one: Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams, Out of this World, Warwick 2041. This was an original pressing in what looked to be VG+ condition for the vinyl and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $159.99, higher than I would have expected. CeeDee and I made a trade involving this record and Dexter Calling a few months ago and at some point I may have made some kind of disparaging remark about the Byrd/Adams record. No doubt, it had more to do with the quality of the recording than the quality of the music. My copy just sounded very dull and flat, particularly compared to a Blue Note pressing from the same era.

Thelonious Monk With Sonny Rollins, Prestige 7075. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and what looked to be VG++ for the cover. It sold for $358.99.

What do you make of this: Dexter Gordon, Go, Blue Note 4112. From all appearances this looks to be an original pressing with the New York USA label and the Van Gelder in the dead wax. There is no mention of the ear and the seller somehow calls the record Bass on Top at one point in the listing. Seems a little flaky, but the record and cover were listed in VG+ condition and the price was only $92.89, so someone may have gotten a nice bargain.

Tommy Flanagan, Overseas, Prestige 7134. This is one of the major rarities and it sold like one. The record and cover were both in M- condition. The price was $3,216.66. That’s the first time we’ve seen the record surpass the $3,000 mark in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

While we’re on the topic of $3,000 records: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. This is the listing that mentioned Jazz Collector as a pricing/value source, which we appreciate. The sale price was $3,600.

This didn’t quite make the $3,000 bin, but it gave it a good run: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original purple label pressing in near mint condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $2,650. Do you think there’s a distinction between a record described as “near mint” versus one described as “mint minus?” Just thought I’d ask. “Near mint” has a nicer ring to it, IMHO.

One more:

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original black label pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,202. Hard to believe, but after all of these years of collecting I still don’t have a black label copy of Giant Steps. If anyone out there has a nice one available for trade, I’ve got a lot to offer right now.

How much would you like a John Coltrane autograph? I know I would. This is from the Jazz Record Center: John Coltrane, Bags and Trane, Atlantic 1368. This is listed as an original mono pressing with the red and purple labels — although, for the live of me, I still can’t get the original Atlantics straight once they are past the black labels — but the key to this record is that it is signed by Coltrane, Milt Jackson and Hank Jones. The record and cover appear to be in about VG++ condition. The price is around $750 with more than two days to go. From the same auction is a Jazz at the Philharmonic program from 1956 with a bunch of cool autographs, including Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Connie Kay, Milt Jackson, Roy Eldridge and Flip Phillips. There’s one bidder for this one, so far, and the price is $100.

I was browsing through jazz vinyl eBay listings and saw the words “insanely rare” and figured the controversial (at least here at Jazz Collector) seller bobdjukic was back in action, and he is. This insanely rare record happens to actually be insanely rare, if rarity can be coupled with insanity: Jutta Hipp, New Faces, New Sounds From Germany, Blue Note 5056. This is the original 10-inch Blue Note that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. The current price is $528 and there are still five days to go. Perhaps we’ll get an insanely rare price for this insanely rare record.

The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Volume 2, Blue Note 1532. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing with the Lexington Avenue cover. The record was listed in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $390. From the same seller, in the same vein: The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Volume 1, Blue Note 1531. This too was an original pressing with the original cover. It was in M- condition for the vinyl and VG++ for the cover. It also sold for $390. I was watching these records because I recently acquired copies of each of these that are duplicates for me. They are both in VG++ condition for the vinyl and the cover, and they both have the Lexington Avenue addresses on the label, deep grooves, etc. They have the West 61st Street addresses on the cover, so they are a drop less than original originals. I will probably wind up selling these on eBay, unless someone here wants to make me an offer I can’t refuse.

This one received a bid of nearly $2,000, but failed to meet the seller’s reserve price:

Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad-Lib 6601. This was an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. The top bid was $1,975.

This one has gone up in price since we’ve been watching through the years: Webster Young, For Lady, Prestige 7106. This was an original yellow label pressing with the New York address. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $535.

And then there is John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was an original black label mono pressing. It was listed in M- condition for the record and the cover, but the cover was clearly VG++ because of writing on the back and the record was probably VG++ as well because of a mark that made noise that was “barely audible.” It sold for $575.90.