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What Moves the Vinyl Market? Who the #$%* Knows

March 10, 2017 Al 14 comments

So this auction closed the other day: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was in VG++ condition for he record and M- for the cover and did not have the New York 23 label. The final price was $5,127.51. Interesting that the following record, from the same era, is somehow valued at more than $4,000 less than the Mobley: Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This was also an original pressing, probably in VG++ condition for the record and maybe VG+ or VG++ for the cover. It sold for $897.69. Still a hefty price for sure, but still the discrepancy is quite a spread. Do you think there are really that many fewer copies of the Mobley available on the market? Or is it hype that the Mobley record is widely known as one of the rarest of the rare? Or is it that the Mobley simply a better record? There’s really no way to make judgments about these things, IMHO: The market is the market and that’s what decides the value. So, whatever the reason, the market has deemed Blue Note 1568 to be perhaps the most valuable jazz record of the Jazz Collector era. Ours is not to reason why, ours is just to sell and buy (or something like that).

Back in Jazz Vinyl Action

May 23, 2016 Al 13 comments

Back in action after some minor surgery last week. Feeling good and ready to roll with some jazz vinyl on ebay, starting with a couple of Blue Notes from the Jazz Collector Want List that both broke into the $1,000 bin: Walter Davis Jr., Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. This was an original pressing that looked to be probably M- for the record and VG++ or VG+ for the cover. There were 15 bidders and the final price was $1,125. Then there was Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was also an original West 63rd Street pressing. The record was listed as M- and the cover was VG++. There were 14 bidders for this one and the final price came in at $1,304. Our friend CeeDee sent us a note about this one, but we were already watching it:

Classic Vinyl From The Jazz Collector Era

May 9, 2016 Al 9 comments

Our friends at funkyousounds are back on eBay with some nice jazz vinyl closing this week, including Johnny Griffin, The Kerry Dancers, Riverside 420. This looks to be an original blue label pressing with deep grooves. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is VG. The auction closes later today and the price is in the $170 range. Donald Byrd, Fuego, Blue Note 4026. This is an original West 63rd Street deep groove pressing. The record and cover both look to be in VG+ condition. The bidding is in the $220 range with one more day to go. One more: Miles Davis, The New Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 7014. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York hello label and the original green cover. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The price is now in the $300 range, also with one more day on the auction.

Catching Up (Again) On Jazz Vinyl Auctions

February 7, 2016 Al 11 comments

And now I will clean out some more jazz vinyl from my eBay watch list, starting with Louis Smith, Smithville, Blue Note 1594. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing. The seller listed the record and cover as VG++, although the picture of the cover looked less than VG++ to these eyes. Nonetheless, the record sold for $1,677.

Jazz By Sun Ra, Transition 10. This was an original pressing with the booklet. The record was listed in Ex condition and the cover was VG++. The final price was $1,475. In a similar vein there was also Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra Playing Secrets of the Sun, Saturn GH 9954. This was an original pressing. The record was probably VG+ based on the seller’s description and the cover was also VG+. The final price was $1,135.

These have all been mentioned in previous posts, but now we have final prices to consider:

A Rare JAzz Vinyl Quartet

January 21, 2016 Al 15 comments

Here’s a nice 10-inch Blue Note you don’t see very often: Tal Farlow Quartet, Blue Note 5042. This is an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The seller describes the record as being in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The pictures of the record look horrendous. I assume that is just the flash, but as a seller, you’ve got to be more careful when posting pictures. This has a start price of $99 and there are no bidders. Not sure if that is a function of the start price being too high or the poor quality of the pictures. I’d like this record, but not sure I’d be willing to take the chance.

Here’s another one that appeals to me: Elmo Hope, Meditations, Prestige 7010. This is one of the few early Prestiges I don’t own. The record and cover are both in Ex condition, which translates to VG+ in my lingo. It’s an original New York yellow label. There’s shrink wrap and a price label, and I don’t quite know what to make of that because they weren’t using shrink wrap when the record first came out. Probably doesn’t mean anything. There are 10 bids, but it’s still only in the $100 range, which would be quite a bargain for this record. Of course, the price will go up, but by how much? We’ll see tomorrow.

Back to Reality (Sort of)

January 20, 2016 Al 7 comments

I see that everyone is quite focused on the Dr. Herb Wong collection from the seller funkyousounds, so please feel free to continue the discussion on the previous post. For me it’s time to move on to some other records on eBay, starting with a batch from the seller vinyl.unlimited. You may recall that this seller had a bunch of very nice jazz vinyl, seemingly from the top of my want list, but the bidding wasn’t reaching the reserve prices. Well, that changed as the auctions closed and most of the records did wind up selling, and fetching top prices as you might expect. A couple of examples: Cliff Jordan, Cliff Craft, Blue Note 1582. This was an original pressing that was described as VG++ for both the record and the cover, although, IMHO, the dirt on the back of the cover and the labels precluded this record from being VG++. Hopefully the seller was more scrupulous with the vinyl. This one sold for $1,275. Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original purple label pressing with a promo stamp. The record was listed as M- and the cover was VG++. The final price was $3,284.56.

Lovely Jazz Vinyl . . . But at What Price?

January 13, 2016 Al 9 comments

I’m watching a lot of rare jazz records on ebay now that have reserve prices. As a seller, I used to occasionally use reserves, but as a buyer I find them annoying. I’d much rather place a bid and know that, if it is the top bid, then I will get the record. Even though I rarely buy on eBay these days, there is a record I’m watching closely, as we are getting close to my birthday once again. I probably shouldn’t mention it here because that will only heighten the interest, but it’s doubtful I’ll actually bid for it so here goes: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG+ condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The bidding closes in four days and is in the $150 range, but it has not yet reached the seller’s reserve price.

The seller vinyl.unlimited has a great batch of records on eBay now, but they mostly seem to have reserve prices as well, and many have not yet reached those prices. Some of the listings are:

Four Classics From the Golden Age of Jazz Vinyl

June 2, 2015 Al 9 comments

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,

Dial Jazz Collector For Blue Notes

December 5, 2014 Al 34 comments

Yes, that copy of Sonny Clark Cool Struttin’ sold for $2,400, which was the buy-it-now price. Do you think it was a reader of Jazz Collector? I do. This would be a week to fill in those Sonny Clark gaps in your Blue Note collection, if you were inclined to spend a small fortune to do so. Also on eBay: Sonny Clark, Dial S for Sonny, Blue Note 1570. This looks to be an original West 63rd pressing listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. We would, of course, expect this to sell for well more than $1,000, and perhaps entering into the $2,000 bin. Right now the bidding is at $811 with more than four days to go. Also on eBay: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This also looks to be an original pressing. It is listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. This will also be a record that will sell in the four figures, I would assume. Right now the bidding is at about $350, but there are five days left on the auction.

While we’re on the subject of Blue Notes, here are:

Blue Note

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