A Pair of Blue Notes, A Pair of Prestiges

Monday morning, so let’s catch up with some jazz vinyl auctions we were watching over the weekend, starting with a couple of Blue Notes: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing in Ex condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $987. Long-time readers will know that this one is still near the top of my want list and also that I would never pay $987 for a copy. It’s nice to have holes in the collection so that there always remains excitement in the hunt, at least for me. Just filling in all the blanks by paying top dollar on eBay is a valid way to build a great collection, and it’s probably a great investment as well, given how prices for collectible jazz records keep rising. But it’s never been my choice in how to build a collection. This following record, in fact, is one I had in my collection and sold because one of our readers here at Jazz Collector made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: Horace Parlan, Us Three, Blue Note 4037. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing with the promo stamp. It was listed in VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,078.99.

From Blue Note to Prestige:

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Five For the Watch List

I just spent some time perusing jazz vinyl listings on eBay and, my, I was able to fill up my watch list quickly. Here are some of the items, starting with: Pepper Adams, Donald Byrd, et al, Motor City Scene, Bethlehem 6056.  This is a rare one you don’t see very often. In fact, I don’t recall ever seeing a copy of this record in any store or any collection. This one is in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. It closes in a couple of hours and the bidding is at $450.

 The Return of Art Pepper, Jazz West JWLP 10. This looks to be an original pressing in VG+ condition for the record and probably VG or a little better for the cover, based on the seller’s description. It also closes today and the bidding is in the low $200 range.

Temptation is back: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This looks to be an original pressing listed in Ex condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. There are two days to go and the bidding is in the $250 range. Father’s Day is in a few weeks. Hmmm.

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In Search of a Score

Here are a couple of  jazz vinyl auctions we’re watching now on eBay.

One of these days, we’re going to spring for an original pressing of Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This is an original pressing that looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. A nice looking copy overall. The bidding closes in four days and the price is nearly $300. Will this be the one for me? Doubt it. I’ll still be hunting for a copy that I’ll consider to be a score, i.e., at a price below market value. That’s part of the fun for me.

Case in point: Dizzy Reece, Soundin’ Off, Blue Note 4033. This is an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It is closing later today and is also in the $300 range. This is one I waited and waited for, hoping to get for a bargain. And, recently, I did. Bought this as part of a larger group of Blue Notes and paid the equivalent of about $40 for it. That’s what I consider to be a score.

 

Live From Las Vegas: Jazz Vinyl

Sorry I’ve been delinquent in posting. I’ve been in Vegas on a work assignment and haven’t had as much time on my hands to peruse the jazz vinyl bins on eBay. So here’s a little bit of what I missed.

I’ve never owned this version of this record, just a reissue. I love the cover: Sonny Clark Trio, Time 70010. The record looked to be in M- condition based on the description, and the cover was probably VG++. This one sold for $845.

Once again I let a copy of this record pass me by: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. This one sold for $749. I watch this record often, because I’d love an original pressing. Are there others out there who share my belief that this is one of the all-time best Blue Notes?

Speaking of all time Blue Notes there was this: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing that looked to be in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. If you get a chance click on the link and look at the listing. It looks eerily similar to those of bobjdukic. Perhaps he’s moved to The Netherlands? Don’t think so. Just someone trying to us his methodology of attracting big bids, I would guess. This one sold for $1,505.

 

 

Mobley Blue Note 1568: Looking For A Record?

As CeeDee was kind enough to point out, there is a killer record (that’s American colloquialism for our Asian and European friends — the record actually hasn’t killed anyone) on eBay now: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This looks to be an original pressing. The cover is described as “Pristine.” The record is described as “Unplayed.”  The price is now more than $1,000 and there are still six days to go on the bidding. There is also a “buy-it-now” price of $5,000 and, frankly, I think someone will pop in to get this gem off the market quickly, setting a new high price for the Jazz Collector Price Guide. The seller has a full description of how he purchased this record, and many others, from the late jazz vinyl dealer Leon Leavitt. This will be one to keep an eye on.

Also on eBay now: Curtis Fuller, The Opener, Blue Note 1567. This too looks to be an original pressing. It is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $700 and there’s a little more than one day left to bid. So far there are no bidders.

How about some of those items we were watching yesterday?

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A Trio of Blue Notes For A Monday Morning

Back to watching records on eBay. Don-lucky send me this as a heads-up, knowing my interest, expressed many times here, in obtaining an original pressing of this record: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that was close to M- for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price was $721.67. This was way too rich for my blood. As I’ve explained, I’m in transition now, with some records in storage, so my collection isn’t all together in one place, so it’s hard to think about buying more records when I don’t even have access to all of the ones I currently own. Still, if I came upon a nice copy of this record for a reasonable price, or if someone offered up a nice collection, I assume the old adrenaline will kick in and I’ll be peeling off $100 bills.

Here’s some jazz vinyl for the $1,000 bin: Kenny Dorham, Round Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it was listed in Ex+ condition for the record — is that better than VG++, but less than M-? — and the cover was VG++. The price was $1,259.77.

This next one didn’t quite make the $1,000 bin but it came close:

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Watching Blue Notes From a New Seller

In between packed boxes, hauling records, driving back and forth between Great Neck, Manhattan and Monterey, Ma., I was actually able to take a peek at eBay and find some interesting jazz auctions that I’ve been watching the past few days. Here are a few:

Ah, the longing . . . how often will I watch this, one of my favorite records, before I finally take the plunge and acquire that original pressing I’ve desired for 20-plus years: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045. This was an original pressing that was listed in  M- condition. It sold for $737, quite a reasonable price, all things considered. It was an interesting auction because the seller, from South Africa, put up a bunch of nice Blue Notes all at once and he had only one feedback rating (at least it was positive). The seller makes the strong case that he is new to eBay, but not to record collecting, and he seems to be knowledgeable. With a more secure seller, this would have sold for more money, right? In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,200. This one came from the same seller:

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Happy Birthday? Well, Maybe Next Year

It so happens the records I mentioned in the Jazz Record Center post happened to be on eBay this weekend: Freddie Redd, Shades of Redd, Blue Note 4045.  This was an original pressing and it was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It was sold by Euclid Records and fetched a price of $1,037. Then there was Paul Chambers, Bass on Top, Blue Note 1569. This also looked to be an original pressing and it was described as VG++ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $461. The question I asked myself, if the Jazz Record Center had these records in the store, and they were set at these prices, would I have purchased them, even as a special birthday present. The answer? Perhaps the Chambers, but definitely not the Redd, even though, musically, I prefer Shades of Redd and it is one of my favorite Blue Notes. I still have a hard time paying more than $1,000 for a record although, all things considered, it’s probably a good investment, right?

Watching Some Blue Note Vinyl, As Usual

Here’s some Blue Note vinyl worth watching on eBay now:

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This looks to be an original pressing, although it would be great to see close-up pictures of the labels if you’re planning to bid, right? The seller lists is in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover and it will certainly sell for more than $1,000: It’s already more than $800 with more than three days to go.

This is the seller who’s been doing well with a lot of nice Blue Notes, including the Mobley 10-incher that sold for more than $2,000 last week. Somehow, I think this will not sell at anywhere near it’s starting price, but you never know: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. This is a mono pressing and it has the West 63rd labels, but . . . there are no deep grooves and no mention of the ear in the deadwax. The seller has a start price of nearly $800.

On the other hand there is this:

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Some Weird Happenings in The $1,000 Bin

I was looking to update the $1,000 bin and came upon this weird item that was mentioned in the Reader Forum: Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims, Blue Note 1530. This was mentioned as an original Lexington Avenue pressing and it sold for $1,925, even though there was no picture of the label and the description of the record was minimal, without even a clear explanation of the condition. How the bidding got to $1,925 on this is hard to believe, except for those of us who watch eBay regularly and know full well that anything is possible. As one of our reader’s discovered, this is actually a United Artists pressing, which means it’s worth maybe $30, depending upon the condition. The seller has only 96 feedbacks, so let’s hope this is an honest mistake and not a scam.

This one looks more legitimate, but a little weird as well: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1668. This one was listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG/VG+ for the cover, although there was a lot of tape damage in the picture and there was also a name written broadly on the label. It sold for $1,900, which is hard to fathom given the pictures of the cover and the label.

This one is definitely legitimate, and quite lovely:

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