I’m surprised this one isn’t getting any more action with just one day left on the auction:

Duke Jordan, Flight To Jordan, Blue Note 4046. This looks to be an original pressing with the West 63rd Street address, deep grooves, ear, et al. The record is described as VG++ to mint, and the cover is described as VG++. All in all, a very nice copy. So far the bidding is in the $80 range and has failed to meet the seller’s reserve price. I imagine there will be some heavy action at the end of the auction, but I guess we’ll see.

The bidding on this one is also light and, in my own interests, I probably shouldn’t even be mentioning it here because I may want to bid on it. But, what the heck: John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original black label pressing listed in Ex condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price is less than $60, but there are three days left for it to reach it’s market level, which will probably put it out of my reach anyway.

Here’s another one you’re not going to see too often: An autographed copy of Bill Evans, Portrait in Jazz, Riverside 315. The Bill Evans signature is on the back cover and it is dated from 1974. The record is an original pressing with the deep grooves and blue label and it seems to be in about VG++ condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the record. The auction closes tomorrow and the bidding is in the $150 range with 13 bids and what looks to be eight different bidders. Wouldn’t mind this one myself. Hmm — birthday is coming up.

Actually, if I was really thinking birthday, my preference would be an original black label pressing of Giant Steps. I was reminded of that from this listing from our old friend bobdjukic: John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is a stereo pressing with the bullseye label. Of course it is listed clearly as “mega rare.” Amazingly, I have never owned a black label Giant Steps. The copy I have in my collection is a bullseye stereo, similar to this one. I put it on the turntable the other day and wasn’t very pleased — a combination of mediocre condition and not the greatest sound. I said to The Lovely Mrs. JC that I really should have an original Giant Steps in nice condition in my collection. I wasn’t necessarily hinting at a birthday present, but come to think of it, perhaps that was a subconscious plant on my part. I’ll be on the lookout on eBay and see what gets listed over the next few weeks.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original deep groove black label pressing. The record and cover are both in VG+ condition. There’s about five hours left in the auction and the bidding is in the $350 range.

Speaking of rare records by female artists, as we were a couple of weeks ago: Toshiko Akiyoshi, Her Trio, Her Quartet, Storyville 918. This is an original deep groove pressing in Ex condition for the record and VG for the cover. It closes in about 13 hours and, so far, has no bids at a start price of $200.

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This is a West 63rd deep groove pressing without the New York 23 on the labels. It is in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Pricing is at about $560 with more than two days left to bid.

Bud Powell, The Scene Changes, Blue Note 4009. This was an original pressing that as described in excellent condition for the record and the cover, which I will interpret to VG++ when I place this record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, which I will do eventually. This one sold for $515.

Guess I’m not going to get a black-label copy of Giant Steps this week. This one had no bidders when we last looked, but wound up attracting three bids and sold for $284.99. C’est la vinyl.

Here’s another tempting one: Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Raney, Two Guitars, Prestige 7119. This is an original New York yellow label pressing listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The bidding is in the $160 range and the auction closes today. If I could get this for less than $250, hmmm . . . . .

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original black label pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and probably M- for the cover. The start price is about $200 and so far there are no bidders. It may come as a surprise to you — it’s certainly a surprise to me — that I, ol’ Jazz Collector himself — don’t own a black-label version of Giant Steps. I have several copies, including the bulls-eye stereo pressing, but no black label. Perhaps if this copy fails to sell, I could strike a trade with the seller, who I know is a reader of Jazz Collector.

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.

Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, Mercury 60134. This was an original stereo pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $410. I’m not going to comment on the prices of the records I’m listing here. They tend to speak for themselves, no?

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was not an original pressing. It was a fairly common mono pressing with the red and purple labels and the white fan logo. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. It sold for $142.50.

Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto, Verve 8545. This was an original stereo pressing. The record and cover were probably in M- condition. The price was $361.

John Coltrane, Ballads, Impulse 32. This was an original orange label pressing. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $410. Our previous high price for this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $205.

Joe Henderson, Mode For Joe, Blue Note 4227. This was a Liberty pressing. Liberty Pressing. It was in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $154.02.

Enough for now. Here are a couple of other auctions we were watching.

We started watching this when there were about two hours to go on the auction and there were no bids at a start price of about $100: Donald Byrd, Byrd’s Word, Savoy 12032. This was an original pressing with the blood red label and heavy vinyl. It looked to be in VG++ condition all around and sold for $125.55. We thought it would get more play. Perhaps if it were offered by a different seller and labeled as insanely rare . . .

Abbey Lincoln With the Riverside Jazz Stars, Riverside 251. This was a stereo pressing with the black label. Haven’t seen it like this in stereo before with the word “stereo” prominently displayed over the title. This one looked to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $128.70.

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.

Here are a few interesting items closing in the next day or so:

John Coltrane, Giants Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original black label mono pressing from a reputable seller. The record is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the vinyl. It’s closing later today and the price is around $160, but it has yet to meet the seller’s reserve price. Hard to believe but with all the years I’ve been hunting records, and the size of my collection, I actually don’t own a black label Giant Steps. The one in my collection is the stereo bulls-eye. Perhaps if this doesn’t meet the reserve price, the seller and I can trade? Are you listening out there? I know you read Jazz Collector.

Sonny Rollins, Newk’s Time, Blue Note 4001. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and VG++ or so for the cover. The auction is closing today, the bidding is around $200 and there is still a reserve price that has yet to be met. I just picked up a second copy of this LP for myself. Not sure if I’ll put it on eBay or keep it. These things are so rare these days, it feels like they should be kept and preserved and treasured, even if you have more than one. Not to hoard, but to sort of own and preserve the history. Anyone else starting to feel that way?

This seller has some nice items up this week so you can take a look at this and see the other items as well: Introducing Johnny Griffin, Blue Note 1533. You need to read the listing carefully on this. The picture shows the Lexington Avenue address, but the description notes that it is a split address, one side Lex, one side West 63rd. Early second press, wouldn’t you say? Although many of you out there would call it an original, based on early discussions here at Jazz Collector. The record here is in M- condition, the cover is described as “OK” condition. There is a start price of about $350 and so far there are no bidders. For me, I’d rather have the same label on both sides, even if it’s a second press and both labels are West 63rd. Not sure why I feel that way, but I do.

Here’s one in VG condition for both the record and the cover: Jutta Hipp, Blue Note 5056. This is the 10-inch LP, quite rare. How important is condition to you? This one is at about $75 with about a day to go. It will probably sell for close to $200 even in this condition. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide our top price for this record is $662 but, of course, that one was in M- condition.