Another Adventure in Jazz Collecting, Baltimore Part 2

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailI had thought I was finished buying collections. I had gotten so much joy out of buying the Irving Kalus collection last year, I thought nothing else would compare. It was such a nice collection I didn’t think I’d ever be able to top it, so why try? I’d hardly bought a record at all in more than 18 months. I had passed on every inquiry coming in to Jazz Collector. I was happy and content with the collection I had amassed during the past 40-plus years of being a jazz collector. I am not a dealer, I am a collector, proudly so, and I have no aspirations to be a dealer. My site is Jazz Collector, not Jazz Seller.  It’s been about three years since I even sold a record on eBay. So what would I do with even more records?

Yet here I was with this list of records sitting in front of me. And it was an odd list.

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Three Tenors

boydSo many records, so little time. Here are some of the jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay:

Rocky Boyd Quintet, Ease It, Jazztime 001. This is an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It features Kenny Dorham on trumpet and we’ve seen a copy sell for nearly $700 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This one is at about $330 with a day and a half left on the bidding.

The seller vinylrealist is back with some nice items, including: Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This is an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record ad M- for the cover. Seller took some very nice pictures, which always helps the listings. This one has a start price of about $900 and a buy-it-now price of about $1,200. So far there are no takers at either price. Did anyone notice that this seller commented on Jazz Collector recently to explain his pricing strategy? I was surprised no one commented.

Here’s another beauty:

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Four Classics From the Jazz Collector Era

quiet kennyBack in the business of watching eBay — not much of a business, is it? — and here are some items on the watch list, starting with Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This looks to be an original pressing with the purple labels and deep grooves. The record is described as VG++. The seller loses a little credibility when he describes the cover as “VG+  to maybe VG++” when it is clearly VG+ at best. There’s a bit more than a day left in the bidding and the price is only in the $560 range. I say “only” because this record will likely get bids over $1,000 if, indeed, the bidders believe the condition is really VG++. In any case, the price will have to get higher, as it has yet to reach the seller’s reserve.

Here’s a nice one from Atomic Records with a $1,000 starting price: Hank Mobley With Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan, Blue Note 1540. This is an original Lexington Avenue flat-edge pressing with the frame cover. It is quite a beauty, in M- or VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover.

Here are a couple of nice 10-inch Blue Notes priced somewhat optimistically, at least from the sellers’ perspectives:

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Some Surprises in the Bidding?

hankLet’s catch up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley, Mobley’s 2nd Message, Prestige 7082. This was an original pressing with the deep grooves and the New York address. It had a promo label stamp and perhaps a small cutout hole, which the seller described as a “worm ” hole, a term new to us in this context. The record was listed in VG++ condition and the cover was VG+. The final price was $1,075.

A lot of people have commented with appropriate surprise at some of the relatively low prices on the auctions we were watching from the Jazz Record Center, including: Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This was not listed as a first pressing, but it seemed to clearly be an early pressing, with one side having the original New York 23 label and the other having a West 63rd label. The record and cover both looked to be in M- condition. The price was $373. I’d have paid more if I was paying attention.

On the other hand, this one sold for a higher price that I would have perhaps expected although, to be fair, the prices on these 4100-series Blue Notes have been skyrocketing: Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles, Blue Note 4175. This was an original pressing that looked to be in immaculate M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $583.56.

 

 

Three for the $1,000 Bin?

elmo hopeHere are some jazz vinyl auctions we are watching on eBay, starting with Elmo Hope, Informal Jazz, Prestige 7043. This is an original New York yellow-label pressing, with a promo stamp on the back cover. The record and cover both look to be in M- condition. This record, of course, features John Coltrane and Hank Mobley and was later issued as “Two Tenors.” There will be a lot of interest in this one. There are six days left in the auction, there are already five bids and the bidding is in the $300 range already.

Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1650. This is an original West 63rd, deep-groove pressing. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG. The bidding is getting close to $700 with three days to go.

Here’s one for the $1,000 bin: Sonny Criss, Go Man, Imperial 9020. This is a weird cover, isn’t it: Two white people, with a lot of nice leg, and no indication that this might be a black artist playing jazz. Anyway, this one was in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $1.292.

 

 

 

From the Jazz Collector Inbox

hankSorry I haven’t posted in a few days. I have a house full of guests in The Berkshires and have surrendered my office for several days. But I am back with a new feature. This one we can refer to as “stuff from the email inbox.” At Jazz Collector, we do get more than an occasional email. Sometimes it’s readers to point out particular records on eBay that either surprise or anger or intrigue them. Often, we get inquiries from readers looking to assess and/or dispose of collectibles. Sometimes this turns into a nice opportunity for us, as was the case with the Irving Kalus collection I purchased last year, In Memory of a Jazz Collector. To give you an idea, here’s what’s come in during just the past few days:

Louis Armstrong Autograph: “Hello. I stumbled on your site while researching values for 78 records and an autograph of Louis Armstrong and his band at the time (late ’30s, early ’40s) and wondered if you could help me find a place that I could get a value on these items?”

Jazz Book Collection: “My father was a massive jazz connoisseur, collector and discographer but sadly passed away in April, Age 92. Attached is a list of his books, which we wish to sell.  We have done some EBay etc. research but would prefer a deal for the job lot via a dealer, or at least a select job lot. A number of the books have been signed by the authors and dedicated personally to my father.”

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568: Hi Al, Great blog! I post every once in a while. Here’s a recent eBay experience about 1568

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A Few “Wowees” For You

hankThere’s been some interesting — and big — sales of jazz vinyl during the past few days, so let’s get right to it:

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was a “original” pressing although it likely did not have the New York 23, since the seller is very knowledgeable and didn’t mention anything. Some sticklers only view this as original if it has the New York 23 label on one side. The record was in M- condition and the cover was probably VG++.  It sold for $4,050.

This one wasn’t getting a lot of action early in the bidding and I thought, perhaps, I might even sneak in with a low bid and snatch it. Fat chance: J. R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in Ex condition for the record, which I take to be around VG+ for better, and probably VG+ for the cover, based on the seller’s description. The record sat there for a long time with no bids, but then . . . . Eventually the bidding reached $1,435.

On this one, CeeDee sent me a noted titled “wowee” and someone else also mentioned it on a previous post, so I guess the high price has caught some attention:

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First Pressing? Who Cares

MobleyHere’s a catch-up on some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching:

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was a West 63rd Street pressing, deep grooves, but it did not have the New York 23 so, I guess, that would make it a clear second pressing, but a very early second pressing? The record was probably VG++ with some light surface noise and the cover was VG. The price was $908.

Kenny Dorham, Round ‘Bout Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. The consensus seems to be that this was a later pressing using old Lexington Avenue labels and an older Lexington Avenue back cover. It was listed as a first edition, however, replete with flat edge and deep grooves. The record was probably VG++ and the cover was VG. It sold for $578. It was, by the way, the same seller as the Mobley, who did all right with a couple of records that were not quite first pressings.

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

A few more:

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A Trio of Rare Jazz Records To Start The Week

thadHere’s some rare jazz vinyl we are/have been watching on eBay:

The Magnificent Thad Jones Volume 3, Blue Note 1546. This was an original New York 23 pressing in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,136. This is the first time we’ve ever recorded this record in the $1,000 bin in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, although, admittedly, we don’t update the guide as often as we used to.

Chet Baker, Quartet and Sextet, Music LPM 2094. This is an original Italian pressing, very rare, very nice music. The record and the cover are both in M- condition. The bidding is now in the $200 range with three days to go, but the price hasn’t yet hit the seller’s reserve.

Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This is a West 63rd deep groove pressing without the New York 23. The record is in probably VG+ or maybe VG++ condition, while the cover is VG. The price is in the $250 range with three days to go.

 

 

 

Two for the $1,000 Bin, Two for The Watch List

A couple of albums we were watching this weekend broke into the $1,000 bin: Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,150. Also, Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This was a West 63rd Street pressing without the New York 23, which I think is an original, contrary to my previous post. This one was from the same seller and was also listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,202.

Here are a few we’re watching now: The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer, Prestige 7066. I’m trying to see if there’s something wrong with this one. It looks like an original New York yellow label pressing and it seems to be in pretty nice shape, at least VG+ for both the record and the cover. The auction closes tomorrow and the bidding is only at $30, which seems kind of low for an original Prestige in the early part of the 7000 series. Is there so little interest in Brookmeyer? I mean, Moondog Prestige  records sell for a lot more than Brookmeyer records, it seems.

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