Tag: Hank Mobley

Mono, Stereo, Blue Note, Riverside

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The Jazz Record Center has an auction closing this week. Not the normal list of heavyweights, but some nice records, including: Bill Evans, Explorations, Riverside 9531. This is the original stereo pressing with the black label. The record looks to be in M- condition and the cover is probably M- as well. The current price is about $110 and there are two days to go. Maybe this is a week of stereo pressings, because there is also this: Blue Mitchell, The Thing To Do, Blue Note 84178. This is an original stereo pressing and it looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $100 and so far there are no takers. With the Blue Notes, there’s something about the monos that make them feel “more original.” I find with the later Riversides, such as the Evans LP, I don’t have the same preference for the mono pressing.

This one got a pretty high top bid, but did not sell because it didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price:

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Jazz Vinyl Today: Keeping Up With The Tempos

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It’s always fun discovering records I’ve never seen before, even discovering them on eBay: Case in point: Victor Feldman and Tubby Hayes, Transatlantic Alliance, Tempo TAP 19. This I assume is a British pressing. The record is listed in VG or VG+ condition and the cover is VG+. The price is already more than $500 with a day to go, so I imagine this is quite a rare record. Along the same lines, from the same seller, another one that’s new to me: Victor Feldman and Tubby Hayes, Swingin’ the Blues, Tempo TAP 21. This one seems to be in similar condition — VG or VG+ for the record and VG+ for the cover. The price on this one is also around $500.

Didn’t realize this one was a $100-plus record: Curtis Fuller, Soul Trombone, Impulse 13. This is an original pressing with the orange label and RVG in the deadwax. It is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover and the current price is a bit more than $100, closing fairly soon.

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A Few For the $1,000 (And More) Bin

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Here’s a recap of some of the jazz vinyl auctions we’ve been watching on eBay:

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This was the one that was in M- condition for the record and VG++ or M- for the cover. It sold for quite a hefty price, $4,600, but not a record high. This guy was bid all the way up to $2,720 and STILL didn’t meet the seller’s reserve price. Wow: Jackie McLean, The New Tradition, Ad Lib 6601. The record was described as being in M- condition and the cover was VG++ or M-.

This one, believe it or not, entered the $2,000 bin: Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby, Riverside 399. The seller didn’t actually apply a grade for either the cover or record, but noted that the vinyl was in “great shape” other than for a paper scratch or two. Somewhat reassuring, but not enough for me to wager $2,075, which is what the winning bidder put up. It was a white label promo copy, but still.

Here are a couple more for the $1,000 bin:

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Watching (and Buying) Some Rare Blue Notes

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Like many of you I’m greatly intrigued by the discussion on Why We Collect but, alas, I cannot shirk my normal obsession and obligation to keep an eye on collectible jazz vinyl on eBay. Here are some of the items I’m watching:

Lou Donaldson, Lou Takes Off, Blue Note 1591. Hard to believe, but I never had an original pressing of this record — until now. I have made a little bit of a purchase, including a bunch of Blue Notes. I will give you more details once the full purchase is complete, probably sometime next week. In the meantime, I’m watching this to see if I overpaid. This one is listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It is currently at about $215 with another day to go. I expect this to go for quite a bit more, with the added benefit of Sonny Clark on piano.

This one could set a new record, perhaps: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is an original pressing listed in near mint for the record and what looks to be at least VG++ for the cover. The seller is reputable and has been posting some very nice items the past few weeks. This one is already more than $3,100, yet it hasn’t met the seller’s reserve. In the Jazz Collector Price Guide we’ve recorded this as selling for $5,600 in the past, the highest price we’ve ever seen for a single jazz record.

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A New Batch of Jazz Vinyl For The New Year

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Happy New Year to everyone. Here are a few more items going into the Jazz Collector Price Guide. No links on these.

Jimmy Raney Quartet, New Jazz 1101. I like this one because of the maroon and white label, which you rarely see. There were just a few 10-inch New Jazz LPs, so they are pretty cool, and pretty rare. This one was probably in VG or VG+ condition for the record and the vinyl. It sold for $157.50.

Now a bunch of Blue Notes:

Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. This was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $600.

Lou Donaldson, Wailing With Lou, Blue Note 1545. This was an original West 63rd pressing in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $688.

Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. Also an original pressing, of course, this one in VG+ condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,343.

Dexter Gordon, One Flight Up, Blue Note 4176. This one was in M- condition for the record and VG for the cover. It sold for $200.

Hank Mobley, Soul Station, Blue Note 4031. Record was M- and cover was M-. Price was $1,465.

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Going Up . . . Up . . . Up . . .

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Here’s some interesting jazz vinyl auctions that closed this week.

We need a new explanation for this one: Horace Silver, Song For My Father, Blue Note 4185. Admittedly this is a great, classic record and this was an original mono pressing in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. Why is there a new explanation needed? Conventional wisdom has said that because of the initial popularity of this record, there has always been a relatively abundant supply of original pressings in decent condition. Conventional wisdom may be changing. This particular copy sold for $405. Our previous high for this in the Jazz Collector Price Guide was $334 and, at the time, we considered that to be an aberration. What’s this?

And this? Gene Ammons, Blue Gene, Prestige 7146. This was from the same seller and it was also in near mint condition for the record and the cover. You’d normally expect this in the $40-$50 range, maybe a drop higher because of the condition. This copy sold for $164.50.

This next one got quite a high price, but not a surprising one:

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No Holiday For Watching Jazz Vinyl

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It may be the holiday season around much of the world, but eBay never takes a vacation. Neither, apparently, does Jazz Collector. Here is some interesting jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay. We’ll start with the $1,000 been. This one is still for sale: Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560. This is an original pressing that’s listed in near mint condition for both the record and the cover. The price is already more than $1,100 and there are still two days to go.  This is also a regular to the $1,000 bin: Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was an original pressing, deep grooves, purple label, and it was listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,415. Merry Christmas for someone. John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 1573. This was an original pressing that was either M- or very close to M-, based on the seller’s description. It sold for $1,156.99.

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

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A Really Rare Record & an “Insanely Rare” Record

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Here’s some of the jazz vinyl we’re watching now on eBay, starting with: Charlie Parker, The Bird Blows the Blues Volume 1, Dial 901. This is the original 1950 pressing and is, to our collective knowledge here, supposedly the first 12-inch LP ever. Based on the description, it sounds as if the record is in VG++ condition. I wouldn’t mind having a copy of this (which I don’t). This one closes in more than three days, is at a little bit more than $100 and has a reserve price, which has not yet been met. Hmmmmm.

From the same seller is Hank Mobley, Mobley’s Message, Prestige 7061. This is another one I once owned and now regret selling. This one looks to be in VG condition, perhaps VG+, but probably VG. It is about $120 with a few days left to go.

If it’s “insanely rare” it must be the seller bobjdukic, who is back with a bunch of records, including:

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Into the $1,000 Bin, Including Rare Autographs

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We’ve been away, now we are back, and we see that we’ve missed some pretty heavy-duty sales on eBay for some pretty heavy-duty dollars.Let’s catch up.

I think we predicted these two would sell for more than $2,000 and they did: Hank Mobley Quintet, Blue Note 1550. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $2,350. From the same seller was Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny, New Jazz 8225. This was also in M- condition for the record and the cover. The price: $2,075.

How about this one? Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, Mercury 60134. This was an original stereo pressing and it’s the one that features John Coltrane. What does it normally sell for, maybe $30? This one, however, offered by Euclid Records, happened to have been autographed by both Cannonball and Coltrane. What does that make it worth? How about $1,037. Don Lucky, where were you on this one? I know many of you are blase about autographs and actually prefer records that don’t have autographs, but to me, having a record signed by two of my heroes, that’s just priceless. Well, perhaps not priceless, but $1,037 seems a reasonable price.

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Watching a Trio of Blue Note LPs

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I have quite a long watch list of jazz vinyl on eBay at the moment, including a bunch that are closing today from the same seller, including: Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet, Blue Note 1509. This is an original pressing with the Lexington Avenue address on both labels and, I think, on the cover as well if my aging eyes don’t deceive me. When I looked at this yesterday there were no bids at a $200 start price, but I see today there is at least one bid. Although this is an early 12-inch Blue Note and it is clearly an original, this one tends not to be as valued as some of the other early Blue Notes. Once of the reasons, for sure, is the fact that the tracks here were originally issued on 78 and don’t have the same sound or cachet as the later Van Gelder recordings that were made for the LP format. Also, as great as Milt Jackson was, his records aren’t in the same category as some of the other artists of his era. Must be the vibes. Still, this is a record I would love to have in my collection, particularly this one  — in M- condition for the record and cover. Will I actually bid? I think I may. Stay tuned.

This is from the same seller and is already at quite a high price tag, considering the popularity of this record and the number of copies out there:

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