The seller of the Pepper record fared better than some of these other sellers, who’s records did not attract the minimum bids. Of course, the minimum bids were quite high for each of these records, starting with Leo Parker, New Trends of Jazz Volume 5, Savoy 9018. This was an original 10-inch pressing that looked to be in VG+ condition for the record and probably the same for the cover. There were no bids the first time around at $400, but the seller has it relisted for the same amount now.

Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. This looked to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was listed in VG+ condition and the cover was listed as VG, with a pretty beat up back cover. The starting price was $650 and, like the Leo Parker, this one is back again on eBay at the original starting price.

Eric Dolphy, Far Cry, New Jazz 8270. This looked to be an original purple label deep groove pressing listed in VG condition for both the record and the cover. Similar situation as the others: High original starting price of $575, no bidders, back on eBay for the same amount.

Is it worth it to keep listing at the same start price, or is it more effective to lower the price to try to attract interest? An existential question for the ages, I imagine.

This is a weird article: 5 Minutes that Will Make You Love Bebop. I guess it’s part of a series from The New York Timesdesigned to drive online traffic. The very concept that 10 clips of 30 seconds could get someone to love music as complex as bebop is ridiculous on the surface, so I would normally have just ignored it, but several people sent it to me – family and friends, not readers of Jazz Collector, most of whom, I would think, share my opinion. But, perhaps not?

Someone sent me the following clip from Youtube with the following subject and note: “First video of Mobley playing found! In case you didn’t see it, the larger community should know.” And now you do. Sounds pretty awesome, and the comments from listeners are practically orgasmic.

From the same era was Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. This was also an original Lexington Avenue deep groove pressing. The record was listed in VG+ condition and the cover was VG. The final price was $393. Staying on Lexington Avenue, there was J.R. Monterose, Blue Note 1538. This was an original deep groove pressing, listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG for the cover. The final price was $1,180.55.

Moving from Lexington Avenue to West 63^rd Street we head in the direction of the $2,000 bin, starting with Paul Chambers Quintet with Donald Byrd, Clifford Jordan, Tommy Flanagan and Elvin Jones, Blue Note 1564, This was an original deep groove West 63^rd Street pressing, listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $2,205. From the same seller was Lee Morgan Volume 3, Blue Note 1557. This was another original pressing listed in just VG condition for the record and the cover. The final price was $2,146.21. These latter two were among the ones that apparently were purchased for $3 each by Vintage Vinyl in St. Louis, as described by our friend Japhy in comments on the previous post.

I personally don’t have a huge issue with the buyer paying $3 each for the records. If the seller was happy with that price, so be it. It just surprises me to find someone in the Internet era who was completely ignorant about the potential value of the records. There’s a lot of information out there now. Being Jazz Collector and coming up on a lot of searches, my experience is that most people have done a little research and tend to over-value what they have. I had someone recently contact me about some Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday 78s. She was looking for $10,000 apiece, but said she would negotiate.

Pretty hard to negotiate with someone on another planet. Over the past few years I’ve been generous in sharing information with potential sellers and, if I have bid on a collection, I have tended to make offers that are more reflective of the current market. But, frankly, if someone wanted to sell me a collection with Paul Chambers Quintet and Lee Morgan Volume 3 and the average price was $3 each, I’d whip out my wallet in a nanosecond.

Horace Parlan, Movin’ and Groovin’, Blue Note 4028. This was an original West 63^rd Street pressing. It was listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The final price was $1,154.99. The seller, funkyousounds, had a lot of other nice jazz vinyl LPs on its latest auction. Here’s another: Horace Parlan, Speakin’ My Piece, Blue Note 4043. This was another original West 63^rd Street pressing. The record was just VG and the cover VG+. The final price was $910. And one more: Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. This was an original mono Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was in VG- condition and the cover was also VG-, with a seam split, wear and discoloration. The final price was $341.

Here’s on that’s closing in six days: Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This is an original New York 23 label. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is listed as VG+. The name “John Griffin” is written in black marker on the back cover. The seller claims this is an autograph. Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t. Don Lucky, are you out there? Bidding is at $1,225.

Here’s one from the Jazz Record Center that ended up in the $1,000 bin: Mal Waldron, Mal-1, Prestige 7090. This was an original New York yellow label that looked to be in M- condition for the record and M- or VG++ for the cover. The final price was $1,009. For the record, pun intended, we checked with Popsike and that is the highest price recorded for this particular record. Mal 2, Prestige 7111, the one with John Coltrane, has sold for a high price of $1,400. Left Alone, the Mal Waldron record on Bethlehem, has sold for a high price of $1,625.

We were watching this kind of weird copy of Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. The consensus seemed to be that this was a Liberty pressing using older labels. When we spotted the record on Jazz Collector the bidding was in the $85 range. It wound up selling for $233.28. I have one of similar vintage but with Lexington Avenue labels. It has no deep groove, but it does have the ear and the RVG stamp. Wonder what that would sell for?

I meant to write about this earlier: McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy, Blue Note 4264. This was an original Liberty pressing with the Van Gelder stamp. It was probably in M- condition for the record and cover and was sold by the Jazz Record Center for $810, which seemed quite high to me. I checked the Jazz Collector archives and came upon this article from 2014 “Really, McCoy?”  in which readers were surprised that a copy sold for as much as $171. I will say that the $810 is a new high point for The Real McCoy, nearly double the previous high. Must be inflation.

Speaking of inflation, I also saved a few from an early June Jazz Record center auction because I couldn’t believe the prices. Here are:

Wardell Gray, Los Angeles All Stars, Prestige 147, 10-inch LP, VG++ condition or so for the record and the cover. Price: $799.

Art Farmer Quintet, Prestige 181, 10-inch LP, VG++ condition or so for the record and the cover. Price: $850.

Finally, to close the book on a crazy auction we were watching a couple of months ago,
Gigi Gryce and His Big Band, Jazztime Paris featuring Clifford Brown, Blue Note 5049. Final price: $1,253.44

Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. This is a weird pressing with the New York USA address on both sides and what appears to be a deep groove, at least on Side One. To try to identify the provenance – third pressing, fourth, whatever – would  be a challenge; suffice to say, it one one end of the spectrum it is not an original, and not a Liberty or reissue at the other end. The record and cover are in VG++ condition and the bidding is around $85 with more than a day left on the auction.

Our friend Bill from San Francisco sent us a note under the subject “crazy Hank Jones bid on eBay,” with a link to Hank Jones and Oliver Nelson, Happenings, Impulse A 9132. This was a white label promo copy, listed in VG+ condition for the record and with a cutout hole on the cover. The craziness is that Popsike recorded this one selling for $2,500 with one bid. I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe it is legitimate for a second. Bill, do you? Anyone else?

A couple of more pieces you may have missed while I was away:

Nice interview with Sonny Rollins in The New Yorker, Sonny Rollins on the Pandemic, Protests, and Music.

Nice story on Ella and The Apollo Theater in The New York Times Style Magazine, in support of the new documentary that just came out, Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things. Haven’t seen the documentary yet, but it is on my watch list for this week.

This is new, too, Palo Alto, a newly discovered concert by  Thelonious Monk from 1968.

I actually did bid on a record this past week, which I don’t do very often this days. It was the Phil Woods record I wrote about earlier in the week:

Phil Woods, Woodlore, Prestige 7018. There was about an hour left in the auction and the record was sitting at about $130. I know that The Lovely Mrs. JC has been trying to find a record to give me for my birthday next week, and I also know that her endeavors have so far proven to be unsuccessful. I thought perhaps I’d help us both out. The record was listed in VG condition for both the vinyl and the cover, which definitely made me wary. But I figured it was worth a shot if the seller had perhaps been conservative, especially since this is a record I have long wanted in my collection. (Well, I do have a Japanese pressing, but that’s not the same as an original). Given the condition of the record, and the time left on the auction, I put in a snipe of about $210, figuring I’d have a good chance. It’s more than I would want to pay for a record in this condition, but it was a gift and, ostensibly, I would not supposed to know the actual price. It wound up selling for $284. As some people here in the states say, “no harm, no foul.”

I was curious to see what this piece of memorabilia would sell for: JATP Program Signed by Lester Young. This was part of an auction by the Jazz Record Center. I found it interesting that they chose to list it as a Lester Young autograph when, in fact, the Pres signature was only one of many other signatures on the program. Other signatures were Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Stitt, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge and Percy Heath. Not a bad lineup, just need a drummer. I would guess that the Lester Young Signature is pretty rare, given when he died and some of his personal issues. This sold for $555.50. If you follow the Jazz Record Center link above, you can see the other items they sold on this auction.

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. I’m not sure what pressing this is. There are so many Blue Note permutations to consider. This one has deep grooves and ears and RVG and the West 63rd address. One side has no Inc. and no R, the other side has the Inc. and the R. What does that make it? Probably not a first-pressing original, going by the bidding so far. This on is in Ex condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. There are three days left on the auction and bidding is in the $250 range.

This seller has some nice records, including Hank Mobley Sextet, Blue Note 1560. This has the deep grooves and the West 63rd address, which would seem to make it an original pressing. The record is in VG- condition and the cover is VG. Bidding is in the $400 range and the auction closes in three days. VG- condition, to repeat. Not making any judgments. Just pointing it out for future edification.

Here’s a pretty pair:

Herbie Nichols, The Prophetic Volumes 1 and 2, Blue Note 5068 and 5069. You don’t often see these sold as a pair. These both look to be in VG+ condition for the records and covers. In addition, they come with the rare booklet “The Blue Note Story,” which was issued before Blue Note even had a 12-inch catalogue. If you’re curious about The Blue Note Story, click here. The start price for these records and the booklet is $1,100. So far there are no takers.

Just so it’s not an all Blue Note day, here is Jackie McLean, McLean’s Scene, New Jazz 8212. This is an original purple label pressing with the deep grooves. The record and cover are both listed in M- condition. There is only one bid and that is at about $300.

Lee Morgan Volume 3, Blue Note 1557. This was an original first pressing that was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover The pictures in the listing were pristine and clear. The record sold for $2,253.88. This Lee Morgan didn’t do quite as well: Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. The record was in M- condition and the cover was VG+. The price was $442.89.

Here’s one that features Sonny Clark on piano: Curtis Fuller Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This was an original pressing in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $612.69.

This one did not reach the seller’s reserve price: The Prophetic Herbie Nichols Volume 1, Blue Note 5068. This was an original 10-inch LP that was listed in M- condition for the record and what looked to be VG++ condition for the cover. The top bid was $255, so we won’t know what the reserve price was.

This one had sold for more than $600 last week, but not this time:

Clifford Brown, New Star on the Horizon, Blue Note 5032. This was an original 10-inch pressing in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. The price was $395.

This one, surprisingly, didn’t sell at all: Kenny Burrell, Blue Lights Volume 1, Blue Note 1596. This looked to be an original pressing. The record was VG+ and the cover was M-. It does have the Andy Warhol cover, so cover condition is important. This had a start price of $500 and there were no takers. If I were to pay $500 for a record, this might be one, although the VG+ condition always leaves you open to a lot of variables.

This is a nice New Jazz LP with Phil Woods and Donald Byrd: George Wallington, New York Scene, New Jazz 8207. This was an original pressing with the purple labels and the deep groove. The vinyl was in M- condition and the cover was VG++. The price was $565.55. I remember walking into a local store and seeing this record for three bucks about 15 years ago. Needless to say, it didn’t last long in the store and is still sitting on my shelf at home.

Here’s another original Blue Note: Herbie Nichols Trio, Blue Note 1519. This one looked to be in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. It had the Lexington Avenue address, flat edges and

framed kakubushi cover. This one sold for $493.

Finally, another one I’ve never seen before and it has quite the cool cover: Bill Jennings and Leo Parker, Jazz Interlude, King 295-105. This was an original 10-inch LP. The vinyl was VG+ and the cover was VG and the price was $405. Check out the cover, below.

Miles Davis Sextet, Prestige 182. This was in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. We were thinking about bidding on this because the price was right, but in the end we’re getting rid of records, not adding records. We do have to remind ourselves of this, constantly, each time we see a nice item on eBay, which is several times a day. Anyway, this one sold for $102.50. That’s a pretty attractive price and was in my range. This was in M- condition for both the vinyl and the cover. The price was $233.50.

Howard McGhee Volume 2, Blue Note 5024. This was in M- condition for both the record and the cover and sold for $234.

Here are a couple of nice 10-inch LPs by Lester Young:

Lester Young, Norgran 6. This was in M- condition for the record and cover, quite difficult to find so clean. It sold for $510. Also Lester Young, Aladdin 706. This was also M-. It sold for $576.

Stan Getz, Split Kick, Roost 423. This was in VG+ condition for both the record and cover. It sold for $90.

Finally, let’s finish with a Blue Note flurry: Jutta Hipp, Blue Note 5056. This was VG+ for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $275. The Prophetic Herbie Nichols Volume 1, Blue Note 5068. This was VG++ for the record and cover and sold for $224. The Prophetic Herbie Nichols Volume 2, Blue Note 5069. this was in similar condition and sold for the exact same price, $224.