Tag: J. R. Monterose

Classic Blue Notes from Jazz Record Center

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Our friends at the Jazz Record Center have quite an auction closing this week, including several of the rarest of the rare Blue Notes, starting with Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is a deep-groove West 63rdStreet pressing, no New York 23 label, but it is still considered an original. This one looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and probably VG+ or VG++ for the cover, depending upon how the buyer might feel about a “professional restoration” and a “lightly audible scratch.” This bidding on this one has already surpassed $2,000 with three days of bidding to go.

Here’s another one already in the $2,000 bin: Read more

Bird, Dial, Blue Note And Fillers for the $1,000 Bin

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I have a lot of records stacked in my eBay watch list, some from a few weeks ago, so I am going to use this post to clear things out, starting with some 10-inch records: Charlie Parker, Dial 207. This was an original 10-inch pressing. The record was only in VG condition and the cover was VG++. It sold for $1,075. Not sure why. We’ve seen this record in much stronger condition sell for a lot less. The seller took a great picture of the cover, so maybe that helped.

This seller had some nice 10-inch LPs a few weeks ago, including Clifford Brown Quartet, Blue Note 5047. This one looked to be in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover, perhaps a little better for the record. The final price was $565. Also, Lou Donaldson Sextet, Volume 2, Blue Note 5055. This one was graded M-, but the seller’s description made it sound more like VG++. The cover was VG++. The final price was $350. Read more

M&M&M: Monterose, Mobley, Miles

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Here’s a cool one from our friends at funkyousounds: JR Monterose, the Message, Jaro Jas-8004. This is an original pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. What makes it cool is the personalized autograph from JR on the back, which looks legitimate to these eyes, although I am certainly no expert. If its a fake, someone went to a lot of trouble. Anyway, this one closes in two days and is now in the $405 price range.

For a record that is considered the rarest of the rare, Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568, seems to come up quite often on eBay. Now we have a copy from the seller bobjdukic, so we can only imagine what this will sell for, since he seems to have a strong following of devoted buyers willing to pay top dollar. This one is probably VG+ or even VG++ for the record and the cover. It has the West 63rd Street address on the labels, not the New York 23 on one side, which is the version coveted by the most serious of Blue Note collectors, even though it has been argued often here at Jazz Collector that they are likely of the same vintage and provenance. This one is now at $2,000 with eight days to go on the auction, so we will expect it to sell for a much higher price, all things considered.

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Less Than 50 Copies? Really??????

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Ornette Coleman jazz vinyl on jazzcollector.comHere are some odds and ends from the jazz vinyl world on eBay, starting with Ornette Coleman, ESP 1006. This is an original pressing with the silkscreen cover. The record is listed in Ex+ condition, which I interpret to VG++ in the terms we use here at Jazz Collector. The start price is about $700 and so far there are no bids. What struck me about this listing were that the seller described it as a “holy grail” LP, which is a term I have come to detest after all these years watching eBay. The second thing that struck me was that the seller states as fact that there were less than 50 of these pressed. I find that hard to believe. I feel like I’ve seen at least 50 of these on eBay these past dozen or so years. I tend to doubt it’s the same 50 records going back and forth between collectors. Clifford would probably have a better sense of the veracity and reality behind this record, so please enlighten us when you get a chance.

This one looks appealing, particularly since I still don’t have an original pressing:

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Finding Jazz Vinyl “Bargains?”

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JR copySince I’ve been offline for a bit, let’s catch up on some of the items we were watching when we left, and then we’ll move on to some new items in the next post. Lots of Blue Notes today, starting with J.R. Montrose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for just $667. I say “just” because we’ve seen this record sell for quite a bit more, in even worse condition than this one. I imagine the buyer is quite happy with this purchase.

Lee Morgan, City Lights, Blue Note 1575. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing that was listed inn M- condition for both the record and the cover. This one sold for $775 and that’s another “just” because this record has surpassed the $1,000 mark several times in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Are we seeing a temporary dip in the market as we head into the summer? I don’t follow exchange rates closely — is that an issue that would drive prices down?

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Updating the $5,000 Bin (and More)

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Sonny Clark copyMichael posted this as a comment in earlier post, but it’s worth a mention all on its own: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing probably in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $5,156. There were 13 bids and eight bidders. In the last minute the bidding went from $1,888 to $3,767 to $5,056 to $5,156. I’d be curious to know to which country this record is going, but I don’t think you can discern that from the eBay listing, can you? This is a new one to the $5,000 bin.

It looks like there will be some additions to the $1,000 bin as well: John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This looks to be an original pressing with the New York 23 one one side. It is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. Despite the condition, the record has already been bid up to $1,385 and the bidding will close in about two hours from the time I am typing this.

The bidding on this one is more than $1,200 and there are still SIX DAYS to go on the auction:

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Now Here’s a Rare Jazz Record

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Clark copyHere’s something I would love to hear and own: Bill Evans Acetate, US Army Dance Band Jazz 1951. This seems to be a legitimate recording of Bill Evans in 1951. The problem for me is that the start price is $1,000 and that seems too high unless I planned to do something with it, like transfer it to digital and make it available for broader consumption. I would be willing to do that, but not at that price. It makes me think that we should form some sort of non-profit Jazz Collector collective to acquire some of these rare items to share and preserve them. If you recall, there was also a very rare J.R. Monterose recording  of him as a teenager that we had an opportunity to acquire, as well as a recent Dizzy Gillespie concert and I’m sure many others.

This seller has some interesting items, including Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This looks to be an original pressing listed in VG+ condition for the record and probably VG+ for the cover. The bidding is in the $450 range and there are still two days to go on the auction. We’ve seen this record sell for more than $3,000 on many occasions in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. One of the things I find interesting about this auction is

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Updating the $2,000/$1,500 Bins

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JR copyI step away from eBay for a few days and come back and my watch list looks like it has exploded with records in the $1,000 and even $2,000 bin. First there was this from our friends at Euclid Records: J. R. Monterose, In Action, Studio 4 100. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $2,175. We have seen this one sell for more than $2,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is a new high for us. To me, it’s almost always a surprise when a record sells for more than $2,000. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.

Speaking of $2,000 records, there was also Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ or M- for the cover. In a previous post I admonished the seller for the poor quality of his picture. Turns out the seller is one of our regular readers and, in fact, someone I have had very pleasant dealings with over the years. So I will be a little bit more circumspect in some of my comments. Although, it really was a poor picture. No matter. The record sold for $2,181.

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What Was That About Condition?

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Lee MorganBeen way behind on my posting and even my eBay watching. Lots of stuff going on here. When I left off, these were some of the jazz records I was watching on eBay, starting with: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note  1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record was in VG+ condition and the cover was only VG, with tape, writing, a sticker and shelf wear. The record sold for $2,324. Yes, that is not a typographical error. I was thinking of making a pithy comment, but I seem to be out of pith this morning. I will leave the pith to you, dear readers.

J.R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This looked to be an original Lexington Avenue pressing as well. The record and cover were in VG condition, and the seller mentioned the word “scratches” so that would definitely be a red flag. This one sold for $323.80, reasonable, I would say, but still $2,000 less than the Morgan record.

While we’re on Blue Notes, here’s another that fetched quite a nice price:

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Some Blue Notes That Sell, And One That Won’t

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J.R.Congratulations to our new friend Vinylrealist who is having quite a nice week for himself on eBay. Here are a couple of his recent auctions: J.R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing with a very nice note signed by J.R. The record was in M- condition and the cover was Ex and looked quite nice from the pictures. Would love to own this copy of that record, but not at this price, which was $2,358. Also, Introducing Johnny Griffin, Blue Note 1533. This was also an original Lexington Avenue pressing, listed in M- condition for the record and Ex for the cover. This one sold for $1,985.

I had my eye on this one because I have two copies and was pondering selling one: Cannonball Adderley, Something Else, Blue Note 1595. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing listed in VG++ condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $404. I thought it would get a higher price. I will have a booth at the WFMU Record Fair next Friday and Saturday, assuming there will be no super storm that weekend, and  Read more

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