Four For the Jazz Collector Price Guide

Griffin Jazz VinylHere’s some more high-end jazz vinyl we’ve been watching:

Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was in very nice M- condition for the record, but just VG for the cover. The cover condition did not seem to dampen the interest by too much. There were 28 bids and the record wound up selling for $1,802.

Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580. This looked to be an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It has the cover by Andy Warhol, of course. I would have expected this to perhaps get into the $1,000 bin, but it didn’t. It sold for $767.

Jutta Hipp, At the Hickory House Volume 1, Blue Note 1515. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It sold for $1,164.

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Tracking Some High-End Jazz Vinyl

Jazz Vinyl Afro CubanHere’s some high-end jazz vinyl collectibles we’re watching on eBay, starting with: Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This looks to be an original pressing, although the seller could certainly be more forthcoming with details. Then again, the seller has a rating of just 98.1 percent, so that could be a warning right there. The record is listed in M- condition and the cover is VG. The bidding is close to $800 and there are still two and a half days left on the auction.

Another Blue Note: Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580. This looks to be an original pressing and, of course, it has the Andy Warhol cover. The record is listed in Ex condition and the cover is listed as VG+. The price is in the $400 range and there are more than two days left in the auction.

This looks like a rerun:

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Nice Records, No Bids (So Far)

Lester YoungI’m watching the latest auction from the Jazz Record Center and there are some nice items, but not a lot of action. Wondering if a non-Pay-Pal-policy has any impact on the bidding? Here are a few of the items:

We were talking last week about perhaps less of an interest in some of the earlier pre-bop artists and some of the more mainstream labels, such as Norgran. This one is up for bid: Lester Young, The President, Norgran 1005. This is an original yellow label pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and at least VG++ or M- for the cover. The start price is $250 and, as yet, there are no bids with about two days left.

We were also talking about white label Riversides, such as Kenny Dorham, Jazz Contrasts, Riverside 239. This is an original white label pressing in what looks to be M- condition for the record and the cover. The start price is $200 and there are no bids.

I always think this one should sell for more:

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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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An Early Prestige, A Few from KD

jonWow, that last post drew quite a compelling discussion. I have yet to listen to that Ted Brown record, but it is definitely on the agenda. In the meantime, there are many interesting records currently for sale on eBay, including:

Jon Eardley Seven with Zoot Sims, Prestige 7033. This is an original New York yellow label pressing. The record is in VG+ condition and the cover is VG++. The start price is in the $300 range and, with nearly three days left in the auction, there are no bidders yet. We would expect this one to sell, but you never know. It is Prestige and not Blue Note, after all.

Kenny Dorham and the Jazz Prophets, ABC Paramount 122. This looks to be an original deep groove pressing. It’s not simple to decipher the condition based on the seller’s description, but I would guess that the record is between VG+ and VG++ and the cover is probably about the same. The start price for this one is $300 and, with less than two days left, there are no bidders.

Speaking of Kenny Dorham:

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A Few From the Jazz Record Center

tedOur friends at the Jazz Record Center have an auction closing this week, so let’s take a look at some of their items, starting with: Ted Brown Sextet, Free Wheeling, Vanguard 8515. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for the record and probably VG++ for the cover. The bidding is in the $320 range with a little more than a day to do. This record features Warne Marsh and Art Pepper and, I must admit, is one I have never heard. That will be corrected today, however: When I bought the big collection last summer there was a reissue of this record and it has been sitting on my shelf ever since. Today it will make it’s way onto the turntable.

I can’t figure out why there are no bids yet for this one: Johnny Coles, Little Johnny C, Blue Note 4144. This is an original pressing that looks to be in M- condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $100.

Here’s a nice Riverside:

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From Riverside to New Jazz

quiet kennyNow that we’ve gotten everyone engaged in thinking about their favorite Riverside records, let’s try a couple of other labels. I was thinking about doing Prestige next, but I realized that my entire list up to 10 records would probably be all Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and Miles Davis. So instead of Prestige for today, how about we try New Jazz instead. As usual, I will go first. These are five personal favorites on New Jazz, not “the best.” Also, not including Prestige reissues. I see my list is very straight-ahead, if you know what I mean. Here goes:

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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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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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Two Pairs: Blue Notes, Prestiges

Eric DolphyHere are some more of the jazz vinyl auctions we are watching now on eBay:

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This is an original mono pressing with the purple labels and the deep groove. It looks very nice from the picture, although the grades are only VG+ for both the record and the cover. I was watching this all week and there were no bids for a long time at a start price of about $200. The auction closes in a few hours and now there is a bid. I don’t think it will be the only one, because, as I said, the record looks really nice in the photos. Here’s another Dolphy from the same era: Eric Dolphy, Out There, New Jazz 8252. This is also an original pressing with the purple label and deep grooves. The record is in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. It also looks very nice in the photo. The start price is around $250 and there is one bidder, so the record will sell.

This one is mentioned by a commenter in the post below, but we’ll write about it here and see what people think: Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This one is listed as having the deep groove, flat edge, ear, etc., but from the picture it doesn’t look like a deep groove. Also, there is the question of whether the cover is an original framed cover. What does everyone think? Is it just a poor picture that would indicate a lack of deep grooves, or is it just a later pressing with Lexington Avenue label? I have

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