Finding the Right Price: Some LPs Sell, Some Don’t

Clifford JordanLet’s catch up on some items we’ve been watching on eBay, starting with: Cliff Jordan, Blowing in From Chicago, Blue Note 1549. This is a deep groove pressing with two different labels: One has the New York 23, the other doesn’t. What does that make this? A very early second pressing? This one is in VG++ condition for the record and probably VG+ for the cover, based on the seller’s description. The auction closes in about four hours and, so far, there are no bids with a start price in the $550 range. I know the seller is a reader of Jazz Collector, so, if it doesn’t sell and you want to make a trade, you know where to find me.

We thought this one would end up in the $2,000 bin, but it came up just short: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. Very nice. It sold for $1,845.

Here’s another that may not sell: Sonny Rollins Plays, Period 1204. This is an original deep groove pressing. The record and the cover are both listed in VG+ condition. The start price is around $500 and so far there are no takers with four days to do.

This one did not sell and has been relisted:

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Speculating on Some Rare Jazz Vinyl

LeeHere are some jazz records we’re watching on eBay, starting with this beauty: Lee Morgan Sextet, Blue Note 1541. This is an original deep groove Lexington Avenue pressing in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. There are more than two days left in this auction and the bidding is already more than $1,100. Think this one will surpass $2,000? I do. I’m sure the seller hopes I’m right.

Not sure what to make of this one: Eric Dolphy, Outward Bound, New Jazz 8236. This is an original purple label pressing with a couple of oddities. One, it has a “Preview Copy” stamp on the back, which looks original. But is also has a cutout hole through the cover and the label. Usually the cutout hole was used for returned copies, not preview copies. I can’t recall owning any other Prestiges with both a Preview Stamp and a cutout hole. Perhaps Rudolf, who had the rare distinction of buying copies directly from the Prestige warehouse, can shed some light on this?

Wonder if this one will sell:

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Priced In and Out of the Market

hancockCeeDee sends me occasional links to auctions, accompanied by somewhat cryptic messages. This one was titled “boo hoo” with the additional note “I am slowly being priced out of the market, for the moment.” The LP in question: Herbie Hancock, Inventions and Dimensions, Blue Note 4147. This was probably an original pressing, with deep grooves, which I guess is acceptable for this record, based on the Fred Cohen guide. The record was in M- condition and the cover was probably VG++, with the signature of a previous owner very prominent in black marker on the back. I, for one, would not pay $605 for this record under most circumstances, and certainly not with someone else’s name etched forever on the cover in black marker. Neither, I assume, would CeeDee. But somebody would and, indeed, somebody did.

Here’s one I would have purchased for $605, and probably been quite pleased, although that would be more than I’ve ever spent on one record: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original pressing in what was described as VG++ to M- condition. My guess is it was probably M- and the seller was trying to be conservative. My $605 wouldn’t haven won the record, of course. Neither did the top bid of $1,025, which failed to meet the seller’s reserve price.

 

 

Goin’ up, Up, Up

LeeLet’s catch up on some of the items we were watching and which generated some interest among the Jazz Collector community.

Wynton Kelly, Kelly at Midnight, VeeJay 3001. This was the stereo pressing in M- condition. Most of us, it seems, were quite surprised when the bidding on this approached the $400 range. It ended up selling for $565, with 24 bids and what seemed to be three serious bidders.

A Swinging Introduction to Jimmy Knepper, Bethlehem 77. This was an original pressing in M- condition. This is the one that has Bill Evans as a sideman. When I wrote about this record, there were no bids at a start price of $135. By the time the auction closed the bidding had reached $338. Coincidence?  I don’t think so. I would think the post had something to do with generating interest, particularly spotlighting Evans as a sideman, which the listing failed to do.

I had a feeling this one would break into the $2,000 bin, and it did: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This was an original deep groove West 63rd Street pressing in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $2,225.

 

E-Baying With Knepper, Evans and Blue Notes

I have quite a long watch list on eBay right now, so let’s get right to it. This is a record I’ve never seen before and, frankly, wasn’t even aware existed: A Swinging Introduction to Jimmy Knepper, Bethlehem 77. This is an original pressing with the red label and deep groove. I took a quick look at the personnel and was surprised to see the pianist listed as one “B. Evans.” I would have thought that the presence of Mr. Evans would have brought this record to my attention before. Perhaps it has and I just forgot about it. It wouldn’t be the first time. In any case, it’s got a great cover, it’s got Bill Evans on piano and it’s an original  pressing from 1957. Also, it’s in M- condition. I would think there’d be a strong collectible market for this. We’ll see. So far there are no bids at $135, but there are still three days left to go before the auction closes.

Here are a few Blue Notes on our radar:

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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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Just Another eBay Day

Here are a few jazz records we’re watching on eBay, starting with The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Volume 2, Blue Note 5057. This is an original 10-inch pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The start price is $175, the auction closes in more than three days and so far there are no bidders.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This is an original deep groove black label pressing. The record and cover are both in VG+ condition. There’s about five hours left in the auction and the bidding is in the $350 range.

Speaking of rare records by female artists, as we were a couple of weeks ago: Toshiko Akiyoshi, Her Trio, Her Quartet, Storyville 918. This is an original deep groove pressing in Ex condition for the record and VG for the cover. It closes in about 13 hours and, so far, has no bids at a start price of $200.

Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This is a West 63rd deep groove pressing without the New York 23 on the labels. It is in M- condition for both the record and the cover. Pricing is at about $560 with more than two days left to bid.

 

 

 

Live From LA: Blue Notes

We continue our Western swing and we are now in Los Angeles where we may have time to peruse a record store or two today. Any recommendations? In the meantime, we are back on eBay and watching some jazz vinyl with great interest, seeing as how we won a few bucks in Vegas, starting with a few Blue Notes:  Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565. This looks to be an original West 63rd Street pressing with the New York 23 labels. The record is listed in VG++ condition and the cover is VG+. The bidding closings later today and is currently in the $400 range. Hmmm. This is a gap in my collection.

Lee Morgan, The Cooker, Blue Note 1578. This is also an original pressing and it is listed as Ex+ for the record and Ex for the cover. This one closes tomorrow and the bidding is in the $500 range. This is also a gap in my collection, but I have a feeling this one is going to go for $700-plus, too rich for my blood.

Dizzy Reece, Star Bright, Blue Note 4023. This is another original pressing. The record is in M- condition and the cover is in M- condition. The start price is about $400 and so far there are no bidders with three days to go.

 

 

Danish Jazz, Anyone? Blue Notes, Anyone?

Here’s one that almost made it to the $3,000 bin: Sahib Shihab and the Danish Jazz Radio Group, Oktav OKLP 111. This was an original Danish pressing listed in Ex condition for both the record and the cover, with just a single photo on the listing. The bidders must have had a lot of confidence in the seller because the record sold for $2,965. Last time we saw that record in the Jazz Collector Price Guide it sold for $1,953. This seller had quite a week. This next one went deep into the $3,000 bin: Presenting Jazz Quintet 60, Fontana TL 687.527. This was another Danish original, from 1963, and it featured, among others Bent Axen and Neils Hennings Oersted Pedersen. It was described as being in pristine condition and sold for a whopping $3,617.89. Imagine buying these records in the mid ’60s for, what, the equivalent of five bucks or so each, and now selling the two of them for $6,500? What’s more, if you look at the seller’s completed auctions, you see another record that sold for $2,240: Jazz Quintet 60, Metronome 15124.

Here are a few nice Blue Notes:

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When an Original is Not an Original

I was watching a few jazz vinyl auctions as they closed the other day with some degree of interest because of what I considered to be the clear misuse of the word “original.” Here’s an example: Lee Morgan, Lee-Way, Blue Note 4034. This was labeled as an “original mono pressing from 1964.” What does original mean in this case? It is clearly not a first pressing, since the address on the label is New York USA. The seller is a veteran eBayer and I’ve bought from him a few times and I’ve always had good experiences. So he knows the difference between a real original and a pseudo original. Was a buyer duped in this transaction? Well, there were pictures of the label and the New York USA labels were clearly stated, so if someone thought this was an original first pressing, he was being quite careless and/or was ignorant. It’s hard to tell from the price. The record sold for $136.50, but the back was stained and in VG- condition. My bet is if the listing did not use the word “original” then a second (or third, or fourth) pressing of Lee-Way with a stained back cover would not have sold for more than $100. So the seller probably made a few more bucks and the buyer got a later pressing with a stained cover.

Here’s another one that’s hard to figure:

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