Labor Day Blues: Kind of Blue, Candy, Monk & Sonny

Here’s some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching over this Labor Day weekend here in the U.S., the nominal end of summer:

Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia 1355. This was an original promo pressing with the white and red label and six eyes. For the most part, promo copies of jazz records don’t necessarily add to the value. With Kind of Blue, however, that is not the case: We usually see the promo copies selling for a premium. I can understand why: It looks way cool and has the smell of authenticity of an original pressing. This copy was in M- condition for both the record and the cover, with a very nice picture, and it sold for $555. There were 31 bids. quite a high number.

There’s been a lot of chatter on the Jazz Collector site about the auction last week by the seller bobdjukic, who always seems to generate a lot of interest, partly because of his extensive use of hyperbole but moreso, methinks, because of his ability to generate high prices. Here are a couple of his auctions we were watching:

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Jazz Vinyl Update For the $1,000 Bin (and More)

Here we go with an update on some of the jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

This one inspired quite a bidding war, with nearly 1,000 page views and 32 bids among 17 bidders: Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note 1588. This was an original pressing. The record was listed as M- and the cover was only VG+. The price was a whopping $3,350.

This one also entered the $1,000 bin (nice picture, huh?): Lee Morgan, Blue Note 1541. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was listed in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ for the cover. The price was $1,385.

I think prices are starting to come back again to previous levels. Look at this one: Zoot Sims, Zoot, Riverside 228. This was an original white-label pressing. The record was described as excellent, which I translate to VG++ and the cover was probably VG+ with tape on the top seam. The price was $457, which is the highest price we’ve seen for this LP in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

 

Watching Jazz Vinyl From the Jazz Record Center

Our friends at the Jazz Record Center have a new auction this week and we always like to keep an eye on their stuff because it gives a pretty good indication of the overall market, which still seems to be down these days, right? Here are a few of their listings:

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Volume 1, New Jazz 8260. This is an original pressing with the purple label and deep grooves. The record looks to be in M- condition, and the cover probably VG+ with some seam splitting. The start price is $75, there are no bidders and there are eight days to go. We’ve seen this record sell for as much as $966 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, so we’d expect that this will fetch a much higher price than the start price. We’ll see.

Horace Parlan, On the Spur of the Moment, Blue Note 4074. This is a weird one, with a Review stamp on one label with the New York USA address, and the other address the West 63rd Street label. As noted by Fred Cohen, proprietor of the Jazz Record Center, the original pressing on this one should have the West 63rd address on both labels. So what does that make this? Here’s where we get into that whole debate again about original and first pressings. This one has a start price of $200 and no bids as of yet.

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A Few For the $1,000 Bin

So what’s been going on at eBay? Here are some recent interesting sales of jazz vinyl:

Lee Morgan, Indeed, Blue Note 1538. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing that was listed in M- condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It was among that batch of records that were originally listed with a very high start price and then re-listed with lower start prices but undisclosed reserve prices. This one was originally listed at $2,500 and eventually sold for $2,450.

This one got a nice price, right: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This was an original pressing in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,352. That’s the highest price we’ve ever recorded for this item in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Not bad for what seems to be a down market.

Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079.This was an original New York pressing, another one with the “EX” grading system, which I’m still not sure how to interpret into the one I use. VG++, perhaps. The cover was VG+. The price was $1,324.

 

If It’s Thursday, It Must Be Blue Note

Did a quick eBay search on jazz vinyl this morning and was quite amazed to see the quantity and quality of Blue Notes for sale right now. Perhaps this is a time to buy, with the market seeming to be somewhat soft. Here are some of the items worth perusing:

This one is already headed for the $1,000 bin: Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan, Peckin’ Time, Blue Note 1574. This is an original West 63rd pressing that looks to be in about VG++ condition for both the record and the vinyl. It closes later today and is already at more than $1,100. This one is from the same seller and it has most of the makings of an original pressing but, unfortunately, not all: Hank Mobley, Roll Call, Blue Note 4058. This is a mono pressing with the West 63rd Street address, the ear, the Van Gelder stamp but no deep grooves. What do we think of pressings like these. They are likely pre- Liberty, right, with the Plastylite ear, but are not the very first pressing? I’d be happy to have this one in my collection even if it is not an original, but the price is already at $250.

This seller also has several Blue Notes in varying conditions, including: Tina Brooks, True Blue, Blue Note 4041. This is an original pressing that’s listed in excellent condition for the vinyl, which we generally take to be VG+, and VG condition for the cover. There’s a day to go on the auction and the price is in the $460 range. From the same seller is:

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eBaying: Overseas, Boats and Blue Notes

Lots of jazz vinyl to watch on eBay, as usual. Here are a few of the ones we’re watching:

I’ve never owned an original pressing of this: Tommy Flanagan Overseas, Prestige 7134. Aside from the regular availability of this record on eBay, I’ve only had a couple of chances to actually hold this record in my hand and pay cash for it. Once, the price was just too high and the second time was a few years ago, I had a chance to buy a collection and this was one of the records. The whole collection was probably about $3,000 and I could have made up a good portion of it by just selling this record, but there weren’t enough other gems to make it worthwhile. I’m still looking for a copy and expect to find one someday at a reasonable price, but this won’t be the one. This one is in VG+ condition for both the record and the vinyl and is already at $1,180. I see that the seller is located near me, so, if you’re out there and a reader, perhaps we can do some trading one of these days.

My son graduated from his masters program at Brown so I don’t get up to Providence as much as I used to, but I see my friend Steve at Round Again Records has found a nice collection and is posting some of them on eBay, including these gems:

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Updating the $1,000 Bin & A Few More

Here are some $1,000 and near-$1,000 records we missed:

Kenny Dorham, ‘Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia, Blue Note 1524. This was an original pressing that was listed in M- condition for the record and excellent condition for the cover, which is, what, VG+, VG++? This one sold for $1,315.

People have already commented on this one elsewhere on Jazz Collector, but it seems reasonable to me, given the state of the Blue Note market: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else, Blue Note 1595. This looked like an original pressing and was in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $1,250.

This one came from the bobjdukic batch and, given the condition, sold for a fairly whopping price tag: Lee Morgan, Indeed!, Blue Note 1538. It was listed as “insanely rare” (of course), but it was also listed in VG to VG-minus condition for the vinyl, which would definitely indicate surface noise. The cover was VG+ and the price was an even $1,000, which, I suppose, is a sign of something  to conspiracy theorists.

Here was an original copy of Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079, the barely missed the $1,000 bin. This looked to be in VG+ or VG++ condition for the vinyl and probably around VG+ for the cover. It sold for $948,

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If It’s Monday it Must be Blue Note

Speaking of Hank Mobley, there’s this: Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is an original pressing and the seller has it in M-condition for the vinyl and excellent for the cover, which typically translate to VG+. There’s only a little more than a day left on the bidding and it’s only $660. I guess a lot of people are lurking in ambush. We’d still expect this to sell for more than $2,000, right?

Here’s a beauty from a seller with zero feedback who is selling his father’s collection, apparently one at a time starting with Kenny Dorham, Afro Cuban, Blue-Note 5065. He describes the record as VG++ and the cover as VG, but his experience is clearly limited so who knows? Pictures look pretty good to me, but the start price is a little rich for my blood: $350. There are no bidders, but I have a feeling it will sell.

And here would be the 12-inch version: Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban, Blue Note 1535. This one is M- for the record and VG++ for the cover. It is more than $300 already. Which begs the question: Which would you rather have, the 10-inch LP or the 12-inch LP? Of course, most of you will be inclined to say “both” but what if it were only one?

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eBaying This Week: JR,Trane and More

Another week, another 7,000 or so jazz records on eBay. Here are some of the ones we’ll be watching for you at Jazz Collector:

As noted, the lovely bobdjukic is back with a lot of superbly hyped records, including: J.R. Monterose, Blue Note 1536. This looks clearly to be an original pressing and it is listed in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. It closes at the end of the week and is already at $510. This will certainly be in the $1,000 bin soon. From the same seller, among others, is John Coltrane, Lush Life, Prestige 7188. I mention this because I have a friend looking for a nice original pressing of this record. This one looks to be in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. It is now at $100. I’m sure you all know the great story behind this record, about the trio side which was only a trio side because Red Garland forgot to show up for the date.

This is from another seller: Lee Morgan, City Lights, Blue Note 1575. This one looks to be VG++ for the record and perhaps VG+ for the cover, although part of the top right corner is off. The current price is $485 and there are about three days left.

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Jazz Vinyl Update: Some Warhols, Blue Notes & Miles

Here’s some jazz vinyl we’ve been watching on eBay:

This one was described in “like new” condition and, based on the picture and description, it looked like an original pressing: Sonny Clark, Sonny’s Crib, Blue Note 1576. The seller said he turned down a “buy now” request and let the bidding continue, which it did, topping off at $1,713.

This one wasn’t in nearly the same condition as Sonny’s Crib: Lee Morgan, Candy, Blue Note 1590. This looked to be an original pressing and it was listed in VG+ condition for the record and VG MINUS for the cover. It sold for $1,115.

This is the highest price we’ve ever seen for this record: Miles Davis, Cookin’ Prestige 7094. This was an original pressing that was listed in M- condition for both the record and the cover. It sold for $665.

How about a few records with Andy Warhol covers:

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