A reader sent me a link to this record: Lorraine Geller at the Piano, Dot 3174. This was an original pressing. The record was listed in Ex condition and the cover was probably VG+. The record sold for $732.

I also have a note from a reader in China, as follows:

“Hi Al.

How are you? I am Noodles, a jazz fan from Shanghai, China. I focus on JazzCollector.com for a long time and I recently ban to collect some jazz records, especially Blue Note. I have a question about the label address. I found a record on eBay with different label addresses on both sides, such as Blue Note 1576 (Side 1 W63 and Side 2 NY23). According to Frederick Cohen’s Blue Note Records — A Guide for Identifying Original Pressings, it was NY 23 on both sides, so how did it make and is it still a first press?”

First off, I am very pleased to have readership in China and I certainly don’t envy the task of trying to build a jazz vinyl collection over there. Having said that, anyone have a good answer for Noodles?

Louis Armstrong Autograph: “Hello. I stumbled on your site while researching values for 78 records and an autograph of Louis Armstrong and his band at the time (late ’30s, early ’40s) and wondered if you could help me find a place that I could get a value on these items?”

Jazz Book Collection: “My father was a massive jazz connoisseur, collector and discographer but sadly passed away in April, Age 92. Attached is a list of his books, which we wish to sell.  We have done some EBay etc. research but would prefer a deal for the job lot via a dealer, or at least a select job lot. A number of the books have been signed by the authors and dedicated personally to my father.”

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568: Hi Al, Great blog! I post every once in a while. Here’s a recent eBay experience about 1568

I saw an auction for BN1568 with a price of $899. Did not appear to be a scam. I did the BIN and Paypal’ed immediately, which cleared instantly. That was a Saturday, asked the seller to pack carefully and to look into insurance. Followed up on Monday morning, asking about insurance cost.

Seller replied that she was “just informed of the value of the LP” and thus has to cancel the auction. Well, that obviously sucks, so I replied with a few points:

“What can I say?

1. The buy-it-now price was $900, which suggests to me that you had some idea of the value of the record. $900 for an LP is an immense amount.

2. It’s a non-official 2nd pressing, because side 2 only has the W63 address, not the New York 23 label.

3. When I’ve bought things on eBay before that seemed somewhat overpriced, I usually discovered upon receiving it that there were flaws to the item that made the price make more sense.

4. I’ve sold a good number of things on eBay, many of them were fixed price/buy-it-now and several sold very quickly.  I guessed that I had probably underpriced them, but I followed through with the transaction. But I followed through with the transaction. That’s the nature of a market.”

Anyway, seller hasn’t refunded my $ and HAS relisted it Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. 

Don’t mean to gripe or be long-winded. Maybe someone on the list can learn from this? Keep up the great work!

Lorraine Geller on Dot: Of course, no email grab-bag would be complete without a missive from CeeDee, who drops me an entertaining note about once a week. This one was on the Lorraine Geller LP on Dot, which we recently included in a post. It wound up selling for $932. CeeDee’s note was simple, but appropriate. It said:

“$$$ . . . but why?”

I shall leave it to you, good readers, to answer. As a comment, not an email, please.

We did a post a few weeks ago about collectible records by female musicians (not singers) and, if I recall, this one topped the list: Lorraine Geller at the Piano, Dot 3174. This is an original deep groove pressing in VG+ condition for both the record and the cover. The price is in the $100 range with just more than a day left. We have seen this sell for as much as $1,580 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide.

Art Pepper, Modern Art, Intro 606. This was an original pressing in M- condition, sold by our friend Steve at Round Again Records in Providence, RI. The price was $1,978. And if you happen to be in Providence, check out A Christmas Carol at Trinity Rep, directed by Young JC, otherwise known as my son Michael.

Lorraine Geller at the Piano, Dot 3174. This looked to be in M- condition and sold for $1,580. I haven’t seen this record, but I had no idea it was such a valuable collectible. Is it any good, or is it just rare?

The next one is good and it’s rare, although it does seem to pop on eBay quite often for an extremely rare record, wouldn’t you say:

Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus, Prestige 7079. This was an original pressing that looked to be in M- condition. The price was $1,495, which, and it pains me to even write this, seems a little low.

John Coltrane, Giant Steps, Atlantic 1311. This was a beautiful looking copy, listed in M- condition for the record and the cover. It sold for $1,385.

Tommy Flanagan Overseas,Prestige 7134. This was an original pressing that seemed to be in about VG+ condition with “extremely light surface noise,” whatever that means. It sold for $1,055.