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A New Standard for United Artists Blue Notes?

Al — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 19:12:22 +0000

Here’s another selection of jazz vinyl we are watching on eBay, starting with Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This is clearly marked as a United Artists pressing. The seller lists it as a 1968 pressing, which I think he’s just making up. As far as I know these United Artists Blue Notes were originally issued for the Japanese market in the late 1970s or early 1980s. In any case, this is in VG++ condition for the record and the cover and is currently at a price of $78. Is it possible that these United Artists Blue Notes are increasing in value to the point where they are becoming collectibles? Or is it perhaps an aberration, some bidders not knowing, some not caring, some not reading the listing carefully enough?

Our friends at Euclid Records have some very nice records on eBay now, including The Unique Thelonious Monk, Riverside 209. This is an original white label pressing listed in VG++ condition for the record and VG+ for the cover. This one is already in the $250 range with nearly four days left on the auction. Here’s another: Donald Byrd, Byrd in Hand, Blue Note 4019. This is an original West 63rd deep groove pressing listed in M- condition for the record and M- for the cover. The price is more than $320 with more than two days left. It always helps to secure a better price if there are nice, clean, clear pictures to go with the listing, as Euclid has done here.

This one is also well-pictured: Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section, Contemporary 3532. This is an original pressing with the blue and red lettering on the back. It has been listed before at a higher price. I can tell, because this is the one that mentions the “original” paper sleeve, where there was not an original paper sleeve. Anyway, it looks like it will sell this time around because there is already a bid at $550 and there is no reserve price. Only a cynic would think that it is perhaps a shill bid.

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A Tale of Two Blue Notes

Al — Sun, 22 May 2011 13:54:31 +0000

We were quite interested in those two Curtis Fuller Blue Notes from the same seller. Look at this one: Curtis Fuller, The Opener, Blue Note 1566. This was listed as a “rare mono pressing,” which it may be, but it still a pressing from the 1970s or 1980s with the United Artists labels. We’ve seen these often in the $20-$30 range. This one sold for a pretty whopping $91.10. A new pricing trend or just a creative listing and a gullible buyer? You make the call. Perhaps someday this UA pressings will be worth hundreds or thousands. You never know, perhaps this is a good investment. I’d rather pay $500 or so for the original, but that’s me. Speaking of which . . . from the same seller came: Curtis Fuller, Volume 3, Blue Note 1583. This one looked to be an original pressing in VG++ condition for the record and M- for the cover. It sold for $500. We’ve seen this one sell for more than $1,400 before, so that’s quite a comedown. Karma?

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Catching Up: Walter Davis on UA, Jackie, Sonny

Al — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:52:54 +0000

Here are a few items we’ve been watching on eBay. Given our recent interest in later pressings, particularly Blue Notes, we were curious about this record: Walter Davis, Davis Cup, Blue Note 4018. An original pressing of this would normally sell for more than $1,000, and we’ve recorded one instance of this record fetching $2,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. This record was not of that distinctive lineage: This was a United Artists pressing, similar, unfortunately, to the one in my collection. It sold for $34, which seems about right, unless you’re the seller bobdjukik and can somehow sell it for $400 or more.

This was from the same seller, but it was an original: Jackie McLean, Swing, Swang, Swingin’, Blue Note 4024. This one was in VG+ condition for the vinyl and VG or VG+ for the cover. The price was $273.60.

Here’s one of my favorite Sonny Rollins records, at a reasonable price:

Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders, Contemporary 7564. This was an original stereo pressing with the deep groove and heavy vinyl. I know some collectors on this site recently discussed the quality of Contemporary recordings, and I always found this one to be particularly well-recorded. Great Rollins as well. This one was in M- condition for the vinyl and VG+ or so for the cover. It’s hard to find an original of this one without some wear on the cover. This copy sold for $113.50.

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Today on Ebay, January 12, 2009

Al — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:26:03 +0000

Another slow, slow, slow day on eBay. So slow, in fact, that we only found a couple of records to watch. So slow that we looked all the way ahead until Wednesday to make sure no one inflicted mischief on our computer to prevent it from viewing collectible jazz records. Fortunately, as we looked ahead, we found some nice collectibles from some of the reliable sellers in the Jazz Collector world, including Euclid Records, Atomic Records and the Jazz Record Center. As for today, the nicest record we found is already closed: The Marty Paich Quartet, featuring Art Pepper, Tampa 28. This was an original red vinyl pressing. The record was VG+ and the cover VG++. The price was $260. Also of interest today: Zoot Sims and the Modern Art of Jazz, Dawn 1102. This is an original pressing, with the record and cover both listed in M- condition. Current price is about $70. That’s really it for today, but tomorrow will be better, we promise. Stay tuned for that post. In the meantime, here’s an update on some of the other items we’ve been watching:

Johnny Griffin, The Congregation, Blue Note 1580. This was an original West 63rd Street pressing with the Andy Warhol cover. The record was VG+ and the cover was VG. Price: $360.

Booker Little Four, United Artists 4034. This was an original pressing. The record looked to be in VG+ condition, the cover VG+ as well. Price: $104.70

Grachan Moncur III, Evolution, Blue Note 4135. This was an original mono pressing in M- condition, vinyl and cover. Price $235.83

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Today on eBay, January 9, 2009

Al — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:28:12 +0000

Things are slow again on eBay, although there are a few decent items coming up, and a few nice items that recently closed. Coming up: The seller gonerrecords has a few nice items closing in a few hours including Lou Donaldson, The Time is Right, Blue Note 4025. This one is in VG+ condition and is in the $170 price range. Also from this seller: Lou Donaldson, LD + 3, Blue Note 4012. This one is also in VG+ condition and is now in the $85 price range. If you click these items, also look at the vendor’s other items for more jazz vinyl collectibles. Not much else on the high-end later today, but you might want to keep an eye on this one: Lucy Ann Polk, Lucky Lucy Ann, Mode 115. This is currently at about $50. We’ve seen it go for as high as $103 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide. Getting a jump on tomorrow, take a look at this one: Booker Little Four, United Artists 4034. This is an original pressing, and the price is still pretty low.

Among some of the nice items that just sold today are:

Bud Powell, Bud!, Blue Note 1571. This was an original pressing. The record was M-, the cover was VG++, the price was $271.

Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia 8163. This was an original stereo pressing that sold for $328. The vinyl was M- and the cover was VG+.

John Jenkins, Clifford Jordan and Bobby Timmons, Jenkins, Jordan and Timmons, New Jazz 8232. This was an original purple label pressing in VG++ condition, both cover and vinyl. Price: $153.50

Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet, Blue Note 1509. This was an original Lexington Avenue pressing. The record and cover were both in VG++ condition and the price was $227.50.

Finally, this beauty: Thelonious Monk, Brilliant Corners, Riverside 226. This was an original white label pressing in M- condition. The price was $421

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Lots and Lots on eBay

Al — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:08:59 +0000

Back from another weekend away, so it’s time to see what happened on eBay the past few days. We were watching auctions from a group of dealers that had some amazing records. Here are some of the dealers and their wares. You can do a general eBay search on completed items for any of these dealers to see more.

Here are items sold by the dealer Jazz5060. This dealer also has a bunch of great records for auction now.

Charlie Persip, Jazz Statesman, Bethlehem 6046, in M-/M- condition. Price: $157.50

Walter Benton Quintet, Out of this World, Jazzland 28, in M-/M- condition. Price: $449

Zoot Sims, Stretchin’ Out, United Artists 4023. This was a promo copy in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $460

Freddie Hubbard, Goin’ Up, Blue Note 4056, in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $349.95

The Return of Howard McGhee, Bethlehem 42 in M-/M- condition. Price: $676

Here are some items sold by the seller Recordsfever:

Kenny Drew, Undercurrent, Blue Note 4059, in M-/M- condition. Price: $388.30

Lee Morgan, The Cooker, Blue Note 1578, in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $310

Lou Donaldson, LD&3, Blue Note 4012, in M-/M- condition. Price: $210.50

Freddie Hubbard, Hub Cap, Blue Note 4073, in M-/M- condition. Price: $240.50

Here are some items from the seller Dirtcup.

Thelonious Monk Plays Duke Ellington, Riverside 201. This was with the original cover and the original white label in M- condition. You rarely see it with this cover and hardly ever in this type of condition. Price: $420

Kenny Burrell and Frank Foster, All Day Long, Prestige 7081 in M-/M- condition. Price: $400.50

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, A Night at Birdland Volume One, Blue Note 1521, with the original cover in M-/M- condition. Price: $414

Freddie Hubbard, Open Sesame, Blue Note 4040, in M-/M- condition. Price: $1,065

Miles Davis Volume Two, Blue Note 1502 in M-/M- condition. Price: $356

Here are some from the seller AnthonyPearson:

Clifford Brown and Max Roach, A Study in Brown, Emarcy 36037, in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $503

Art Farmer Quintet with Gigi Gryce, Prestige 7017, in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $139.50

The Dual Role of Bob Brookmeyer, Prestige 7066, in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $71.26

Dexter Gordon, Dexter Blows Hot and Cool, Dootone 207 in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $960

These are from the seller Hithere757:

Hank Mobley, Hank, Blue Note 1560, in VG+/VG++ condition. Price: $374

Cliff Jordan, Blue Note 1565, in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $975

Duke Jordan, Flight To Jordan, Blue Note 4046, in VG++/VG++ condition. Price: $666

Louis Smith, Here Comes Louis Smith, Blue Note 1584 in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $533

Here are a couple of more nice ones for relatively reasonable prices:

Sonny Red, Out of the Blue, Blue Note 4032, in M-/VG+ condition. Price: $141.49

Jackie McLean, Jackie’s Pal, Prestige 7068, in VG+/VG++ condition. Price: $256.50

We’ll spend some time today looking ahead on eBay for some interesting items this week. Check out Jazzcollector.com tomorrow for an update. See you then. — Al

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A Potpourri of LPs

Al — Tue, 01 Jun 2004 13:02:04 +0000

I went away for the long Memorial Day weekend and didn’t look at eBay for three days. Here are some of the things I missed:

Howard McGhee, Music From The Connection, Felsted 7512. This was in nice condition and sold for more than $1,000.

Benny Carter, Cosmopolite, Norgran 1070. This was an original yellow label copy, autographed by Carter and, according to the dealer, directly from Carter’s own collection. A nice collectible, indeed.

The Jazz Message of Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley, Savoy 12064. This was in nice condition and sold for $255. You don’t see too many of the Savoy records fetching high prices like this, but this is a rare item with excellent artists and a great cover.

John Coltrane, Blue Train, Blue Note 1577. This was a nice copy, not mint, that sold for $383.

Tubby Hayes, Mexican Green, Fontana 911. This was also in nice condition. Price: $228.07

Pepper Adams, Critics’ Choice, World Pacific 407. This was in M-/VG++ condition. Price: $224.50.

Teddy Charles, Vibe-Rant, Elektra 136. You don’t see too many jazz LPs from the Elektra label. This one sold for $236.16

Fred Jackson, Hootin’ and Tootin’, Blue Note 4094. This was one of two copies of this record for sale on eBay this weekend. This was the one in better condition and sold for $346. The other copy, in VG/VG+ condition, sold for $98.77.

Curtis Fuller, Slidin’ Easy, United Artists 4041. I always love finding records I’ve never seen in a store. I’m not a dealer, but I’ve been collecting nearly 35 years, and I still get surprised every once in a while. This is a nice looking LP with a great group: Fuller plus Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers and Elvin Jones. Not bad. This was in M-/M- condition and sold for $338.

The Interpretations of Tal Farlow, Norgran 1027. A couple of weeks ago we saw a copy of this sell for more than $600 and we remarked that it was the highest price we’d seen for a Farlow record. Well, this copy is the new high: $710. It looks to be in beautiful condition.

The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster, Norgran 1001. This also looks to be in beautiful condition. The price was $393.

Presenting Ernie Henry, Riverside 222. This was an original white label in great condition. Price: $360.

Finally, there’s this item: Elmo Hope Quintet, Blue Note 5044, 10-inch LP. This was in VG+ condition and sold for $342. About 15 years ago I sold a similar copy for $400. With prices having escalated as much as they have, I probably made a good deal at the time. Even so, I’d rather have the record.

Now that I’ve gotten caught up on what happened over the past few days, I’m clicking to eBay to take a look at what’s ahead the next few days. I’ll give you my report at Jazzcollector.com tomorrow. See you then. — Al

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