By Susan Sliwicki

A trio of jazz records on the Blue Note label — some frequent flyers, some countdown newbies —  accounted for nearly 40 percent of the total auction dollars spent in this edition’s countdown. Might be time to add a little jazz to your collection …

10. $2,408.33 — The Beatles, “Eight Days a Week,” 7-inch acetate. If you’ve been hunting for a hard-to-find Beatles collectible, this one may well fill the bill. The seller believes this one-sided acetate was manufactured in 1964. To add to its rarity, the seller points out that this U.K. acetate was made for a song that never was released as single in the U.K., but was only available on the “Beatles For Sale” album; the seller’s research didn’t turn up any other samples of this song on an acetate; and that the acetate comes with the original yellow Dick James Music record sleeve, which in and of itself is a rarity. “Dick James acetates were, generally, poorly made and degenerated in quality more quickly than the released vinyl versions,” the seller wrote. “That makes this acetate even rarer still.” The seller stated the acetate was in very good condition, and that it plays with a clear, crisp sound. Seventeen bids were exchanged.

9. $2,450 — Lee Morgan, “Indeed,” LP. Thirty-five bids were swapped before this first-pressing copy of Blue Note 1538 — billed by the seller as “a museum copy of this impossible Blue Note” — found a new home. The seller called the spines and labels “perfect,” graded the cover EX due to some back cover wear, and pronounced the vinyl to be “very, very close to mint, perfect, sound really like new, stunning conditions.”

8. $2,550 — The Personation and Organization, “Future” b/w “Future II”, 45. This single on the CurriCane label earned a split vinyl grade of VG+/NM, due to some light paper scuffs and small pressing bubbles. “Really tough to find local funk record, ‘Future II’ was included on the ‘Midwest Funk’ compilation, and ‘Future’ on ‘Keb Darges’ Legendary Deep Funk, Volume III,’ the seller wrote.

7. $2,586 — Bruce Springsteen, “Point Blank” b/w “Ramrod”, 45. Snagging a copy of this Dutch-pressed Springsteen single (CBS A1489) with a picture sleeve  is to record collecting what spotting a pair of ivory-billed woodpeckers in America is to birdwatching. “This single is impossible to find, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, since this copy is an astonishing EX/EX,” the seller wrote. Sixteen bids were exchanged before a winner was declared.

6. $2,653 — The Three Ramblers, “If You Call That Love” b/w “Walking Talking Babydoll,” 45. The seller of this rockabilly single on the Ozark label (45-716-A/B) took a slightly different approach to grading: “The condition of this record is ‘pretty darn good for a 50-year-old,’” he wrote. Without ever assigning a formal grade, the seller stated that the vinyl is glossy, the labels have light wear and some crossed-out writing, and that one edge of the record is raised slightly when it’s placed on the turntable. The seller also indicated that he was parting with the record because the 2011 edition of the “Rockin’ Records” price guide finally listed the NM value of the single at $2,500 to $3,000. Twenty-seven bids were swapped before a winner was declared.

5. $2,750 — Michele Auclair and Marie-Claire Alain, “J.S. Bach Sonates Pour Clavier et Violon,” 2 LPs. A French-language listing didn’t discourage the sole bidder from seeking out the two-record set on the Discophiles Français label (DF 209-210). The seller indicated that there were small surface scratches and slight crackling evident in the record when it’s played, but that the overall sound quality wasn’t affected. The labels also were touted as “impeccable.”

4. $2,800 — John Lee Booker, “Mad Man Blues” b/w “Boogie Now,” 78. Nope, that’s not a typo. John Lee Booker was one of several pseudonyms used by bluesman John Lee Hooker throughout his career. Also on his list of aliases: Birmingham Sam, Boogie Man, John Lee Cooker, Delta John, Johnny Lee, Texas Slim and Johny Williams, according to “Blues Who’s Who.” This 78 on the Gone label (60/61) earned a grade of E+. The seller had precious little else to share, other than citing it as “the rarest Hooker!” This is one of roughly two dozen record labels, ranging from Acorn to Vee-Jay, for which Hooker is known to have recorded.

3. 2,999.99 — The Damned, “Neat Neat Neat” b/w “Stab Yor Back,” 45 with picture sleeve. This Japanese-pressed 1977 single on the Stiff/Toshiba/EMI label (20273) was withdrawn due to a misunderstanding about distribution, according to the seller. The 45s were only available for about a week, and it’s estimated that only 50 copies survived, making this a rare, in-demand Japanese punk record, the seller said. This EX copy features NM labels and includes the lyric insert (EX+). For comparison, a New Zealand pressing of this Stiff Records 45 (K 6735) sold for $1,040 in August 2009, according to popsike.com.

2. $3,650 — Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, “Jutta Hipp,” LP. This copy of Blue Note 1530 in NM++ condition — with a pristine cover to boot — came from a collection of records the seller received from jazz auctioneer Leon Levitt. “This extremely rare record almost never comes up for sale, and in this condition it is unheard of,” the seller wrote. From 2005 to present, this record has sold for anywhere between $1,325 and $5,205 at auction, according to popsike.com. Fourteen bids were exchanged before a winner was determined.

1. $5,600 — Hank Mobley, “Hank Mobley,” LP. The top lot this time around is a record that’s found its way into the Market Watch countdown a half-dozen of times since February 2010. But at $5,600, this NM+++, original mono copy of Blue Note 1568 (with the 47 W. 63rd St. address) sold for more than any of its predecessors, which ranged in price from $1,900 to $5,101. “The cover is absolutely pristine and perfect, as if it hasn’t ever been handled after leaving the factory,” the seller wrote. “The record looks unplayed and plays flawlessly.”

By Susan Sliwicki

A Jim Morrison-signed “Morrison Hotel” album and promotional cover slick for “A Hard Day’s Night” signed by all four Beatles are among the highlights of RR Auction’s Marvels of Modern Music Auction.

The auction, which wraps up Jan. 26, 2012, features more than 700 lots related to artists including The Beatles, The Doors, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd are part of the auction. The auction’s 30-minute rule goes into effect at 7 p.m. Eastern Jan. 26; you can click here to check out the auction.

Beatles Autographed “Hard Day’s Night” Cover Slick

This autographed cover of The Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" album is up for bid at R.R. Auction's Marvels of Modern Music Auction. By noon Jan. 25, bidding had reached $11,500.

John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr signed the “A Hard Day’s Night” cover slick in black ballpoint ink and presented it to a stewardess on the band’s flight from London to Liverpool on July 10, 1964, according to the lot description. This is one of four such signed copies presented to stewardesses on that flight, according to a letter of authenticity from the recipient, Vivian Nevin. Also included is a copy of the record, a short handwritten statement of provenance and an original color glossy portrait of Nevin on the stairway to one of the planes, a photo of the other stewardesses holding matching signed slicks and greeting The Beatles at the bottom of the stairs to their plane. A letter of authenticity from noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo, is also included. By Jan. 25, bidding had reached $11,500.

Jim Morrison-signed “Morrison Hotel” Album

This "Morrison Hotel" album cover is signed on the inside gatefold by The Doors' frontman Jim Morrison. Bidding had reached $5,576 by noon Jan. 25, with a full-day plus of bidding still to go.

This one-of-a-kind “Morrison Hotel” album was signed “J. Morrison” in blue felt-tip pen on the cover’s inside gatefold; the record also is included. Morrison’s signature alone is a fairly rare quantity, but albums signed by him are basically nonexistent. Efforts by auction organizers to find any other albums signed by Morrison came up empty. By Jan. 25, bidding had passed $5,500.

Other lots of note (and bids made as of noon Jan. 25, 2011) include:

• A complete set of John Lennon’s “Bag One” lithographs, containing all 13 original lithographs, three cover pages and the Bag One folio carrying case. This set was numbered 224 out of the original 300 sets originally created. ($27,815).

• A letter written by Pfc. Elvis Presley — aka “The King” — while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. ($12,650).

•  A matted, framed and autographed “Double Fantasy” album cover signed by both John Lennon and Yoko Ono. The item was appraised to have a market value of $12,000. ($9,882).

• A Hofner bass guitar (circa 1959) signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison. The guitar is missing Ringo Starr’s autograph because he was recovering from tonsillitis, and substitute drummer Jimmy Nichol was not asked to sign the instrument. The only known and documented guitar signed by John, Paul, George and Ringo previously was destroyed in a flood. ($9,663).

• A glossy 8×10 photo signed by and showing all four members of The Beatles while on a beach in The Bahamas during the filming of “Help.” ($9,468).

• Johnny Ramone’s concert-played Mosrite guitar used during the band’s final club performance. ($6,655).

• An autographed 6.5 x 4.75 glossy photograph of Pink Floyd from 1968, signed by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Syd Barrett, Richard Wright and Nick Mason. ($6,297).

• A white, cropped Jackson Five jacket attributed to Michael Jackson. ($3,076).

• A 1969 Fender Swinger electric guitar (rare in its own right) in Lake Placid Blue, with hardshell case, owned by The Who’s John Entwistle. ($2,469).

• A group of seven Bob Dylan concert-used Hohner harmonicas. ($2,148).

• An autographed photo of The Rolling Stones featuring Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, along with an undated,  handwritten letter signed by Richards on The Official Rolling Stones Fan Club letterhead. ($1,909).

• An inscribed copy of “Led Zeppelin II” signed by the band’s drummer, John Bonham. ($1,129).

By Susan Sliwicki

Jazz music and 45s are the order of the day in this edition of Market Watch. But which format took top honors for this countdown?

10. $1,800 — Various artists, 500-plus vintage picture sleeve 45 RPM collection. If your New Year’s resolution was to branch into collecting picture sleeves, this lot offered a great way to get started without totally blowing your budget. In a move that’s atypical for bulk lots, this seller included a photograph of virtually every single picture sleeve included the listing — kudos on such a thorough effort. We were saddened to read these were from the seller’s remaining store stock, as he was moving on to new ventures. The seller assigned an “average” lot grade of VG+ to the group, with some NM vinyl and sleeves and VG vinyl sleeves also in the mix.

9. $1,863.18 — U2, “Three” 12-inch single. Ireland may not be known as the record-rarity capitol of the modern world, but when you’ve got a rare, hand-numbered pressing of a U2 12-inch single, who’s going to quibble? “This is probably the most desirable U2 collectible and a treasured item for any collection,” the seller wrote. “U2 ‘Three’ is special, because it is the earliest U2 collectible you can find.” This copy of CBS 12-7951, which was made in England and released in 1979 by the Irish division of CBS, comes in VG condition. The sleeve shows obvious wear and tear, plus some handwriting.

“This is not just a pile of junk,” the seller wrote. “These are all very saleable, collectable, whatever. If you are just collecting, the buy it now is a helluva deal. If you are looking to resell, well, you aren’t doing too shabby either as an average price per record.” We agree.

8. $1,900 — Lee Morgan, “Lee Morgan Vol. 3,” LP.  This Mint Minus mono record on the Blue Note label (BLP 1557) is sure to please any jazz fan, if not for its lovely, glossy condition, then surely for its sonic quality. “Overall a beautiful first clean copy; sound quite amazing in my Celestion speakers,” the seller wrote. “The winner should be pleased with this first copy.” The laminated cover, which grades in NM shape, shows light wear on the front, browning spots on the back cover and a small split on the top seam, the seller said.

7. $2,005 — Marlon “Madman” Mitchell, “Ice Cold Baby” b/w “Bermuda Shorts,” 45. You know you’re hard-core rockabilly artist when you can perform a song about a much-maligned fashion staple of the suburbs to back a song about a once-amorous girl giving you the cold shoulder. This VG++ treasure  on the Vena label (HC-100) is a “killer two-sider” issued in 1957 from Alabama indie rocker  Marlon “Madman” Mitchell. Other than some minor stacking soil on the label and superficial sleeve marks on the vinyl, this record is in great shape, the seller said. “This the copy you’ve been waiting for,” the seller wrote. “This is a gem; bragging rights come with it at no extra charge.”

6. $2,100 — Art Blakey, three jazz LPs. One bid was all it took for this trio of rare, original pressing Art Blakey LPs to find a new turntable to call home. Other than giving the titles — “Orgy In Rhythm” (Blue Note 1554), “The Jazz Messengers at The Café Bohemia Vol. 1” (Blue Note 1507) and “The Jazz Messengers at The Café Bohemia Vol. 2” (Blue Note 1508) — the seller literally only shared that there are “clear graphics front and back and no splits.”

5. $2,121.33 — The Split Decision Band, “Watchin’ Out” b/w “Dazed” 45. When an online seller puts “Funkyou!” in his tagline, you can bet you’re in for something fun. But whether this NM ’70s soul record, issued in 1978 on the Network Records label from previously undocumented soul mecca of Des Moines, Iowa, lives up to that hype will have to be decided by the new owner, who valiantly battled to squeeze in the 34th and winning bid.

4. $2,313.88 — The Five Chances, “All I Want” b/w “Shake-A-Link,” 45. The Five Chances only put out one record on Chicago’s Blue Lake label  — BL-115 — and what a visually interesting label it is. The seller had nothing definitive to say about the condition of this record, other than that the “labels are clean with stacking ring marks” and that it “plays fine with some surface noise and light scratches.”

3. $2,750 — The Beatles, “The Beatles” (The White Album), double LP. They’ve been broken up for more than 40 years, yet the Fab Four never seem to miss the Market Watch countdown. This time, they appear with a “mega rare” U.K. export copy of The White Album with the yellow and black Parlophone label (P-PCS 7067 and P-PCS 7068). The poster and color pictures earn the best grades of the lot at Mint Minus. The seller graded the cover “almost Excellent +,” while the records themselves are in VG condition with a lot of small hairlines that the seller says don’t appear to affect playing. The labels scored a VG+, and the inner sleeve is in Excellent, according to the seller.  “This is a wanted record and you won’t find this again!” the seller warned. “Highly collectible!!”

2. $3,000 — Bobby Rich, “There’s a Girl Somewhere for Me,” 45.  This record on the Sambea label (SBS-101) is making its debut on eBay — at least, according to the seller — who touts it as super-rare, impossible-to-find Northern soul 7-inch. The seller had little else to share, other than it’s a first pressing (vs. a reissue or copy) from 1974.  The record earned a visual grade of VG++, but “plays mint,” according to the seller.

1. $3,989.89 — The Crowd Pleasers, acetate. Apparently this record really is by a group of crowd pleasers — or at least, their VG+ record of covers and originals on the Musicol label pleased potential buyers, who exchanged 27 bids before a winner was declared. “Unreleased acetate from one of the hottest soul/funk party bands on the Columbus, Ohio, scene,” the seller wrote. “Kicks off with a smoking instrumental funk jam and includes covers of Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’  and Neil Young’s ‘Down By the River.’”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Goldmine compiles its Market Watch countdown from eBay auction results and seller descriptions. Any images shown with Market Watch stories are the same ones that appeared with the seller’s description of the piece.

After getting his first record in 1964 — The Beatles, natch  — Gene Aguilera was hooked on music. This record collector (and Goldmine reader since the 1980s) is passionate about the music history of East L.A. and boxing. He loves the fact that Bob Dylan and Neil Young remain committed to putting everything they do out on vinyl. He’s also honored to be — at least, according to Ry Cooder — the only cat in Montebello, Calif., with Jim Dickinson’s “Dixie Fried” album in his collection.

What do you do for a living?
GA: Banker by day, record collector by night.

What are your passions in addition to collecting records?
GA: You know what gets the heart beating on a Saturday night? Watching a title fight on the tube.  Also, I have a yearly trek to New York for the International Boxing Hall of Fame festivities with my pal and favorite fighter of all time: Ruben Olivares.

Gene Aguilera's record collection would be the envy of many of his peers. Photo courtesy Gene Aguilera.

How and when did you get into music collecting?
GA: My aunt Maggie bought me my first record when I was 11 years old (1964) at the Kress store in downtown L.A., and I was hooked for life.  You know, this was right after the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show, so excitement was high.  I literally wanted to buy every record that I heard on the radio (KRLA, KHJ). Right around that time, my cousin David from Lamont, Calif., came to visit us and brought down a bunch of cool Motown 45s to spin. I thought, this is what I like to do!

What’s the first record you ever bought?
GA: “Meet The Beatles!”  It was the high fidelity version and I spun it on my little record player like a madman.  I still know every snap, crackle and pop on it and even put my signature on the back cover in blue ink.

What’s the focus of your collection?
GA: I guess you could call me an East L.A. music historian.  I specialize in vinyl records from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.  I remember the first time I heard “Whittier Blvd.” on my small transistor radio. Here were these guys, Thee Midniters, Chicanos from the Eastside. They were just like me and it made me so proud to hear them on the radio. It gave us hope for the future.

What’s your collecting philosophy?
GA: If you find a record that you want, buy it now, ’cause you may never see it again. I am paying $30 for records right now that I used to pass on for $3 back in the day. Today I look for the “weird and the wonderful” and recent purchases have been “Pachanga If You Please” by Rudy Macias and His Charanga Orchestra (Crown) and “The Big Sounds of the Drags, Vol. 2” (Capitol). Author Domenic Priore turned me on to the theme of collecting records with Los Angeles landmarks or Hollywood clubs in the background. Some examples of this in my collection are “Rockin’ At the Drive-In” by Joe Houston (Scrivner’s Drive-In), “Hootenanny At The Troubadour,” and “The Frankie Ortega Trio at Dino’s.”

What is your favorite musical act of all time, and why?

GA: How can I chose one?
Ry Cooder — The brilliant slide guitarist who played alongside everyone from Captain Beefheart to the Stones, from Flaco Jimenez to the Buena Vista Social Club. Cooder’s “Chavez Ravine” CD is an expose on social injustices and reveals a dark chapter that Los Angeles would like you to forget.
Jackson Browne — The “For Everyman” album is like a religious experience. The lyrics, the melodies take you to your own secret heaven. As I drove my new-born daughter, Emily, home from the hospital … this was the CD that was playing in the car.
Thee Midniters — Their four albums became the soundtrack of my life, then and now. And never forget their soulful lead vocalist, Little Willie G., the Chicano Frank Sinatra.

What’s the No. 1 item on your want list right now, and why?
GA: The No. 1 item on my want list is “Pachuko Hop” by Chuck Higgins on Combo Records (LP-300). The original cover featured a naked woman on the cover with a scarf strategically placed over her.  Supposedly the woman was Bila Hugg (wife of the legendary, late Los Angeles R&B deejay Huggy Boy). After this LP came out in 1960, the owner of Combo Records was forced to withdraw it from the shelves because of “the authorities.” I have been looking for it since the mid-’80s. I did find it once, but passed because it was sooo expensive.
I also have been beefing up my surf record collection. I am currently looking for “The Challengers At The Teenage Fair” (GNP Crescendo Records).  Being born and raised in Southern California, surf music is a natural love for me. The beach, the waves, the bikinis and the innocence of the early ’60s era bring back fond memories.

What items in your collection do you prize the most (dollar value and/or sentimental value)?
GA: The album that is most sentimental to me is “Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes” on Philles Records.  The cover of the three girls with their bee-hive hairdos, their exotic look, and Veronica (Ronnie) Bennett just giving you the eye.  I actually thought they were Latinas at first. Then there’s the music, the Phil Spector production and Ronnie’s voice. As the Wall of Sound pounds away in the background, you hear Ronnie’s voice quivering with teenage-girl angst and pain. You realize that it’s the yin and yang of this and the musical tension that makes the record work so well.

If money and availability were of no concern, what one item (either a record or memorabilia) would you choose to add to your collection, and why?
I would love to own Ritchie Valens’ first professional guitar, a Harmony Stratotone from Sears. Just to sit there and strum the chords to “Donna” would send shivers down my spine. It would take me back to when Ritchie was just 17 years old.  So much talent, taken away from us too soon.

What is your method of collecting? Where do you usually find the best bargains?
GA: I keep my record “want-list” on several handwritten legal pages. But it is a neverending list, because as soon as I scratch some off, I add a few more on that I am looking for. Usually, if I get into an artist’s work, I try to hunt down every record that they put out. I usually find the best bargains at the Greater Orange County Monthly Record Shows put on by Steve Brunner.

Who’s your favorite record store operator/record dealer, and why?
GA: Again, how can I just choose one?
Allen Larman at Atomic Records (Burbank, Calif.) for giving me the hot tips on what I must have.
Dennis Hartman at American Pie Records (Ventura, Calif.) for helping me find those rare albums.
Eddie Estrada of Fast Eddie 45’s (West Covina, Calif.) who is the best in finding East L.A./Chicano 45s.