[78-L] help req on a few 78s (prieces or monetary value)

[Julian Vein]

kunst at email.unc.edu wrote:
> The best way too keep up with current prices to spend time watching the 
> on-line market, especially poring over finished auctions. Popsike is 
> one service to offer this, although it doesn't really cover 78s too 
> often. Dealers will often post their results as well. Take a look here 
> for instance: http://grrecords.com/GRR308HIGHBIDS.PDF
> This particular list does illustrate the randomness and 
> unpredictability of prices; sure, Ishman Bracey gets $1700, but there 
> were also Paramounts and Okeh 8000s in decent condition for less than 
> lunch. The poster who needed help pricing the R&B 78s might get a 
> better sense of value from this list as well.
> Franz
> p.s. the days of cheap steals are not quite over, but you're much 
> better off at yard sales and flea markets than the internet. Even in a 
> picked-over city like San Francisco I found a clean Clarence Williams 
> for around thirty cents a few months ago.
> _______________________________________________
A general rule-of-thumb for high prices for jazz and blues 78s:

1. Blues recorded before about 1935.
2. Black territory bands that only made a handful of recordings.
3. Clarence Williams--not everything though.
4. The poorer the musician at the time of recording the higher the price 
their 78s will fetch!

      Julian Vein