[78-L] Peter Leavitt (was: Ooops)

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Biel" <mbiel at mbiel.com>
> From: "Steven C. Barr" <stevenc at interlinks.net>
>> Peter Leavitt used to run a VERY interesting (to me, anyway)
>> mail auction. He had acquired a VERY large (and apparently
>> well-known) collection of 78's...so his lists often included
>> near in-order runs of various vintage labels. I bought A LOT
>> of these, since they often included records of no great "jazz
>> interest" but ones which filled numeric gaps in my holdings.
>> I assume that Mr. Leavitt went to that "great record market
>> in the sky"...is this true? 
> Fortunately, no, it is not.  Kurt Nauck has visited Peter several times,
> and he might be the better person to answer this.  But while at ARSC I
> asked Kurt about Peter and he explained that Peter had had some health
> problems and during that time had also had some damage to his house
> which damaged some of the warehouse holdings.  I believe Kurt feels that
> Peter does not have the energy or interest to start up the auctions
> again right now but it could happen.
> 
Okeh...DIDN'T know this!!
>> And...if so, has someone else acquired this bunch of 78's...
>> AND are they selling, or going to sell, these records?
> They're still there, and Kurt has gotten a relatively small amount of
> things from there.
> 
Problem(s) here! First, I can't afford Kurt's three-buck minimum
(except on a few items, where I am ALWAYS outbid!)...and 2nd
the records I'm looking for are UNlikely to show up on a higher-
class mail auction list! Leavitt's lists often included almost complete
numericals of less-common (i.e. NOT Vi/Col!) labels...exactly what
I need to assemble my accumulation of EF78REM!!

>> I need to find an auction list that sells a lot of "junque"...
>> so I can continue to fill gaps in my holdings...!! ...stevenc 
> 
> Well, there's plenty of junque on ebay!!!!  I think, as I know you
> realize, that most dealers now feel that the expense of listing now
> requires that junque not be included on lists.  That stuff is piled up
> for on-site sales and occasional shows.  I noticed a few days ago that
> one of the dealers at the Jazz Bash who had priced all his records at
> $3.00 was selling off the things that had not sold in his ebay auctions
> for 7.99 and 9.99 minimum bids.  (I was attempting to bid on a few
> things this week and was looking thru the closed auctions of his and
> recognized a lot of things!)  So you gotta start travelling (when you
> get your cash.)
> 
Well, LAST year there was a chap at the CCC who had quite a
number of 78's! I was going through his records a bit before
"closing time," when he asked me to make an offer for the lot.
We settled on a price ($175, which is what I had!)...and he
then told me he had to keep four or five milk boxes (fine with
me!) Fortunately, Mr. Lennick was also present...so he agreed
to haul me, PLUS all my shellac acquisitions (the above INCLUDED!)
to the suburbia-fringes of central Oshawa, Ont'o!

When I buy 78's, I am looking more for quantity (if the price is
acceptanle) than quality (I can't afford most such 78's...and I have
to evaluate the others according to, "Yes, this IS a $20 record...
but would I rather have 20 $1 records?!"

I have always felt that "REALLY RARE 78's" have virtually always
been reissued...on later "pirate" 78's, on LP or now on CD! So...
I'd rather "fill in the blanks" in my archive...usually with "bulk buys!"
The alternative is spending MANY $$$ for an original copy,
usually in BAD condition...?!

...stevenc