A record deal not likely in old collections

By Terry Maurer, What's it Worth

Today's in What's It Worth we deal with a common item which usually is of little value to collectors. But, every once in a while, an old vinyl phonograph record comes along that is worth a good deal of money.

Readers want to know about their records by the late news commentator Paul Harvey and jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie.

Q. We've had this 331/3 rpm Paul Harvey album for a long time. With his recent passing, has the value changed? -- Eddie in Pasco

A. Paul Harvey (an Oklahoman, born Paul Harvey Aurandt in 1918) was a well-known radio broadcaster who worked primarily for ABC. He was heard every weekday with news and commentary on stations across the country, beginning in 1951.

In the Tri-Cities, Harvey's broadcasts were on KONA Radio for more than 40 years. Longtime station owner Dean Mitchell of Kennewick told us Harvey's audience was particularly loyal.

"If we had something that delayed Paul Harvey or somehow it failed to air at the noon hour, we always received lot's of complaining phone calls," he said.

In all, Harvey's broadcasts were heard regularly on 1,200 U.S. radio stations and his reports were carried on about 400 Armed Forces network stations around the world.

Known primarily for his broadcast work, including the popular feature The Rest of the Story, Harvey also found time to record three albums. The Testing Time came out in 1960, the year after he did Yesterday's Voice. An album titled The Uncommon Man was released in 1962.

Since his death earlier this year at age 90, interest in Paul Harvey memorabilia has somewhat increased, but not dramatically. For years, his primary listeners included large numbers of senior citizens and many of them probably already own the albums and aren't in the market to buy.

Few people seem to be actively seeking the records and we find online sales ranging from $5 to $20.

Q. I know Dizzy Gillespie recorded dozen of albums and was a trumpet innovator in the early days of "bebop" jazz. I have a signed album which seems to have no title. It merely says "Dizzy Gillespie and his Original Orchestra." It's a "high fidelity" recording issued by Galaxy Series Records of Los Angeles and the original price was $3.95. Is it valuable as an album and does his signature make it more so? -- John in Richland

A. John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie -- he of the bent trumpet and bulging cheeks -- was indeed one of the young lions who led jazz into the bop era. His legendary break from the Cab Calloway Orchestra in 1941 (there was a knife involved but no one was badly hurt) marked one of the turning points in modern musical history.

A composer and player of undeniable genius, Gillespie soon paired with saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker and many argue the two invented bebop playing. The music had more than its share of deriders and critics over the years, but Dizzy remained true to the form. And he became a huge star along the way.

Gillespie also introduced Afro-Cuban rhythms to American and international audiences and toured the Middle East in 1956 with a band sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

This recording was most likely pressed in the 1950s, when hi-fi was state of the art. It could have been done as late as the 1960s, up to the point that stereophonic recordings became the norm.

As a record, in average condition, it comes at the bottom of values for Gillespie recordings. We have seen this album priced anywhere from $10 to $20.

As an autographed item -- assuming the signature is authenticated -- the record moves into an entirely different category. Gillespie died in 1993 and was known as a warm, generous man who regularly signed for fans.

His autograph is not uncommon, but it certainly is desirable in today's collector market.

Value depends on condition of the signature and whether it is dedicated to someone. Most collectors want just the autograph -- such as on this record jacket -- and not a greeting to a particular person followed by the signature.

A signed album like this would be priced in a range from $100 to $ 400.

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Sunday, May. 03, 2009

A record deal not likely in old collections

By Terry Maurer, What's it Worth