1927 Ma Rainey & Kid Ory blues PARAMOUNT TEST PRESSING
$
1,825
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
I'm sorry but I do not ship out of the U.S. However, overseas bidders can participate if they have a U.S. address to which I can ship. You need to email me before bidding. Thanks!
+++
SLOW DRIVING MOAN (4709-2) and GONE DADDY BLUES (4691-1) by Ma Rainey with FABULOUS accompaniment by "Her Georgia Band" including Kid Ory (trombone) and Shirley Clay (cornet), said personel according to BLUES AND GOSPEL RECORDS, q.v. It appears from what Dixon and Godrich tell us, this test disc provides alternate takes for both sides, apparently otherwise unissued on 78rpm. (Note that my info comes from the 1963 edition so I may be out-of-date on that interpretation). (SEE PHOTOS) [Chicago, Illinois]: Paramount test pressing 12526 with handwritten labels, ca. August 1927. Paramount test pressing which was a recent antique shop find in Birmingham, Alabama. Because of the city in which these test pressings were found, I wonder if there could be some connection between these and the long deceased Birmingham piano dealer HARRY CHARLES who did promo and scouting work for Paramount in the 1920s. I will be listing these test pressings (as well as released, "regular issue" Paramount, Gennett, Vocalion & other 1920s race & hillbilly records) during the next couple of weeks. Dixon & Godrich BLUES & GOSPEL RECORDS 1902 -1942, 1963 edition. (2nd edition? blue boards, 765 pages), page 527. Both sides rubbed but showing perhaps 60% or better gloss. The plain white labels (which, in the case of this record, actually appear to be the blank, white verso of Paramount's usual blue/purple label from this time period) show little wear, from a spindle or needle or otherwise. There is the usual New York Recording Laboratories high-pitch surface "hiss" which - also in typical fashion - is a tad worse during the first few grooves of each side but it is less egregious on these 2 sides than on any of the other Paramount test pressings I'm listing tonight. (Perhaps because Rainey was such a star, Paramount took extra care with recording her sides) . BOTH OF THESE SIDES WERE WELL RECORDED AND PLAY VERY STRONGLY. I would easily rate this as E- on both sides. I grade 78s visually and then aurally, playing them on a decent portable 3 speed mono record player with fairly light weight tone arm, single speaker and with a .3 millimeter 78rpm sapphire stylus. I generally keep the continuous tone control (controls bass to treble with a single knob) tuned about 3/4 of the way away from maximum treble. I have been packing and shipping valuable 78s since 1962. More expensive 78s will always be double boxed and I try to ship via priority (upgrading to priority at my own expense if the bidding goes way above my minimum) even though ebay makes it impossible to break even on shipping charges when doing so. That being said, let me go ahead and say that although I realize there is a huge market for blues 78s overseas, I DO NOT SHIP OUT OF THE U.S. under any circumstances (except American military post office boxes) because of severe and expensive (for me) overseas mailing problems from doing so in the past. I just will not do it even though that might mean getting lesser prices for the neat blues & jazz discs I'll be listing during the next week or two (including a decent # of Paramount Test Pressings - mostly in the mid-12000s). However, if you live outside of the US and can pay via paypal AND have a friend, business associate or re-mail service in the U S to whom these discs could be sent, I will arrange with eBay for you to bid if you will write me ahead of time with the U S recipient's name and address. ++++++++++++++ (the fine print ... [sigh] ... but please read :-)WE REGRET WE DON'T SHIP OUT OF USA; SORRY, BUT NO EXCEPTIONS.
SHIPPING is $4.00 via carefully packed, bubblewrap protected media mail. (NOTE THAT MEDIA MAIL CAN BE VERY SLOW - much slower than eBay's thoughtlessly stated 2 to 9 days shipping time - so check the Birmingham postmark upon receipt and you will see that the package was mailed in a timely manner according to stated terms of sale). AT CUSTOMER'S REQUEST AND FOR AN EXTRA CHARGE, shipping may be upgraded to fast boxed priority mail.
Postal insurance (highly recommended for 78rpm records) is available at my exact cost if wanted by the purchasor.
PAYPAL IS THE MUCH PREFERRED METHOD OF PAYMENT. However, I CAN accept other modes of paying upon local pickup (MON-FRI). Please email me in advance to arrange such payment requests/local pickup or if you have questions. Thanks!
Now that I'm finally offering paypal, please pay promptly: Winner's payment should reach me within 7 days; eBay wants to be notified of slow- or non-payers soon thereafter so NON-PAYING BIDDER ALERTS ARE FILED ON THE 8th day following the auction IF I'VE HAD NO CONTACT FROM YOU SINCE AUCTION'S END. That gives you just 7 more days to pay without a NPB strike. Delayed? Then email me - I'll try to work with you when necessary but please don't expect me to do so in a vacuum.
PLACING A BID IS THE ETHICAL EQUIVALENT OF ACCEPTING THESE TERMS. PLEASE DON'T ASK TO ALTER THEM AFTERWARDS. In return, as our feedback clearly shows, we'll get your item(s) to you, as described, in a safe, timely manner. Thanks!
LIMITED LOCAL PICKUP OFFERED: Local pickup (you'll need C A $ H in exact change please - there's usually no money on hand with which to make change) available ONLY at my office in the Lakeview area of southside B'ham during office hours Mon-Thursday + Friday mornings. I'm sorry but there is NO WAY to arrange late evening or night time pickups, saturday or sunday pickups, meetings anywhere else, and/or pickups at my home. I need at least one and usually two business days' notice beforehand. Address and other instructions/directions given after you've won an item and contacted me via email. Thanks!
