Peter Richer

????? Shifty's telephone numbers are posted up in the sales section every time he puts out an e-mail list (every 3 weeks or so)! They are all still on there now. And in any case, why on earth would a record dealer not want their business numbers to be publicised amongst prospective record buyers?!? Come to think of it though, I can understand why I might not want his numbers there of course - more competition for his records!!! Peter

Just out of interest / for information (not boasting!), I have a totally clean copy on Peak. No writing whatsoever, and vinyl is virtually mint too. I bought it from John Manship about 4 or 5 months ago - it was on his website at £100 then. Don't know where he found it, but I suspect a clean one would be worth more than £100 now.

Hi All, It was me who bought the Gene Woodbury for £300 (well, £309 to be precise!). I paid that because I particularly wanted it in my collection and, as Baz says, it doesn't seem to come up for sale anymore and it was in beautiful condition. I'm sure it was Pottsy who had one on E-bay a few months back but I wasn't around to bid on it. I think it went for over £200 but I could be wrong there. (Anyone know?) In the past two years I have asked at least 4 dealers if they could get hold of a GW for me, none of whom had had a copy for a while, although one did have a Bernie Williams in stock! But like Ted says there may be more come out of the woodwork now. On a number of occasions members on here have wondered what 'lunatics' buy from John's auctions. Well I had a quick count up this morning and I have bought at least 15 items, and sold one. Many people believe I'm bonkers anyway, but on most of these records I've paid a fair price (or a little over, if I really want the record and it rarely comes up for sale). For example I had: Dean Courtney - Love, You Just Can't Walk Away - MGM ... £250 Patrice Holloway - Stolen Hours - Capitol ... £250 Andrea Henry - I Need You Like A Baby - MGM (black issue) ... £400 Sam & Kitty - I've Got Something Good - Four Brothers (west coast demo) ... £195 Velvet Satins - Nothing Can Compare To You - General American (white demo with no red swirl) ... £330 Inspirations - Your Wish Is My Command - Midas ... £530 All in near mint condition!! And, I know the records will arrive safely next day. And, I know I can send them back if I don't like what I get! OK, I may have paid a little over the odds for a couple on Shrine, but how often will I get the chance to pick up a really good copy of Les Chansonettes or a decent, playable copy of the Cavaliers?? I know some of the prices John's Auctions fetch are amazing, and indeed more than a little disappointing if a couple of people go mad over a record you wanted to bid on (and it only takes two wealthy and desperate punters to send the price into orbit)! It's even more baffling when the records are clearly rubbish or pop, but there's no accounting for taste! Yesterday I wanted to buy Frankie Beverly - Because Of My Heart, but not at over £1,900 !!! Unfortunately there are sometimes adverse knock on effects on prices. Everybody knows the Masqueraders - How should not really be worth £1,100, but nobody will now sell me one for a sensibly high price of, say, £400 - £500. Everyone wants top auction price. Anyway, just a perspective there from a reasonably regular JM auction buyer. Comments (and even straight-jackets) welcome! Oh yes, and if someone wants to sell me good condition copies of the Masqueraders or Frankie Beverly at SENSIBLE prices, there's cash waiting .... !?! Cheers, Peter

Thanks Chalky, that's the Don Gardner shunted into the 'more than 10 copies' category (unless anyone else disagrees?!?) Any more cracks at likely numbers of known copies of any of the records mentioned? Any more myths to be dispelled??

Simon - The B side has: 1. My Baby Ain't No Plaything - Willie Jones, and 2. In The Pocket - Detroit Strings

Russ - there's quite a few tasty west coast items which would set the pulse racing. Would you be able to keep a decent poker face if you were handing over $3 for one in those sales?! Doesn't that Patrinell Staten eminate from Seattle too? Any idea on the number of known copies of that? Pete - I'm glad there's a few of the Pat Lewis around. As you say it's a great record, and I'd love to have one in my collection. Let me know next time you turn one up!

Being single I'm always open to invitations from attractive young soulettes to take a look at their collections!!

I guess we're also assuming that the records should be high quality, danceable, Northern Soul - and for my taste it should certainly be soulful. Not sure how many copies there are of: Ernestine Eady - Phil LA Soul Four Dynamics - Peachtree Combinations - What You Gonna Do - Kellmac Pat Lewis - No One To Love - Solid Hit Various Magnetics items - any fewer than 10 copies? Anyone got reliable information / suggestions?

Good question Rich, I was wondering the same thing. There are some records where it would be interesting to confirm their rarity, and some myths which need dispelling. I know there was a thread a while back showing that there were well over a dozen copies of the Eddie Parker on Awake, and I believe there are about a dozen of Billy Woods. While these are still pretty rare it would be good to narrow it to fewer than 10 say, or perhaps 5. Of the established tunes, how about: Inspirations - Breakthrough Don Gardner - Sedgrick Jimmy Burns - Erica Various Shrines - Cavaliers, Prophets, Counts Of the more unusual, maybe: Nat T. Jones - Goliath Walter Wilson - Wand I assume also that we're talking about records with proper labels, not acetates/test presses?

It definitely grows on you. I've often found that great records sound much better after the third or fourth time of listening, probably because they are a bit more subtle or complex in the harmonies or musical arrangements. For example, I've found much of the Shrine output to be quite superb, after first thinking the tracks were just moderately good - Cautions (x2), Epsilons, Sidney Hall, Eddie Daye, Cairos all fall into this category for me. Anyway, I digress. The Kings of Soul is excellent, and the trick I've found is to not worry about the almost pathetic guitar solo but to concentrate on the underlying bass work which is fantastic!

As I understand it, the 'Trans' copies are legitimate re-issues, as opposed to the 'Trans American' originals. The interesing point is that they were pressed from the original plates, and therefore have identical matrix markings. Value ought to be in the £10 to £20 (absolute max) range.

Fantastic guitar work on Don't Want To Be Your Fool by the New Yorkers. Anyone know who the genius is who should take a bow for this particular gem?

Make it £700 and I'm sure I can find a girl who will call herself 'Dena Barnes' for the night and prepare you a candlelit dinner (etc. . . !!). Can't guarantee she'll be able to sing though?!

Dena Barnes - If You Ever Walk Out Of My Life - Inferno Red stock copy for sale. Mint minus condition. £650 Please send PM if interested. Thanks, Peter

Fantaisions - Unnecessary Tears - Satellite Soulful, great melody and harmonies, and stomps!

In answer to Pete's original question - 'why is it up for sale at £500?' - the sales thread that it was on had quite a few in demand records which people seemed to be gushing about, but the sample I checked (Martha Star, Ellusions, Ringleaders, Don Varner, Andrea Henry, Betty Lloyd etc.) all had prices directly taken from Manships Price Guide volume 3. The interesting thing was that not one person on that thread suggested any of the prices were too expensive! Presumably everyone's following the suggestion that sales prices should not be questioned on their originating thread, which is why Pete started a separate topic here to comment on the Ringleaders price. Either that or everyone now accepts that the Manship vol. 3 prices are just about right?!?

I can add a bit more on the description of the 1975 original, as I have one in front of me (bought from Mr. Manship approx 1977/8 ... I think it cost a fiver!): It is made of quite thin and flexible vinyl, with an off-white moulded over label. The run out is 1.5cm width from the playing grooves to the label, and it has the hand-drawn letters 'BA' in a circle scratched in, as well as the EC 5709 A (or EC 5709 B on the b-side). On mine, you can also see a faint additional print of the artist credits. I don't know whether these details are the same on the re-issue though, as I don't have one to compare. Any takers??

In John Manship's price guide he lists Ty Karim's You Just Don't Know on Romark 113 as more expensive than Romark 103 (although both are pretty wallet busting!). Anyone know why this should be? Presumably Romark 113 is rarer, but wouldn't, or shouldn't, the first issue be more in demand? Also, why doesn't this apply to the People's Choice on Palmer 5031? Can't remember seeing this one for sale. On the Frankie Beverly point though, surely it would satisfy both rarity and 1st issue devotees to get the Sassy demo!

I am looking for original copies of: Carlettes - I'm Getting Tired - Capitol or Bobby Robinson Mary Love - You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet - Modern Epsilons - Mind In A Bind - Hem Good prices offered for any of these in good condition. You can e-mail me at (pjricher@waitrose.com) if you prefer. Thanks, Peter