1927 Blind Lemon Jefferson PARAMOUNT TEST PRESSING

$

787

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 you bid. Thanks.

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BLACK SNAKE DREAM BLUES (4577-2)   and   RIGHT OF WAY BLUES (4515-2)   by [Blind Lemon Jefferson]   [Chicago, Illinois]: Paramount test pressing 12510 with handwritten labels, ca. August 1927.   BLACK SNAKE accompanied by piano (presumably George Perkins); RIGHT OF WAY accompanied by guitar (presumably Blind Lemon himself).   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 late 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 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 325.   Both sides rubbed but showing perhaps 50% gloss (probably 60% on BLACK SNAKE). The plain white labels show little spindle wear but there is a needle swirl scratch on the BLACK SNAKE label, as you can see in one of the photos. There is a TINY "dent" (about the size of a needle drop) in the surface of RIGHT OF WAY about halfway thru but I think it was created during the pressing process as I didn't hear any noise when my needle easily passed it and the surface of the shellac is not cracked or broken. 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. The "hiss" is a bit more bothersome on RIGHT OF WAY but that's probably because the recording job is very strong and clear on BLACK SNAKE.   This is easily VG+ and BLACK SNAKE might actually rate an E- but let's call it VG+ 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!