Topic: You can still find records in Antique stores!

[M.Vidrine]

I thought I?d post this here as some of you collectors may find the story entertaining! Unlike most, I have the pleasure of living close to one of the great 78rpm collectors of our time ? a fellow named Frank Mare. He is a wonderful guy & I feel like a lottery winner when I get to visit his home & listen to records! It?s hard to explain & even though I have been listening to this music for years, I have developed an entire new appreciation for listening to music direct from the shellac! There really is a difference ? though I can?t figure out how much of it is just psychological??

In my first month (and a half), I've turned up some pretty good stuff (for me - couple of Georgia Yellow Hammers, E. Stonemans, an E condition Kelly Harrell, a new looking Oscar Ford jr., Ernest Thompson, Sam Ku West, Emmett Miller, Jazz Gillum, 3 F.W. McGees, a J.M. Gates, C.M. Grayson, Uncle Dave Macon & a bunch of other stuff not as exciting - couple of Carter Family, Dalharts, like 10-12 Jimmie Rodgers records) at various local antique stores & flea markets. I always get a rush when I'm flipping through records & I see a Vocalion or a Gennett - even though it's not usually what I'm after it's still great fun (like prospecting for gold).

Frank has been ribbing me that he would hate to start collecting now, but I made my first real score on Thursday! On Tuesday (a week ago), I was calling various antique stores in a nearby town. I called one shop & asked if they had any old Victrola records & the lady said no, but she knew the shop across the street did & she gave me their number. I then called that shop & the owner confirmed that she had about 100 records in stock & I made plans to visit her on Thursday. Well, I showed up Thursday morning & the shop had not opened yet, so to kill time I went to visit the shop I had first called (which was open). When I walked in, I introduced myself & the lady did remember me calling. I looked around a bit & was not impressed - it was more of a gift shop than antique store (homemade candy, lot's of new local college sweatshirts, etc.), but I decided to ask her again if she had any records. This time she said, well, I'm not sure, let me check the back. In about a minute, she emerged from the back carrying a pizza sized box asking if this is what I was looking for?? As I opened the box, she called the lady who owned the records and asked how much she wanted for each. We agreed on a price (which I?m embarrassed to say what it was) & I started to flip through them. This is where I picked up a couple of the Yellow Hammer records, an Uncle Dave Macon, the Sam Ku West & sure enough, a Mississippi John Hurt (my heart sank - in a good way). You know that feeling when you try to stop yourself from being openly excited? I'd call it a V or V+ of Okeh 8560 Frankie/Nobody's Dirty Business! Of course, my collector friends are swearing that it is just beginner's luck & that you still can't find records in antique stores - ha (I do kinda believe ?em)!

I still don't own a record player that spins at 78rpm & I'm figuring that may be an important thing for a fledgling collector to own - do you think? As much as it hurts (and I will shed a little tear), I?m listing the record on Ebay (It?s here if you want to check it out - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:11&item=300004264441). I'll sacrifice the Hurt record so I can actually enjoy some of the others!
 
Oh yea, by the time I finished, the lady I was supposed to meet had arrived & I crossed the street to her shop. Sure enough, she had about 100 records - most classical, some big band & bing crosby (yawn). She did have one that I almost purchased - it was Chick Webb (with Ella) doing Wacky Dust. I still may go back for it if I get really desperate for something!

I suppose it?s good and bad to have a great find early in your collecting career? I?m almost expecting to find something good every time I go out & in my heart I know I may never get that lucky again?

Anyone else have some similar luck?

Malcolm

[M.Vidrine]

A friend of mine did find a few things at Lakewood. I remember him telling me that he followed someone home on a record lead. He said there wasn't much there, but I know he did buy a few Sister Rosetta Tharpe records (cause that's what I was looking at when our conversation started).

I'll get out there before they shut it down & see if I can scrounge anything up.

I've just got a feeling that this is going to turn into an expensive hobby (especially buying on Ebay). My wife has already put a monthly household spending cap on my record buying - the rest has to come out of the business fund, ouch! It's tough to compete with some of the heavy hitting traders on Ebay so's I'll keep hoping to run into a deal at an estate sale!

Thanks SpikeDriver (would have rather found that Hurt record!) - do let me know! I haven't made it out to Coweta area yet - so let me know if anything looks interesting!

[Richard]

Isn't it fun finding 78s   

Over here they are now getting a bit scarce in the junk shop world.

However, I have been threatened with somebody's collection (for free even!) when they have to move later this year.. I have been told there is a lot of jazz but that's all I know - anything interesting and I'll put it on the juke!

[phhawk]

Malcolm, Congratulations on the John Hurt. I'll keep my eyes on it but don't have a lot of money for bidding on records since I bought a house.

Good records can still be found but it does get harder all the time. A few months ago I got a call from a friend about an estate sale in Hemet, about 20 miles from where I live, regarding 78's. I talked myself into going to the sale thinking it would be a waste of time. Over the years I had accomplished the near impossible by  accumulating 6 of the 7 sides, in original issue, of the King Mutt session, all very rare, 2 Electrobeam Gennetts, 1 Supertone, 1 Champion; all I needed was "Shake Your Shimmy" on Supertone to complete the collection.

Anyway, I waited in line at the sale and when they opened the doors I ran into the room with the records and started racing through them. And in a short time I came across Graveyard Johnson on Supertone which is a pseudonym for King Mutt on Supertone. I was piling up records so fast, as there was another picker grabbing 78's, that I didn't even look to see which sides they were. But, I knew I had hit gold. After I had gone through all the records I was finally able to look and see what Mutt sides I found. Sure enough, an E+ copy of "Shake Your Shimmy". I ended up buying over 100 records but the Mutt was far and away the best prize.

Also, there used to be a guy who lived in Hemet that would travel around to Texas and other places and come up with all kinds of rare stuff on an amazingly regular basis. Man! I hated to see him move as I was able to buy some great stuff from him. It kept getting pricier and pricier though, but it was great stuff like and E+ Mississippi Shieks on Okeh, Memphis Minnie, "Tricks Ain't Walkin" on Vocalion, an E+ Blind Lemmon on Okeh and so on.

I actually have a harder time getting good Hillbilly than blues, it seems. Although, I'm not getting much of anything these days. Anyway, Congratulations again. What a score!! 

Regards, Phil