Vintage Vinyl Sale at Madison Wisconsin St. Vincent de Paul starts this Wednesday

The phone calls start in the summer requesting information from workers at St. Vincent de Paul's thrift store on Williamson Street. "When," callers ask, "is the Collectible Record Sale?"

Yes, vintage vinyl still thrives — and serves as a vital fundraiser for St. Vincent de Paul's food pantry. The 11th annual Collectible Record Sale, ranging from Edison records meant for Victrolas to Michael Jackson's LP "Bad," begins at 3 p.m. Wednesday and runs through Saturday. Judging by previous years' sales, more than 40 avid music buffs are expected to be waiting when doors open.

This year's event features a few thousand albums — most of which are vinyl and all of which were donated. Two of the most unique items available are picture records from the 1940s released by the obscure Detroit label Vogue that teach rumba steps on 78 RPM records, for about $20 each.


• Williamson Street St. Vincent de Paul Web site


"There are some treasures in there," said Ford Stabe, who helps organize the sale. "We don't try to inflate the price. It's a charity sale."

Collectors and casual record buyers usually buy more records, ranging from $3.25 to $10. And they're interested in a 1950s singer such as Jane Morgan rather than superstars such as Barbra Streisand, Stabe says. (Andy Williams, Stabe adds, is another artist whose supply far exceeds demand.)

"We get lots and lots of milk crates filled with albums," says store manager Diane Smith-Melloy.

Obscurity helps. Last year, a 1970s album of Eastern European music sold quickly.

A blues music collection sold last year for a record $100. All of the albums have a sticker price, so that allowed an Elvis Presley album, released only to radio stations, to sell for a low price.


IF YOU GO

What: 11th annual St. Vincent de Paul Collectible Record Sale

Where: Basement of St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop, 1309 Williamson St., Madison, Wisconsin

When: 3-5:45 p.m. Wednesday ($5 donation to enter); free admission 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

[Wisconsin State Journal]