My Memory Lane

Does anyone know how much antique photo albums are worth?

I bought an antique photo album at a flee market and it had a lot of pictures in it one of the pictures had Howard James Blackmer from Jamestown , NewYork 1911 on it. I really do not know how to find out how much about the photo album or if it is worth any thing. The photo album itself says that it was Patented November 16, 1895.

Public Comments

1. It's really hard to say. A lot of factors go into finding out how much a photo album or photo itself is worth such as the shape it's in, the image quality, type of material, year manufactured, subject, etc. I've looked for old photos and albums on ebay to get an idea of what people are selling for/what people are paying. I'd suggest looking on there to get some kind of idea on what's out there and doing some more research. Good Luck!
2. Like most of the old books you can find with items in them that are the main focus and subject and reason for there being a book to hold them in, the items inside are often worth more than the book itself... Old photo albums are meant to hold things... They have to be really old and in really great condition and even of a valuable material to be considered valuable on their own. If they contain valuable pieces of history and dated material then they should be kept together no matter the condition of the book itself. (unless they are actually destroying them) In some cases things get dismantled and the pieces separated and they hold value on their own, but it usually is a better idea to leave things as they are. (unless one is destroying the other) Explination: The only reason you would have to take it apart is if the material that the book is made of, is compromising the articles inside it. They didn't have Acid free paper in the old days and what they did have often ruined the things it was meant to hold and protect. The best thing to do would be to take it somewhere to an expert in this field that can determine for you if the book itself or the items inside, are worth more and if they should be kept together or separated to better protect them. Then have each one valued and decide if they are better off as a set or separately. Everyone knows that time desintegrates paper products... Be careful and take it to someone who knows for sure what to do with it first then decide what it is worth and how... together or seperate. Good luck! Sounds like a nice little piece of history...