posted on May 31, 2001 09:35:05 AM new
I just got back from a yardsale where I picked up a very very old stack of sheet music. It is dated from 1901-1941. I am not sure whether to list individually or as a grouping. Also in the stack are some old Chicago Tribune newspaper pieces that have sheet music printed on them from October, 1940. On one particular paper is a map that is showing where the war is going on and tells statistical story. I don't know which would be more valuable! LOL! There are also articles. I know some people have mentioned selling only articles on Ebay for a huge profit but am not sure if that is how I should go. Any advise/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. I have written a list of all the titles of the sheet music and will be doing an Ebay search but wanted your valuable input too! Thanks all! Oreo
posted on May 31, 2001 10:18:17 AM new
In my experience: Pick out the pretty, frameable sheetmusic and sell individually. Also anything by Irving Berlin or Scott Joplin or anything ethnic (Hawaiian or Black). Then put the rest in lots. I have had real luck doing this.
Also - is it all piano/voice? If there is any accordion, ukekele, trumpet, or guitar music, list that seperately also.
[ edited by rainbowman11 on May 31, 2001 10:19 AM ]
posted on May 31, 2001 10:24:44 AM new
No expert here, but most sheet music is musty from being stored in basements. Makes for a hard sell and it should be noted in the auction.
90% of all sheet music is worth, at most $1-3. Some from WWI stuff is worth more and some of the black music (which depicts charactures which I'm even embarassed to mention, on the covers) brings a lot of money.
Usually, it's the covers people are after - famous artist, etc. The music is available anywhere, after all.
I don't know about specific artists, but I wouldn't get too excited unless it's in mint condition (no writing on it, no tears, bends, creases, etc.) All of those things dimish the value. And, remember, if you list it, check out the smell - that is a big downer. (Life magazines have a distinctive smell, too, which hurts their value.)
As for newspapers, most have no value at all. They are usually yellow and brittle. Some articles might be of value, but the ones that everybody kept (like Kennedy assination) don't bring what you would expect. Makes sense - everybody kept them and even extras. So, the more there are, the less they are worth.
Some REAL (lots of repros out there) of Pearl Harbor (Dec. 7, 1941 only) have a value. But beware of the repros.
There are some Harper's weekly's (bound in books) are worth some money.
Again, I'm no expert but I am an antique dealer and most of us would rather take a beating than fool with sheet music (has a very short shelf life and few ways to display it unless you are in that specific business).
Again, the stuff you can classify as Black Memorabilia is the very good to have, along with some WWII and 1920's stuff. Please remember the condition and photograph it for your customer. Will save you a lot of time later when you start having to refund the purchase price because the customer couldn't see the tears, etc. All collectors expect it to be in some sort of 'used' condition, but just how bad it is will determine if they are interested.
If you can separate out the good from the bad and run the bad as a batch of sheet music and list the titles, you will save yourself a lot of work.
Maybe a collector will give you some advice if they see this post.
posted on May 31, 2001 10:33:57 AM new
I am not a collector of sheetmusic but personally I have done very well with sheet music. Even the ones with writing or small tears. Just depends on what the music is.
As an example: I ran into a whole box of sheet music. In the box was an old University of Michigan fight song that went for $83.00. I only spent 10 bucks on the box and I have sold a lot out of that box. I must have made $300 - $400 on it. I bought another smaller box for $10.00 and I am still selling stuff from that lot.
It just depend on what it is. Are there many with pictures on the cover?
posted on May 31, 2001 06:20:19 PM new
activating, so I can monitor the thread... and dreaming too, as Auntie has loads of music tucked away in nooks and crannies at her summer place. I bought home a batch of it last weekend -- including Scott Joplin and Maurice Chevalier and a few others too!
