A friend has asked for advice about disposing of a deceased relative's extensive railway photo collection. The family are concerned about getting a decent valuation[s]; some are originals and some copies. Also advice about disposal...one go or in chunks. Can anyone suggest anything please? I have been through the collction briefly and it really deserves a closer look by someone in the know or who might be interested.
David
Photo collection
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Re: Photo collection
Basically you need it catalogued with date ,location, engine and any other relevant detail also the photographers name.
Some railways sell better than others, some railways are barely known on camera. The magazines are always looking for rarely photographed locations/engines for instance in my area of interest there are hardly any photographs of the Tweed Dock branch or trains in the MOD fuel depot off the Alnwick Branch.
I hope this basic set of requirements help. Incidentally do you know anything about his subjects or locations?
Some railways sell better than others, some railways are barely known on camera. The magazines are always looking for rarely photographed locations/engines for instance in my area of interest there are hardly any photographs of the Tweed Dock branch or trains in the MOD fuel depot off the Alnwick Branch.
I hope this basic set of requirements help. Incidentally do you know anything about his subjects or locations?
Hi interested in the area served by 52D. also researching colliery wagonways from same area.
Re: Photo collection
I saw the collection which was negs and slides in July last year and it was impressive. Some are copies as can be imagined. However the deceased was born in Yorkshire, and I would imagine that there is a good % of LNER-orientated though there were some Southern/SR shots I recall, and some modern preserved locos on the main line. A figure of circa 50p has been suggested for prints but that may not be the rate for negs from which shots can be taken for mags. I am a transport magazine Deputy Editor and writer/author and I have to pay anywhere between £25 and £90 for shots for the magazine depending on source.
Re: Photo collection
A set of 1930s Yorkshire Railway photos are on sale on ebay at the present time - states they are from a deceased relative. This is the number of one of the photos if any one wants to check 230428533224.
Are these by some chance part of this collection??
Are these by some chance part of this collection??
Re: Photo collection
Many valuable collections are lost or dispersed when their owners pass on and you are right to consider the options before rushing into a quick disposal of these items. I agree with 52D that good documentation of material and subjects greatly enhances the value of collections; the converse is that the lack or sometimes complete absence of details reduces their value.
'Original' material i.e. where the subjects were photographed personally by the owner of the collection rather than pictures taken by others and acquired by purchase, can be very useful to authors and publishers if it is of sufficient quality and rarity. The downside is that prospective authors and publishers do not always have the time or knowledge to do the cataloguing themselves.
Bearing in mind your location you might find the following two contacts useful for getting the collection looked at and valued by informed people:
1. http://www.southern-images.co.uk/
This is run by John Bird who I know, he is himself a published railway author and photographer.
2. http://www.kevinrobertsonbooks.co.uk
He is also an author and publisher of railway books.
'Original' material i.e. where the subjects were photographed personally by the owner of the collection rather than pictures taken by others and acquired by purchase, can be very useful to authors and publishers if it is of sufficient quality and rarity. The downside is that prospective authors and publishers do not always have the time or knowledge to do the cataloguing themselves.
Bearing in mind your location you might find the following two contacts useful for getting the collection looked at and valued by informed people:
1. http://www.southern-images.co.uk/
This is run by John Bird who I know, he is himself a published railway author and photographer.
2. http://www.kevinrobertsonbooks.co.uk
He is also an author and publisher of railway books.