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RedditWhen business instructor Jeff Clark hung his family heirloom photo of Charles Lindbergh in his classroom at Davis Applied Technology College in Kaysville, Utah, it inspired questions over how much it was worth. Clark inherited the photo, which dates to 1927, from his late grandfather.
He plans on hanging a 40-inch wingspan scale model of the Spirit of St. Louis from the ceiling in front of the picture. "It would be nice to know if the photo has any value beyond my own love for it," Clark says.
Armed with a JPG image of the 19- by 15-inch photo, which displays a lanky Lindy standing upright under the Spirit of St. Louis' wing, I contacted Allan Janus, an archivist at the National Air & Space Museum, who recognized the image immediately.
"It's a well known Lindbergh photo," Janus says. "But I don't think any vintage Lindbergh photo could be described as common nowadays."
He suggested contacting an appraiser, but said a general idea can be gleaned by investigating the market. "On estimating the value of vintage photographs, I usually recommend keeping an eye on online auction sites like eBay," Janus says. "Rare photographs are also auctioned by Swann, Christies's and Sotheby's—watching their catalogues can be very instructive."
But catalogue pricing can be tricky; sellers place estimate values on memorabilia that may not reflect the actual amount someone will pay. It's always better to look at the actual amount people paid for items over a period of time rather than their listed values, says Allan Stypeck, owner of Rockville, Maryland and a senior appraiser for the American Society of Appraisers. The ASA—there really is an organization for everything—puts people in touch with a qualified appraiser in their area.
Stypeck, who has been at the appraisal game for more than 30 years, says the first thing to check in valuing photo memorabilia is to confirm if the photo is an original or a valueless reproduction. Assuming Clark's photo is an original, the next criteria is size, with larger photos commanding more money. An 8- by 11-inch original photo of Lindy and his airplane can run between $200 and $300, while a 14- by 24-inch print can be worth $500 to $700. So Clark likely is hanging several hundred dollars' worth of aviation history on his walll.
Alas, there is no signature on Clark's photo. A signed original can be valued between $2,000 and $6,000, depending on the size and condition of the market. (Selling it during a spike in interest, such as an anniversary, major movie launch on the topic, and so on, can increase prices. Just ask vendors of Titanic memorabilia.)
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Comments
I have an original Flying magazine dated August 1944 in very good condition. Can you tell me if the magazine has any value to a collector? Reply: We suggest you search eBay to see what comparable items are going for.
Posted by RNS NETWORK, LLC on August 20,2008 | 07:07AM
I have the original newspaper from 1948 telling of Orville wright's death on the front page. It is a little torn but in good condition. My father had saved it all these years. I would like to sell it. Do yu have any idea how much it is worth? EDITORS' REPLY: We cannot supply valuations. Thank you
Posted by Jane Gregory on October 26,2008 | 02:21PM
I have original snapshot pictures of "The Spirit of St. Louis" I recently found in some boxes from my grandfather that have been packed away for years. I also have the negatives. I believe they were taken in Omaha, Nebraska during Lindbergh's 1927 tour of cities. There are about 6. The negatives and pictures are in excellent condition. What might their value be? EDITORS' REPLY: We cannot supply valuations.
Posted by LINDA STEMPEL on December 28,2008 | 04:07PM
I have an authenticated & rare full signature of Charles Lindbergh on a page from his book 'We'mounted together with a print bought in the USA & deemed origional of Spirit of St Louis.These are beautifully mounted. I am interested in selling item & welcome potential saleability at present & price possible to achieve. EDITORS' REPLY: We cannot offer appraisals of individual items. You need to contact a dealer who specializes in autographs.
Posted by on February 3,2009 | 04:51AM
I have a souvenir piece of fabric given to my father by Charles Lindbergh.
Posted by youngman on April 6,2009 | 02:43AM
I have seven prints from the Wright Aeornautical Company that depict the history of aviation from the first flight through the 1930's. How can I find out what they are worth and what museum might be interested. Thank you very much. Virginia Willits EDITORS' REPLY: The Smithsonian does not provide valuations. You could look at various auction Web sites to see if similar items have sold and for how much.
Posted by Virgini9a Willits on July 8,2009 | 07:23AM
I have a photo of Clover Field, March 16, 1924, the First Around the World Flight. This is a panoramic of the airfield with planes lined up. It is a copyrighted photo from the Aerograph Co. How or where can I get an appraisal for this photo? My father, who has now passed, was given this photo by either Mr. Douglas or Mr. McDonnell upon his retirement from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.EDITORS' REPLY: As part of the Smithsonian, we can't provide valuations or recommend specific dealers or appraisers. We suggest you do an Internet search to find an auction house or a vintage-photograph dealer who has experience selling and buying similar photographs.
Posted by Russ on October 9,2009 | 01:10PM
I have a paper that is dated 1912 and is the dated the day after the Titanic sank. How much do you think that this paper is worth and , how much should I sell it for? Thank you. EDITORS' REPLY: Again, we do not provide valuation services. You might try a document dealer, or an auction house that handles old documents.
Posted by rose on November 14,2009 | 05:22AM