Old photographs, by that I mean those made before 1950 and especially the antiques made during the infancy of photography (1839-1900), are a great opportunity for investment as well as enjoyment and decoration. Every day photos are becoming more scarce. Thousands are damaged, destroyed, lost, sold to museums or donated to historical societies. Photos made before 1900 are genuinely rare, often unique. As the supply diminishes, the rarity and value of vintage photos expands. At the same time, the demand for antique images grows. Until relatively recently, much of the monetary value of old photos had been overlooked. Some persons regarded them as trite, commonplace and mundane. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Old pictures are valuable and interesting. Originally, and commonly, photographs are considered archival and ephemeral, freezing the moment when baby Lisa took her first step or what Harrisburg looked like when you visited the Farm Show. With some obvious exceptions such as news pictures, photos are indeed just that, of interest to few persons except the person or the family that made the record. But after a little time, all that changes. The image becomes a brief historical record recalling the garments, styles, technology and manners of a specific moment in the past, what a zoot-suit or a flapper really looked like and what the mechanics of the Broadway Limited looked like to the small lad along the right-of-way. During the middle history of photography, especially in the mid-Victorian era of the 1860s and 70s, some photographers wanted to make "art." Nowadays "art photographs" usually means nudes, but in Victorian times the idea was to depict cheap maudlin sentimentality by copying the styles and elements used in paintings (called "fine art") of the era. By the exciting Golden Age of photography during the 1930s, the medium was a social critic, a harsh exposition of the real human condition and the realities of life during the Great Depression. Pictures made during America's many wars gel a moment of the emotional august angst of conflict. Most photographs are small, usually just a few inches. In the early days, at least, they were monochromes, often appearing gray and lifeless, uninteresting. After the 1950s when color, particularly garish colors became endemic to American decoration, many of the ordinary folk packed away their great old pictures, replacing them with Americas plastic post-war dreck. Since that time the middle classes have often regarded photographs as unworthy of exhibition and unsuited for home decoration. More sophisticated classes have always appreciated the singular value and charm of photographs. Truth-be-told, one of the great assets of antique photos is their use in decorating. Properly displayed, the images don't lose value, they continue to appreciate while serving an unparallel function of accenting any room. In today's smaller homes and apartments oversized images may be overwhelming. Smaller, more intimate expressions are better. One secret is to display old pictures in bright, light colored mats, especially warm, flesh tones. While the photos may be hung on walls in simple glass-covered frames, they are also appropriate in standing frames, 8 by 10 inches or even smaller. They should be placed at a level where visitors will appreciate them. Another idea is to carefully display them beneath the glass of coffee tables or even end tables. On the back of the frame a small label should record all that's known about the picture, who, what, when, where, why and how, even when it was bought. It's astonishing how interested everyone is with old pictures and the conversation, reminiscences and nostalgia they evoke. Vintage photos are a kind of inter-active or participatory art form unlike any other. They provoke questions, talk and personal involvement. The more that's known about a photograph, the better and usually the more valuable it will be, but even pictures of unknown strangers are fascinating for their ambiance, costume and settings, what became of that young couple at the dawn of the Civil War or that African infant on a Philadelphia street? Persons should buy the kinds of photos and the subject matter which interests them. They should buy the best quality and condition they can afford. They may acquire images made by specific or well know lensmen or, just as often lenswomen, because some of the greatest photographers were/are women. Pictures of American natives, Afro-Americans, children and women wearing characteristic dress are always popular. Pictures of machinery, cars, airplanes, factories, workmen and fire equipment are valuable. Some persons like pictures of old places and activities, or famous personalities. During the 165 year history of photography the medium has developed and many types of pictures, even slides, motion pictures, stereo-views and x-rays are available. Daguerreotypes are rare, costly and fragile. Tintypes are less so in all departments. Paper prints, even cabinet cards and the small cartes de visite from the 1860s-1880s are warm and intriguing. A good example may cost less than $30. Of course, when buying antique photographs one should consider the value of the picture when it comes time to dispose of it. Subjects and condition which will be rewarding investments should be selected. A good photograph might be expected to appreciate 4% or 5% a year meaning that it would double in value in about 16 years. An exceptional subject might appreciate as much as 7% or more a year, doubling in value in 10 years or so. Once purchased, the photo should be cared for for what it is, a cherished work of art, an investment. Take good care of it, out of direct sunlight, covered with glass which blocks ultraviolet light, on acid-free matting. It makes good sense to invest in and to enjoy antique photographs. Enjoy the images while they gain value. Rebecca's Bargain Antiques Collectible Vintage Photos Fine Prints - Old Maps Sheet Music - Old Books Elegant Antiques and Collectibles "Better be the head of the dog than the tail of the lion" English proverb, circa 1550 You are welcome to use or republish any of our material. Please give www.prisoners.com credit as the source. Return to the Works by Prisoner Authors and others Menu Return to the Main Menu Go to our site's Search Engine Send us Your Comments or Input.