*“I have some old music. Is it valuable?”
Much that is old and scarce, or downright rare, also has zero demand and therefore no significant worth. Revisit the three parameters for worth: (1) social/historical interest, (2) artistic merit in graphic design, (3) fame in composer or lyricist. Rarity without demand is the same as a piece of music in terrific condition but lacking demand. It has very little worth.
*“Does it automatically have worth if it has a pictorial illustration and dates from the middle of the 19th century?”
No, not necessarily. Not if no one can be found who’s interested in purchasing. There are many mid-century sentimental songs that tell no story of significance and for which there is simply no demand.
*“Does a song with a gorgeous melody and excellent lyrics have some value?”
Maybe, to the musician who reads music, but not necessarily to the sheet music collector, whose field of collecting is principally a social/cultural anthropology. A few questions for you - what, of significance, can be brought out about the publication? What place did the composer have in musical history? What does it say about the society? What story does the song tell, or what does the image on the title page suggest? What do you know of the music’s scarcity or its historical connection?
*”What is popular sheet music from the 19th century actually worth?”
Five cents to five hundred thousand dollars. That depends on what you have, the condition it is in, how rare it is, who is selling it, when they are selling it, how it is featured, how the sale description and images are handled, etc. In 2010 Christies Auction House in New York sold what is believed to be the last copy in private hands of the first published edition of the sheet music for The Star Spangled Banner. It sold for $506,000 with buyer’s premium (B/P) included in that amount. Another early edition of the National Anthem, the first to show the flag, has since sold for $35,000 with B/P. Most sheet music sales on one of the many national auction sites (eBay, Invaluable, Heritage, etc.) sell for $10 to $100 to perhaps $1,000 or more for really important items.
*"Does condition matter in 19th century music?"
Condition always matters. This may be especially true with beautifully drawn or colored title-pages but is also true with non-illustrated music. Condition, of course, can have a dramatic effect on price. Perhaps as much as 95% or more of all the sheet music that has survived from the 1800’s is bound, or was once, prior to being separated from a bound volume. These volumes are sammelbands or ‘grangerized bindings’ put together by an individual or family and then independently bound for preservation. Music in fine condition that was never bound is clearly more desirable but a separate higher-priced market for this material has really never been created.
*“Do you appraise collections?”
Call me at 425-771-0646 or email at [email protected].
*“What are the key publications in this field?”
The following are the books that are typically held in some regard by veteran collectors of ‘first epoch’ American popular sheet music. Some are valuable for music research, some for illustrated examples.
*The Lure of the Striped Pig – David Tatham, Imprint Society, 1973
*The Handbook of Early American Sheet Music (Its Lure and its Lore) – Harry Dichter and Elliot Shapiro, R.R. Bowker Co., 1941
*Handbook of American Sheet Music – Harry Dichter, Musical Americana, several volumes, 1947-66
*Picture the Songs – Lester Levy, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1976
*Grace Notes – Lester Levy, Oklahoma University Press, 1967
*Flashes of Merriment – Lester Levy, University of Oklahoma Press, 1971
*Patriots, Politicians and Presidents – Vera Brodsky Lawrence, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1975
*Strong on Music – Vera Brodsky Lawrence, University of Chicago Press, 3 volumes, 1988
*The Book of World Famous Music – James Fuld, Crown Publishers, 1966
*A Pictorial Bibliography of the First Editions of Stephen C. Foster – James Fuld, Musical Americana, 1957
*Bibliographical Handbook of American Music – D.W. Krummel, University of Illinois Press, 1987
*The Singing Sixties – Willard and Porter Heaps, University of Oklahoma Press, 1960
*Singing the New Nation – E. Lawrence Abel, Stackpole Books, 2000
*California Music Covers – The Book Club of California, 1959
*The Color Explosion – Jay T. Last, Hillcrest Press, 2005
*The Star Spangled Banner (Issued Between 1814-64) – Joseph Muller, G.A. Baker and Co., 1935
*The Star Spangled Banner – Oscar Sonneck, Government Printing Office/Washington, 1914
*Star Spangled Books – P.W. Filby, Maryland Historical Society, 1972
*Bibliography of Early American Sheet Music (18th Century) – Oscar Sonneck and William Upton, Library of Congress, 1945
*Secular Music in America (1801-25) – Richard Wolfe, New York Public Library, 3 volumes, 1964
*Early American Music Engraving and Printing (1787-1825) – Richard Wolfe, University of Illinois Press, 1980
*Suffragist Sheet Music – Danny Crew, McFarland and Co., 2002
*Presidential Sheet Music – Danny Crew, McFarland and Co., 2001
*New York: Songs of the City – Nancy Groce, Billboard Books (Watson-Guptill Publications), 1999
Much that is old and scarce, or downright rare, also has zero demand and therefore no significant worth. Revisit the three parameters for worth: (1) social/historical interest, (2) artistic merit in graphic design, (3) fame in composer or lyricist. Rarity without demand is the same as a piece of music in terrific condition but lacking demand. It has very little worth.
*“Does it automatically have worth if it has a pictorial illustration and dates from the middle of the 19th century?”
No, not necessarily. Not if no one can be found who’s interested in purchasing. There are many mid-century sentimental songs that tell no story of significance and for which there is simply no demand.
*“Does a song with a gorgeous melody and excellent lyrics have some value?”
Maybe, to the musician who reads music, but not necessarily to the sheet music collector, whose field of collecting is principally a social/cultural anthropology. A few questions for you - what, of significance, can be brought out about the publication? What place did the composer have in musical history? What does it say about the society? What story does the song tell, or what does the image on the title page suggest? What do you know of the music’s scarcity or its historical connection?
*”What is popular sheet music from the 19th century actually worth?”
Five cents to five hundred thousand dollars. That depends on what you have, the condition it is in, how rare it is, who is selling it, when they are selling it, how it is featured, how the sale description and images are handled, etc. In 2010 Christies Auction House in New York sold what is believed to be the last copy in private hands of the first published edition of the sheet music for The Star Spangled Banner. It sold for $506,000 with buyer’s premium (B/P) included in that amount. Another early edition of the National Anthem, the first to show the flag, has since sold for $35,000 with B/P. Most sheet music sales on one of the many national auction sites (eBay, Invaluable, Heritage, etc.) sell for $10 to $100 to perhaps $1,000 or more for really important items.
*"Does condition matter in 19th century music?"
Condition always matters. This may be especially true with beautifully drawn or colored title-pages but is also true with non-illustrated music. Condition, of course, can have a dramatic effect on price. Perhaps as much as 95% or more of all the sheet music that has survived from the 1800’s is bound, or was once, prior to being separated from a bound volume. These volumes are sammelbands or ‘grangerized bindings’ put together by an individual or family and then independently bound for preservation. Music in fine condition that was never bound is clearly more desirable but a separate higher-priced market for this material has really never been created.
*“Do you appraise collections?”
Call me at 425-771-0646 or email at [email protected].
*“What are the key publications in this field?”
The following are the books that are typically held in some regard by veteran collectors of ‘first epoch’ American popular sheet music. Some are valuable for music research, some for illustrated examples.
*The Lure of the Striped Pig – David Tatham, Imprint Society, 1973
*The Handbook of Early American Sheet Music (Its Lure and its Lore) – Harry Dichter and Elliot Shapiro, R.R. Bowker Co., 1941
*Handbook of American Sheet Music – Harry Dichter, Musical Americana, several volumes, 1947-66
*Picture the Songs – Lester Levy, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1976
*Grace Notes – Lester Levy, Oklahoma University Press, 1967
*Flashes of Merriment – Lester Levy, University of Oklahoma Press, 1971
*Patriots, Politicians and Presidents – Vera Brodsky Lawrence, Macmillan Publishing Co., 1975
*Strong on Music – Vera Brodsky Lawrence, University of Chicago Press, 3 volumes, 1988
*The Book of World Famous Music – James Fuld, Crown Publishers, 1966
*A Pictorial Bibliography of the First Editions of Stephen C. Foster – James Fuld, Musical Americana, 1957
*Bibliographical Handbook of American Music – D.W. Krummel, University of Illinois Press, 1987
*The Singing Sixties – Willard and Porter Heaps, University of Oklahoma Press, 1960
*Singing the New Nation – E. Lawrence Abel, Stackpole Books, 2000
*California Music Covers – The Book Club of California, 1959
*The Color Explosion – Jay T. Last, Hillcrest Press, 2005
*The Star Spangled Banner (Issued Between 1814-64) – Joseph Muller, G.A. Baker and Co., 1935
*The Star Spangled Banner – Oscar Sonneck, Government Printing Office/Washington, 1914
*Star Spangled Books – P.W. Filby, Maryland Historical Society, 1972
*Bibliography of Early American Sheet Music (18th Century) – Oscar Sonneck and William Upton, Library of Congress, 1945
*Secular Music in America (1801-25) – Richard Wolfe, New York Public Library, 3 volumes, 1964
*Early American Music Engraving and Printing (1787-1825) – Richard Wolfe, University of Illinois Press, 1980
*Suffragist Sheet Music – Danny Crew, McFarland and Co., 2002
*Presidential Sheet Music – Danny Crew, McFarland and Co., 2001
*New York: Songs of the City – Nancy Groce, Billboard Books (Watson-Guptill Publications), 1999