The value of 78RPM records

[Wolfe]

An antique warehouse that I frequent has a bunch of flat cartons of common cylinders - mostly Edison and some Columbia - (maybe 50 in all) sitting out for a flat 5 dollars apiece. Two years now they've been there and maybe a handful have sold, I picked up a couple. But you wouldn't guess that someone(s) wouldn't have more interest after all this time.

[edisonplayer]

What about center start Pathés by "Ragtime"Gene Greene.Those are legendary!edisonplayer

[howardpgh]

Some of my best records were the cheap ones. 75c or less.

[Roaring20s]

Those of you in densely populated areas are very luck to have such things in excess, I know. When I lived in NY, I would find houses that were being sold, remodeled, or just doing spring cleaning and they would have boxes of records, old books and various antiques sitting on the curb for the next day's trash collection. Those were the days! Tucson has not been as giving. It all depends on where you are. I buy most of the records I really want, on-line. That's just the way it is here. On occasion I get lucky locally.

James.

[phonogal]

Those of you in densely populated areas are very luck to have such things in excess, I know. When I lived in NY, I would find houses that were being sold, remodeled, or just doing spring cleaning and they would have boxes of records, old books and various antiques sitting on the curb for the next day's trash collection. Those were the days! Tucson has not been as giving. It all depends on where you are. I buy most of the records I really want, on-line. That's just the way it is here. On occasion I get lucky locally.

James.

I live in very small town in Texas. Records are really hard to come by here. Even "antique stores" in this area have no idea what a 78 record is. Vinyl records are considered antiques around here.

[Wolfe]

7

[Starkton]

Talking of value: In 2013-2014, I took part in all five auctions with disc and (a few) cylinder records from the Sir John Paul Getty Jr. collection of (mostly) early classical recordings. An unrepeatable experience for all participants, predominantly large record dealers.

Getty spent millions in the 70s, 80s and early 90s, absorbing several of the most important collections in this field, hence amassing an unbelievable "hoard" of treasures, now scattered to the winds.

[Victrolacollector]

Those of you in densely populated areas are very luck to have such things in excess, I know. When I lived in NY, I would find houses that were being sold, remodeled, or just doing spring cleaning and they would have boxes of records, old books and various antiques sitting on the curb for the next day's trash collection. Those were the days! Tucson has not been as giving. It all depends on where you are. I buy most of the records I really want, on-line. That's just the way it is here. On occasion I get lucky locally.

James.

I live in very small town in Texas. Records are really hard to come by here. Even "antique stores" in this area have no idea what a 78 record is. Vinyl records are considered antiques around here.

That is pretty much how it is here in Northwest Indiana (Gary-Hammond-Crown Point-Valparaiso-Portage-Michigan City etc.), a area of almost 1 million people. Antique stores rarely sell 78's (they are mostly late 1940s and 1950's). I rarely see machines, if so they are worn out broken or beat-up.

The days of antique phonos and records in this area are gone. I don't understand why? We are between South Bend and Chicago. We were primarily a steel mill area at one time. The boxes of early 78's were ending around 1995 here, after that..... nothing. This leads me to believe there may not be as many 78's out there as we think.

[Wolfe]

Early (pre 1910-ish) records are harder to find now. Plenty still from the 'teens on up - e.g. Batwing Victors galore.

But I imagine in 20-30 more years time there won't be much left worth seeking out "in the wild" pretty much anywhere, unless you really want what remains of those 1950's Mantovani and Vaughn Monroe 78's.

Unless, as some have posited, today's older collectors will have passed on, leaving behind collections that few are interested in, because supposedly, interest in 78's is dwindling among the younger set compared to decades ago.

[edisonplayer]

My area(NY Southern Tier)is an excellent place to find 78's.But,not a good place to sell.edisonplayer