Civil War / Slavery Photograph - $1,275

An old, yellowed photograph, an image captured in the 19th century depicting a bunch of soldiers in front of a building, with wagon and tree in the foreground. The composition of this photograph truly bad, and it the condition is not perfect. So why did someone pay $1,275 for this picture?

Upon closer inspection, we can see that the soldiers in the picture are Union soldiers. American Civil war memorabilia and pictures are a specific niche in collectibles. The building in the background, is not just a building. The sign reads "Price Birch & Co - Dealers in Slaves". This company was one of the largest firms selling ‘surplus’ slaves from the Upper South to the Mississippi valley. Slavery, being a sad chapter in American history, is yet another niche in collectibles, part of what is called 'Black Americana'. Personally, we do not wish to refer to people by the color of their skin, but that's what the collectibles niche is commonly referred to. Combining these two niches in one photograph, with the two subjects being so closely related, increases the value of the item, since there will be more people interested in it.

Several good books on civil war memorabila, as well as guides for black memorabila are available through your favorite online retailers. Books like these are an investment, but they can definitely help you in recognizing and picking out bargains. There is plenty of antiques and collectibles dealers specializing in either subject (use Google to find). Browsing their catalogs will also give you a good idea as to what is collectible and valuable.

As for antinque and vintage photographs, there are many different subjects of that sell for a lot of money, simply because the depicted scene fits into a specific collectibles niche. Do some research into what sells, and why, then re-check that box of old photographs you found in your grandmother's attic.