Re Reply # 143/ "blessOTMA" Yes, "blessOtma," your comments are logical. It is a very simple and naive "trap" into which many collectors fall. I was once the victim of my own rush to acquire a similiar item: four "original" photos of the Spanish King Alfonso XIII, visiting the Vatican. While they WERE IMO (upon receipt of a winning bid) definitely authentic in subject matter, definitely of-the-period in chemical development, paper, etc., BUT.................were they "UNIQUE" as in being the ONLY ones in existence? ABSOLUTELY NOT! They had come from a period newspaper/reporter collection, wherein a few DUPLICATES were always kept. I later verified this with the seller, who answered honestly. Thank God, I DID NOT pay an exceptional price, but I quickly learned the lesson of "Need, Speed, Greed."
Among my Russian Imperial Era collections, over the years I have looked at, studied, and purchased a number of photos. Of these, I have perhaps a half-dozen of IMO authentic, of the period photos of the Emperor Nicholas (on community visits, etc.), members of his suite, the Heir posing candidly alone (outside and NOT during the war-years), etc., that IMPORTANTLY, I have NEVER EVER seen published. Some have their mounted adhesive album page backings and are from Russia, for instance St. Petersburg, etc. They are the somewhat smaller-than-expected photos (not like our modern 4"x 6" glossies, or "cabinet" photos. Do I consider them "unique," "one-of a kind," etc.? NOT ON YOUR LIFE! Who knows, how many thousands of duplicates remain unshown/undiscovered/ unpublished in the GARF files, personal /family files, etc. I potentially would allow (modern/marked) copies to be made for reputable reasons, research, but NOT for wide-open distribution. I sincerely doubt that even with the most pristine, chain-of-custody collections, Yale or otherwise, that you will find VERY, VERY, FEW "only-one-of-its-kind" photos. Copies were naturally made from the original negatives for family members, allied military personnel, other royal houses, publicity, etc. Yet they were all of the same period and are authentic. However, by definition, there can only be ONE original print, the rest are DUPLICATES. As for my collection, eventually, it will be up to my son to decide what he would wish to do at the "appropriate" time. He is exceptionally fluent in Russian, reasonably knowledge in my collection, etc., so it would not be a "give-away." I simply treat them as "oddities."
Now as to value......REALLY what is ANYTHING worth? The answer is "Just as much as another person would wish to pay." Value is relative; what would be expensive to one person, would not be to another. Auctions contribute to rapidly escalating prices, due to the EMOTIONAL concepts of, again, "Need, Speed, Greed." But there is (without a "reserve price"), also a "down" side. You can find your "treasures" going for much less that you paid for them originally. I have experienced this, too. Today's economy is a large factor for the "middle-of-the -road" bidder, though for the "unique " things there will always be a market.
Lesson to be learned: you can NEVER do enough research in theory for an item, but you CAN slow down and balance your desires against realities. There are A LOT of "sharks" in the waters of collecting. Regards, AP.
