Vintage Magazines

 







Vintage Magazines

transport the

reader into an almost forgotten world. Their individual styles and contents provide a fascinating glimpse of the outstanding events, celebrities, fashions, and endlessly


 

Dedicated collectors save magazines because an issue has an intriguing article or photograph, or because of other specialist interests such as fashion or film stars.

In vogue

Vintage Magazines

Fashion magazines offer a unique record of period styles and are filled with excellent photography showing the designs of the clay. Vogue, launched in 1916, has documented decades of evolving fashions.





 The vintage' of the edition is important, as is the style and subject of the cover - striking covers are often associated with Vogue. Values vary from about £2-10 for a copy from the 1980s or 90s, to around £20-30 for a copy from the 1960s.




 An issue from the 1930s featuring the designs of a leading couturier like Elsa Schiaparelli can be worth £30-100. Other notable fashion magazines include Queen, Nova, and Harper's Bazaar, but these are often less valuable than Vogue.

Vintage Magazines

 

Star attraction

Magazines featuring well-known personalities can attract anyone who collects subjects such as royalty or movie stars. The face on the cover is a good indicator of value.



 The first issue of

a nude centrefold of Marilyn Monroe and a cover image of her waving, sold more than 54,000 copies, ensuring a second issue. The first issue is rare and can command £500-1,500.



 Another sought-after example is the October 1961 issue of Life with a cover shot of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, which can be found for about £20-30. Radio Times and 'A' Times usually fetch less than £10, but covers showing Doctor Who, Steptoe and Son, and James Bond can command up to £30.

The value of music magazines is often determined by the cover story. Following a revival of interest in music - and magazines - from the 1960s, magazines from the 1970s are becoming valuable. It may be worth hunting out 1980s issues of magazines such as Smash Hits and Record Mirror, as interest in this era may grow too


.

Vintage Magazines

Newspaper colour supplements are rarely worth keeping - mainly because so many people have been doing so for years. There are a few exceptions, like those featuring enduring icons such as Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn. They can sell for £5-15.

Landmarks in history

Vintage Magazines

The history of vintage magazines recording national events goes back more than 100 years - 














The Illustrated London News commemorated Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897. From the 1950s onwards, so many people kept royal souvenir issues that they are worth little, but values may rise. An issue of Vogue covering the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer can be worth £20-25, while a Life magazine from 1969 showing the Earth from Apollo 8 can be worth £40-60. Look for events of lasting importance.

On the domestic front

Vintage Magazines

Lifestyle and interiors magazines are generally not as valued as other niche publications, but Ideal Home, House & Garden, and Good Housekeeping have a small following. The value of 1950s, 60s, and 70s issues may rise, as there is a growing market in retro styles.

Many people collect by cover image or inside illustrations. Values vary depending on the artwork, but range from about £5-10 for a lesser-known

publication with simple artwork up to £100 or more for classic examples of Art Nouveau or Art Deco.

Some people buy magazines for their advertisements, focusing on a brand name or a particular product. Values can vary from as little as 50p to around £20-40. Wear and tear is to be expected and

old glass Bottles

Old Glass Bottles.

Old Glass Bottles.

old glass Bottles

 are endlessly intriguing, partly because of the wide variety of attractive colours and shapes available, but also because they are disposable, everyday household items, so the survival of individual examples is all the more remarkable.

old glass Bottles

 

Many bottles that are found in antique shops, car-boot sales, or even buried in the garden, date from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Those mass produced from the 1860s onwards are especially common.

Before glass bottles became widespread, pottery vessels were used. These were generally tan or cream in colour, with lettering or decoration. After the mid-19th century, stoneware bottles

old glass Bottles

 

Full of minerals

Glass was used increasingly in the 19th century to hold liquids. In 1872 Hiram Codd invented a bottle for mineral water, with a marble used as a stopper - the fizz forced the marble up to seal the lip. Standard aquamarine examples are common and usually fetch under £5. Coloured versions, particularly blue, are more desirable and rare - some are worth up to £2,000 or more.

Aquamarine 'codd' bottles with coloured lips are also rare, while amber-coloured examples are more common and sell for about £20-30.

 

What's your poison?

old glass Bottles

Bottles that held poisons are sought after, largely because of their striking colours and unusual shapes.

Coloured versions can he found for around £10, but stranger shapes sell for much more. A coffin-shaped, cobalt-blue poison bottle with embossed coffin-nail decoration, recently sold for £10,000.

old glass Bottles

 Bottles marked Poison' tend to be older and more valuable than those marked 'Not to be taken', a wording that became compulsory in 1908.bottles to make them more appealing. 




Before this, barbers dispensed medicine in square or globe-shaped bottles with elongated necks, known as carboys'. Some are ornately faceted, and large examples with their original stoppers can be worth £500-1,000.

 Smaller medicinal bottles often have gilt, painted, or transfer-applied labels with the name of the contents. Values vary from around £15-50 for a clear example, or ±60-100 for a blue glass version with a gilt label, up to around ±100-200 or more for ceramic examples.

old glass Bottles

/

Some Victorian medical substances were known as quack cures'. Warner's Safe Cure is perhaps the best known, and standard bottles can be picked up for less than ±20. Bottles for William Radam's Microbe Killer, which claimed to cure all known diseases' (until the makers were taken to court in 1911). can cost from ±20 to more than ±500, depending on condition and rarity.

old glass Bottles

 

Wine glass

Wine bottles from the mid-17th century were made from a dark green glass known as black glass', and those in good condition may cost £5,000— 10,000 or more. Wine bottles from the late 18th century can still be found for about £20-30, though. 

old glass Bottles

The original black glass bottles tended to be globe- or onion-shaped, but by the early 18th century the design was a more stable mallet shape  and by

the mid-18th century the familiar cylinder shape was established.

old glass Bottles

Gin and beer were also packaged in dark glass, which is now thought to have been a ruse to disguise impurities in the contents. A number of bottles were found on shipwrecks during the last few decades; these can be worth £100-800 when they come on sale.

Pen and ink

Ink bottles, both earthenware and i glass, are desirable and can fetch .£5-50 or more. Post-1840 glass examples are especially common, as improving literacy and the introduction of the penny post increased demand for ink

old glass Bottles

. 








Prices are generally under ±30. Novelty- shaped ink bottles are usually worth more - a birdcage bottle can fetch £40-60. Look out for bottles produced by fountain-pen makers such as Waterman and Parker; these are equally popular with pen and bottle collectors and can sell for £5-50 if they are in good conditio

First Edition Books

First Edition Books

First Edition Books







Modern first editions are probably the most accessible area of book-collecting for the newcomer. English-language books published since the 1890s are particularly sought after if they are in good When collecting new first editions, the trick is to spot up-and-coming writers who are likely to capture the public's







imagination. Buying a first edition on publication and keeping it pristine may prove to be a good investment. And for collectors of older books, there are many bookshops and websites that specialize in first editions.









Dust proof Collectors generally define a first edition as the very first print run. or impression, of a book. Condition is vital, and the book must retain its original dust jacket. In the 19th century these were plain, but later they became more colorful and eye­catching to increase sales. The jacket on a second, or later, impression may differ from the first edition, perhaps with quotes added from book reviews.

First Edition Books

 A new generation Some of the finest post-war writers, including the Britons Lawrence Durrell, Anthony Burgess, Kingsley Amis, and William Golding, and the Americans Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, and Allen Ginsberg, began their careers in the 1940s and 50s, and are sought after.










 A first edition of John osbornes 1957 play. Look Back in Anger can cost around £40-60. Kingsley Anus's first novel Lucky Jim (1954) and two earlier volumes of I * x'tiy can each sell for £ 1.000-3,000. but much of his other work costs around ,£30-50. A first edition of Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork. Orange (1962) can command £1,000-1,500. Contemporary interest  






 Look out for early works by today's popular writers such as Martin Amis, Vikram Seth, Sebastian Faulks, Salman Rushdie, Nick Hornby, and Irvine Welsh. Contemporary women authors are also popular - the film of the life of Iris Murdoch has introduced her to a new generation. Other top female writers include Margaret Atwood. A.S. Byatt, Zadie Smith, Donna Tartt. Helen Fielding, Pat Barker, and Fay Weldon. Books often rise in value when made into films.

First Edition Books

A US first edition of Patricia Highsmith's We Talented Mr Ripley (1955) can reach lip to £1,000 following the 1999 film adaptation. Shock, horror

First Edition Books

Science fiction, horror, spy stories, and detective fiction are popular themes. Ray Bradbury. Terry Pratchett, Brian Aldiss, Stephen King, and Arthur C. Clarke are top names in the science fiction and horror genres.







 With the exception of 'The Colour of Magic (1983), most of Terry Pratchett s titles from the mid-1980s onw ards are easy to find.



 Spy novels by John Le Carre, Frederick Forsyth, and Len Deighton are favourites, but Ian Fleming heads the field. A pristine copy of Casino Roy ale (1953), the first James Bond novel, can fetch £7,000.

First Edition Books

Liter books usually go for less: Golclfinger (1959) can cost £100. Agatha Christie, Ruth Rendell, and P.I). James are queens of crime writing. Prices for Agatha Christie can van' from £30-50 up to £2,000 or more. Her early novels from the 1920s and 30s are the most valuable.

Old Stamp

Old Stamp

Old Stamp

 PHILATELY the collection and study of postage stamps, is a long-established pastime which is as appealing to the beginner on a limited budget as it is to the serious specialist with thousands to spend.



 The first-ever stamp, the Penny Black, was issued on 1 May 1840. Despite its legendary status, it is not rare: around 1.5 million survive. A used stamp can he bought for £20-60, but scarce, unused examples can cost .£1,000 or more. The Two-Penny Blue, issued a week later, attracts similar prices



. A global phenomenon As such a huge variety is available - more than 350 authorities issue stamps worldwide - collectors often focus on one area, for example stamps of the British Commonwealth. Stamps bearing the head of a British monarch provide a fascinating document of the history of the Empire.

Old Stamp

Many can be found at low prices: a 1938-44 one-penny George VI stamp from the Gold Coast costs no more than lOp. Generally, the more valuable postage stamps are those w ith it high face value, as they tend to be rarer. Important details The history of cancellation marks - or postmarks, which are placed over stamps to indicate that they have been used - is studied by many enthusiasts.




 Numerous cancellation marks were made for propaganda purposes, such as the St Lucia - Liquidation of the Empire' mark, which can add around £10 to the value of a stamp.



 A rare printing or cutting error can increase a stamp's value. The value of a 1955 one-penny stamp is usually negligible, as it is common, but a small number had perforations cut 6mm CAin) too high, so the bottom of the design appears at the top of the stamp.

Old Stamp

These can be valued at about £30-45.Check stamps on wartime correspondence for any unusual, seemingly trivial details, such as the type of perforation, as these can make a big difference to their value.









The wrapping of parcels is also a good source of unusual specimens because their weight necessitates the use of rarer, higher-value stamps. All about image Traditionally, stamps issued by the Royal Mail must not feature images of living people unless they are members of the royal family.

Old Stamp

 There was an uproar in 1999 when Roger Taylor, the still-living drummer for the rock band Queen, was visible next to the late Freddie Mercury on a stamp from the Entertainer's Tale series.


 Since then the rules have been relaxed and the footballer David Beckham appeared on a British stamp issued in 2002. Nowadays, you can even stick yourself onto an envelope.



 

Old Stamp

the Smilers range of stamps include a feature whereby your favourite family photographs can appear alongside the main stamp image. These have proved popular and some have rocketed in price in recent years. A sheet of 10 Christmas 2000 Smilers stamps can sell for up to .£80-120.




 Variations on a theme Occasionally, the Royal Mail issues a variation, such as a range of stamps with slightly different perforations from previous issues.



 Collectors often remain unaware of these variations until they appear in the Stanley Gibbons catalogue, the indispensable reference for all philatelists, by which time they are no longer on sale.



The subsequent high demand pushes prices up. One example is the 2001 Submarines booklet of six first-class stamps. Two commemorative stamps were self- adhesive, whereas the ordinary stamps were printed on gummed paper. These booklets now sell for £50 or more.

RETRO POSTERS

 

Retro Posters 

Retro Posters 

Rail posters from the 1950s are likely to become more sought after, given the growth in interest in this decade. These can he found for £100-800 or more, depending on the artwork, designer, and

example is works by Abram Games (designer of the Festival of Britain logo), which have a strong design and may well rise in value. Designs from the 1950s that fetch high prices today include Alan Durman's 'Bognor Regis' poster (1955), in which a woman in a yellow bathing costume holds a beach ball; and Jack Merriott's 'Newquay' poster (1954), showing a girl surfing through breaking waves.

Cruising in luxury

Retro Posters 

The romance associated with foreign travel began in the early 20th century with luxury cruise liners such as the Mauretania, the Olympic, the ill-fated Titanic, and the Normandie. Posters that show the ships themselves are popular, especially if they feature period design - most notably the Art Deco style. Perhaps the most famous example is the 1935 poster for the Normandie by Adolphe Mouron CCassandre'). Using his typical bold colours, simple lines, and clean design with large, flat forms, he depicts the mighty ship powering through the sea. Although this poster can fetch &5,000-10,000, its design and stylistic hallmarks are worth bearing in mind when looking at other examples. Less expensive liner and ship posters can be found by lesser-known artists. For example, a stylised Nelson Steam

Retro Posters 

 

Navigation Company poster from the 1930s depicting a line-up of ships, perhaps imitating Cassandre, can fetch around £600.

Retro Posters 

Brand names also count. Partly owing to the immense public interest in the Titanic, owned by the White Star Line, prices for their posters will generally be high, as will those for other giants such as P&O and Cunard. particularly if the artwork is note­worthy. But such was the popularity

of travel by liner that many other companies operated overseas. These smaller lines offer a more accessible option, with prices often ranging between £150 and £500.

Journey's end

Part of the attraction of ocean travel was the exotic destination. Look for alluring images of foreign destinations. Colours are usually bright and saturated, calling people away from

grey, rainy Britain. These posters can be found from around £150. For example, a Blue Star Line poster for Mediterranean cruises showing a Nortli African view with a man riding a camel amid Moorish buildings can fetch around £200.

Retro Posters 

The end of an era

Later posters for liners in the 1950s and 60s, when sea travel began to fall out of fashion, are often less valuable than those from the 1920s and 30s and can fetch £50-250 or more for known brand names, those by notable designers, or those with superb designs in period styles. As the best posters become too expensive for most collectors, these later posters may make a good investment.

Plane sailing

Air travel offered a swifter alternative to journeys by sea. The slogan, Africa in days instead of weeks', on an Imperial Airways poster of 1937 neatly makes this point. Until Pan American (Pan Am) and Imperial Airways had

planes with the range to make the trip across the Atlantic, flying boats provided the competition for liners. This was perhaps the most glamorous way to travel from Southampton to New York. An Imperial Airways poster from the 1930s shows a passenger reclining in comfort attended by a waiter carrying cocktails on a tray. Many of these 1930s posters can be valuable, fetching £200-600 or more, as they often have striking Art Deco artwork. As before, those by lesser- known or unidentified designers generally fetch less.

Come fly with me

After World War II, passengers grew to expect the convenience of a plane flying from a nearby airport. In the 1950s, foreign holidays by air  became cheaper and services expanded. Planes became less luxurious and emphasis was placed on speed. Posters with images of speeding planes are desirable, and many have their stylistic origins in the 1930s, with clean lines, flat areas of bold colour, and angular shapes. Those showing a multitude of foreign destinations, all conveniently served by the featured airline, are popular. If by a leading designer such as Abram Games, they are usually valuable and can fetch £200-600 or more.

Retro Posters 

Retro Posters 

Posters for well-known airlines such as Pan Am, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), and Air France have loyal followings and can fetch £500-1,000 or more. Less expensive

posters in the style of the period can sometimes be found.

Supersonic luxury

Concorde represented the ultimate in luxury travel, and poster prices are probably yet to reach their peak. The withdrawal of Concorde from service in 2003 may cause values to rise. A Concorde poster from 1977 (the year in which the plane first took paying passengers) can fetch £30-50. As Concorde was operated by only two airlines, Air France and British Airways, examples are rare compared to posters for the more widespread Boeing 747, for example, and could prove to be a wise investment.