99 Cylinders

[bterri]

I have 99 cylinders with a Home Model B that I'd like to sell.  How can I find a list of the value of some of the cylinders?  I am trying to inventory.  Some are vaudeville, some yodel, I haven't found any speeches yet but am only half way through.  I'd like to sell everything together but maybe I have a special cylinder and don't know it.  I've searched everywhere for a pricing model but can't find anything.

[lucius1958]

Determining record values is tricky: the basic variables are, in no particular order, Condition, Rarity, and Desirability: the last variable is the most difficult.

Generally speaking, the usual "heart songs", hymns, and instrumentals will fetch much less than operatic arias, ragtime bands, and well-known artists (e.g., Sophie Tucker, Polk Miller's Old South Quartette, Marie Dressler, etc.); brown wax cylinders from the 1890s, in good condition, are also well valued. But ultimately it all boils down to "whatever the buyer is willing to pay".

You might check sites like Ebay for similar records, and see how much they finally sold for; or you could consult auction sites like Nauck's or Wyatt's Musical Americana; they might be able to grade your records as a consignment. I hope this has been of some help to you.

BillS

[bterri]

Thank you.  We played some of them.  Some have a little film on them which I think might be mold but they play so being uneducated in this area, I am thinking I should just be honest with a buyer an leave them alone or I'll ruin them!  I appreciate your input.