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How to Sell Pre-1906 Earthquake Photos

The infamous earthquake that rocked San Francisco in 1906 caused destruction and damage throughout California. The damage caused by the tectonic shifting altered some of the historical landmarks and landscape of the San Francisco area. Photographs of the area before the earthquake struck are sought-after items for many collectors. You can sell photos of pre-1906 San Francisco to those who are seeking to expand their collection of rare photographs.

Things You'll Need

Digital camera
Scanner

Instructions

- 1
  Gather all photos that you have of San Francisco and the Bay area that are known to be taken before the 1906 earthquake occurred. The earthquake struck the morning of April 18, 1906, and there are clear photos in existence that show the areas of damage. Compare your photos to those archived and displayed at various historical societies. For example, City Hall in San Francisco sustained heavy exterior and structural damage during the quake. Your photo should show an intact City Hall with no signs of damage.
- 2
  Scan copies of your photos and store them on your computer or on an external hard drive or flash drive. Take digital, high-resolution pictures of the original photographs. Download the digital copies of your photos to your computer or flash drive. Open both scanned and digital images and compare the pictures. Pick the copy that has the best quality and name the file. For example, name the files "Pre-1906 Photo City Hall 1" or "Pre-1906 Photo City Hall 2." Store all digital images in one file and name the file "Pre-1906 Photos."
- 3
  Make a list of captions for all the photos that you have. List the file name beside the caption created for easy reference. Print out and save a copy of the caption list. Make sure captions explain the photo. For example, the caption for "Pre-1906 Photo City Hall 1" would identify the picture as the front left corner of the building. Continue building captions until there is one for every picture.
- 4
  List photos for sale in magazines, newspapers and on online auction sites. List items as originals and offer to email or mail copies of the originals to interested buyers. Choose auction sites that are targeted toward antiques and collectibles, such as Old and Sold Antiques Auction or Christie's. Advertise photos for sale in antique and collectible specific publications such as Antique Week. See Resources section for contact information.
- 5
  Take copies of the original photos with the list of photo captions to antique stores in your area. Talk to shop owners and managers about selling your photos directly to the store or through consignment sale. Get into writing all sales agreements and terms. Verify that the antiques dealer is reputable. Check store credentials by contacting the Antiques Dealers' Association or the Better Business Bureau. See Resources section for contact information.

Collecting Memorabilia