1898 Princeton Photo Yearbook - about to hit the chop shop?

[prewarsports]

Well since its not hard to see that I am being called out here by Scott (thanks man) I will respond briefly.

Part of what I do is buy old photo albums and separate them out into component parts and sell them. The people who buy photos from me from albums such as "grandmas trip to china" are able to buy particular images and love and appreciate those images and preserve the history of them. I save these albums, research the photos, properly identify them and pass the items along.

Before I get into the album on eBay let me say these are NOT like books and magazines that get "chop shopped". Each individual would order a "standard" book from pach bros but could also customize the books as well. these were made as unique items for specific students with their names engraved on the front. Each page is an albumen cabinet photo (real albumen cabinet photos by the way) with two images glued to a blank cabinet. There are then 2 blank backed cabinet cards that are lightly glued together and tipped into the book with linen. These cabinet photos can easily be separated back to how they were originally produced by the photographer to two blank backed images which can be cut in half to leave two cabinet photos. What is left are two completely original album photos, on their original mounts with the original glue.

Archives, students, museums and all sorts of institutions have been separating these books out for over 100 years. I have bought and sold many on eBay as single images, single pages etc. in the last 4-5 years I have bought maybe 5 of these types of books, and a few have been separated out (most had bad damage to begin with) and others resold intact, and I still have a few. I Personally feel that separating this book out but not destroying a single image (if that is the choice of the owner) provides an opportunity for greater enjoyment of the images that leaving it intact as the same person who wants a track team photo does not want a football photo underneath it etc. I have always left all the class images intact and in the past I have evn donated these to the Universities themselves who were VERY happy to have them.

I was never planning on separating this one out as it appears to one in fine shape but if the original poster wants to put his money where his mouth is and SAVE THIS, from the CHOP SHOP, he can write me a check for the original purchase price plus shipping to his house. Of course he could have just e mailed me privately too, but that would have prevented Network 54 drama what would we all do with ourselves if we didn't have someone pissed off on here every. Few hours right?

If anyone wants to discuss this with me further, offer suggestions or their comments I would always be happy to discuss these topics with anyone. I love antique photography more than anyone on this site and would never "destroy" anything but opinions can differ obviously and I respect any and all opinions on the subject and I am ALWAYS available for e mail conversations and to answer any questions or concerns.

nOTE, I am writing this from an iPad as am away from home so please disregard my DEPLORABLE typing.

Rhys Yeakley

Prewarsports "aka, the deplorable chop shopper of old photo albums"