Don't throw it away

Are you planning a rummage or auction sale, or just cleaning? All too often people throw away the good stuff and try to sell the mediocre. Often people think “Why would anyone want this old thing” and then toss it into the trash, only to realize later that the old thing was worth hundreds while the whatchamacallit or thingamajig they cleaned and polished brought only a few pennies. If you are unsure what is valuable and what is not, please ask someone before you throw it away. Afterward, it’s too late.

Then there are the items that are worthless to sell but are priceless for the information they contain. A sales receipt for a new dress bought at Woodward’s in 1950 or a new hat purchased at Pickwick’s Department store a hundred years ago, the list is endless. Don’t forget that phone books from the past contain more information than just names.

The next time you find something that might be of value concerning the history of your area or hometown, please pass it on to an appropriate collector or historian.