We have heard this on more than one occasion recently as yet another railway photographer’s collection hits the skip. Sad but true.
As we reach our twilight years, the photographs we took when we were younger gather dust in the attic or at the back of a cupboard, never to see the light of day until we shuffle off this mortal coil. It is then down to luck as to whether a living relative or friend knows the “true” potential value of the said photographs, or indeed the negatives (which have been known to have been thrown away in preference to the photographs……..)
It is not just the photographs that we took but also those notebooks where we kept our precious records and jottings. I recently went to the house of a deceased vendor’s relative where there was a good collection of slides ready for me to collect.When I enquired about any notebooks (the slides weren’t captioned but had a number on them) the vendor had put them to one side to be thrown out as she thought them worthless! Thankfully I saved these from that fate and they were re-united with the slide collection for a future auction.
If you have a collection, no matter how large or small, let a relative or friend know, better still write it down and say what you want to happen to it when you pass. Don’t forget the notebooks, keep them safe with the photographs. Write a summary of your personal numbering system so it can be deciphered.
Here at Justaclickago, we auction thousands of railway and transport photographs every year. Some reflect a ‘lifetime’s’ work, others are a testament to memorable youthful times spent trainspotting. Either way make sure your photographic legacy is enjoyed by future generations.