Collecting is a blast! The more you collect, the more you explore the history of that object.
Below are some possible musical things to collect.
If you want to know how much an antique should cost before
you buy, check out your library or bookstore for Schroeder's Antiques
Price Guide or Kovel's. Look at the Index or Table of
Contents to find out where a category might be listed.
If you want to see an auction in progress on the
internet, click on: eBay -
Your Personal Trading Community . Just type
in their "Search" box what you collect and hit return. A list of
your collectible will pop up of items currently on the cyber auction block.
Don't bid unless you are 18 or older; the final click for bidding is considered
a binding contract in some states. You can really track the worth of an
item, though. It's fun to just log on and observe. Be
brave! It's fun and harmless just to browxe the sight.
Opera Glasses are small binoculars popular in the 19th century so you could better see the performer when you attended the opera. Usually they are made in France, but some may be from Germany, Japan, or the United States. They are usually very beautifully decorated with mother-of-pearl, or hand painted with miniature decorations or scenes. A mother-of-pearl one might be priced at $50-$75 dollars. Sometimes they even have a special handle attached handle, also covered in mother-of-pearl and slip into their own little leather case lined in satin.
Lorgnettes are also a 19th century item a lady would carry with her in her evening bag when she attended the opera, symphony or theatre. But, instead of helping her to see far away to the stage, they were used as magnifiers to read the program. These can get really fancy and are really hard to find.
Sheet Music is fun and easy to find. Prices vary from a few dollars to a year's worth of allowances for one song. Look for ones with really beautiful covers that date before 1930. Some have beautiful women with big hats, like the Gibson Girl on the early Coca-Cola ads. Conditions should be really good. But, ask for help if you find one in a plastic protector. Those are really brittle and fall apart to the touch. You could frame the really pretty ones and hang them near your piano. But, also try to play them. The arrangements give you a journey into the popular sounds of the day and difficult to find in your music store.
Music Boxes can be early, antique or brand new. You can find these everywhere. Ask, "Do I like the way it looks? Is it in great condition? Do I like the song it plays?" Prices vary from a few dollars on up to the moon.
Bird-in-a-Box are really enchanting. I see these occasionally. You don't know what it is at first. You need to ask the antique dealers if they have one, then ask them to demonstrate how it works. Usually the box is beautifully hand made. You wind it up, and a bird pops out and begins singing. This is an item you would keep in a special case and only play on special occasions, especially if it is real old. They can run a couple hundred dollars.
Instruments I know a musician who collects antique brass instruments. Someone else loves antique harmonicas. You may want to think small in this category. Collecting string basses could lead to a space problem.
Tuning Forks I bought an old set in a hand joined wooden box for only $5 years ago. These are cool. This might appeal to those of you with a technical ability.
Metronomes The old "Seth Thomas" like your Mom and Dad bought when they were kids are no longer made. You could snatch one of these at a bargain. Often the insides aren't working, but a good clock or watch repairman may be able to fix it. The wood finishes are really nice. This is a classic music item that has been squeezed aside with electronics.
Music Cabinet is a ...you guessed it, a cabinet in which you keep your music. These can be really nice. They are about a foot wide and as tall as a console piano. The drawers are different; they have no sides on them, only fronts and backs. Careful of mildew if you wanted to use it for your music. Make sure the legs are original to the cabinet. New pulls are ok, if they look like they fit the style.
Player Piano Rolls are the compact disc of its day. We don't have a modern CD recording of Debussy playing one of his pieces, but we do have him on an early piano roll. How revealing! We know how fast he liked a piece to be played. Wow, too bad this fabulous new hot technology wasn't around during Mozart or Bach's time. If you want to collect piano rolls, you'll need a player piano to enjoy them. There are many price guides available on these.
Memorabilia of your favorite
rock group or classical artist is growing in popularity. Autographed
photos are a nice place to start. Really big, important people have
their stuff auctioned off by auction houses like Sotheby's or Christie's.
Ebay,
the link at the top of this page may have stuff. Check their search
engine by typing in your person or group.