Have you ever thought of collecting vintage sheet music as a hobby? While the collection value will never match that of other antique items it can still be a fun and rewarding hobby to take on. During the 1890's there was a push to produce sheet music that prominently featured favorite stage songs. As the entertainment industry bloomed and grew so did the drive to produce more sheet music. Radio shows and movies both helped to spur the popularity of sheet music. One of the most common factors for each of the various covers for the sheet music was the presence of the performers who were associated with the original songs. This is the main draw for many collectors today.
At their height of popularity sheet music printings sold a vast number of copies when they were first issued. There are many sources that agree that such hits as Down By the Old Mill Stream and A Bird in a Gilded Cage sold copies that numbered in the millions. It was almost guaranteed that if you were to look in the piano bench of any professional or even amateur musician of that time period you would find stacks and stacks of sheet music such as this. In the early 20th century many people were drawn to the sheet music by the faces of personalities such as Eddie Cantor or Al Jolson who were featured on the covers.
As the years went on other stars like such as Jimmy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney and more appeared on the cover of sheet music as well. There are many stars that as still sought after today including more recent ones such as Journey or the Beatles. As a rule of thumb, the more popular the artist on the cover is then the more the sheet music will be worth.
Some collectors today are drawn to the artwork itself. Some of the more colorful pieces can look very fetching when framed and placed on a wall. They can look just as nice as any gallery pieces and cost only a fraction of the price. Other collectors may be interested in the sheet music due to the subject of the music itself such as those who collect militaria will be interested in sheet music that is military themed such as a composition that was sung by the Andrew Sisters. The great Irving Berlin may be a huge draw for this group as well as for those interested in the Broadway musicals of that era.
No matter what your reasons for wanting to collect a piece of history you will soon find that it is more affordable than you might have thought. With many pieces going for much less than other antiques from the same era you can soon have a vintage sheet music collection that you will treasure for many years to come.The best way to get started with your collection is by stopping at yard sales or estate sales.
Many times you might find someone who is trying to get rid of old sheet music that one of their parents or grandparents may have left them. This will get you started on your collection. Next check out online sources such as Internet auctions or webstores. You will have that collection much sooner than you may realize.
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