One of my favorite episodes of Seinfeld is the one where George Costanza’s crazy father becomes even crazier because Elaine has taken his copy of TV Guide, the one with Al Roker on the cover. “Who steals a TV Guide?” he bellows.
It turns out that Mr. Costanza collects TV Guides, and when his copy is returned to him with a food smudge on the cover, he becomes even more furious.
The fact that he collects TV Guides is treated in this show as just another affirmation of Mr. Costanza’s craziness, but there may be a method to his madness, especially when it comes to the smudge on the cover.
The value of old magazines is very often about who is on the cover (Will Al Roker be a keeper?), and it’s always all about the condition of the magazine.
Old pre-1953 TV Guides in perfect shape are regularly $25 or more, but many of them are quite a bit more. For instance, the Nov.6, 1948 cover with Buffalo Bob and Howdy Doody is valued at about $125. The Sept. 2, 1950 Howdy Doody cover is about $200.
The Aug. 6, 1949 cover with Captain Video is among the most expensive issues at $450, and the April 13, 1953 cover with Lucille Ball’s baby on the cover is about $350.
These days, TV Guide magazine really have to be old to have any value. Issues from the 1970s are now only going from $5 to $10. But they are a lesson in what makes an old magazine valuable or not.
Age, of course, is an indicator, but cover art and condition are what old magazine value is all about. Colliers magazine is a good example. Starting in 1888, most old issues are valued at $15 to $25. But if the covers were illustrated by the great Maxfield Parrish, as in 1904, 1909 and 1929, the value jumps to $75 or more.
One of the most famous magazine illustrators was Norman Rockwell. His covers on the Saturday Evening Post are wonderfully nostalgic. But because the Post was such a popular magazine, copies are not very rare. Rockwell covers are very affordable in today’s antique shops at $25 to $50.
National Geographic is one of the most collectible magazines in America. It’s available only by subscriptions, so it’s usually rare, especially in complete sets.
The 1888 Volume I National Geographic is valued at about $5,000. Volumes II, III and IV will cost about $3,000. Issues from the 1890s are usually in the $300 to $500 range, and those from the early 1900s go for between $125 and $200. Current issues are about $5 each.
Back in those old days, a copy of National Geographic was one of the only place young adolescent males could legitimately view female breasts (all in the name of science, of course). But those old, less legitimate “Men’s” (translate: “Girlie”) magazines are quite the thing among magazine collectors today.
Actually, most of them were quite tame by current standards, and that’s really the point. You know the lines from the old song, “Anything Goes:” “In olden days a glimpse of stocking was looked on as some thing shocking.”
In the 1940s, Vargas drew leggy dames in flimsy outfits to the delight of GI’s wherever they were. These images were so popular they wound up on playing cards, calendars and cocktail paraphernalia. It’s amazing how many of the gals looked like Betty Grable.
In the 1950s, the ill-fated Jane Mansfield (she died in a car crash) and Marilyn Monroe (they say she committed suicide by an overdose of sleeping pills) were the bombshells of choice. Their appearances on the cover of Modern Man magazine can bring $50 to $75 today.
Life and Look magazines were both among the most popular magazines in America. Life is the older of the two, with issues going back to 1883. Most issues of Life are valued at $5 to $15, but several will command a premium.
Maxfield Parrish’s cover for Life in December 1922 is about $75 today. Other higher priced covers include: Jean Harlow (May, 1937), $65; Joe DiMaggio (May,1939), $50; Marilyn Monroe (April, 1952) $75; Shirley Temple (March, 1942) $50.
Old Look magazines are $5 to $10 but of course there will be some special issues. The Nov., 1937 Joan Crawford cover is about $70, as is the July, 1938 cover with Marlene Dietrich. The JFK memorial of Nov.17, 1964 is about $30.
I am always asked if it’s okay to take apart old magazines to frame specific covers and ads. While I wouldn’t recommend doing that with old National Geographics, I find nothing wrong with it when it comes to popular magazines. In fact, it could be quite profitable.
Those $25 to $50 Norman Rockwell covers can be $150 or more if they are beautifully matted and framed. Also, many full-page advertisements, especially for cars, airplane travel, or those featuring old-time celebrities can also command a premium.
Many folks are just interested in getting rid of old magazines that may have accumulated in an estate. They should realize that dealers will be buying them for considerably less than the 40 to 50 percent of market that other antiques can fetch. That’s because this is a very specialized field that demands a great deal of care and conservation.
But if you are looking for inexpensive framed art that can bring a vintage touch to your decor, there is nothing like old magazine art, especially for the bathroom, den, office, bedroom and children’s rooms.
Arthur Schwedt, a certified appraiser, is the author of “The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton.
