Re: Mags,Cameras and ethics

[P3D Michael Kersenbrock <michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I agree 100% with those who say old photo magazines should be preserved in
> their original state. 

I don't.  All old photo magazines should be preserved?  They should be put into
the trash whole, not cut?

The original posting about this subject said "rare", not "all".  Old photo
magazines, generally speaking, aren't rare.  There are multiple stores I
can go to and see piles of old photo magazines, and I'm not exactly in the
country's largest metro area where everything is available.  Some issues might
be rare, but in general they aren't. Especially US Camera, Pop Photog, etc 
from the 40's on.  They'll cost between a dollar and five dollars for 40's
through maybe 50's and cheaper the newer it gets.  mid 60's and newer are like 
$5 for a cardboard box full at camera shows.  :-)

I've gotten some of the early 50's-ish  National Geographics (talk about
*NOT* rare) that I'll scrap-book-ize the realist ads, putting the ads next
to the respective covers they came out of.  These aren't hard to find at
twenty-five to fify cents each.  Nowhere near rare. EVERYBODY kept their 
copies. :-)

> them in my hands to dispose of. After contacting local clubs and libraries,
> literally trying to give them away at shows, and letting out word to all who
> may be interested, I was still left with a big pile of mags nobody wanted.

Exactly.  Why rigorously preserve something you can't even get rid of for 
nearly nothing?

Damaging library or museum stuff is a no-no because it belongs to someone else.
If it's something truely rare, then it should be "protected" for historical reasons.
But if it belongs to you, and it's not rare, chop away if you please!  IMHO.


Mike K.


P.S. - I've bought many of those late 40's thru early 60's magazines and I keep
       them whole.  Actually, I just rearranged them last night into magazine holder
       dohickies.  But this was my choice.  I'll keep my copy of Life with President E.
       and his realist whole too.  Even though I doubt the issue is "rare".  I think
       I bought it for something like a dollar at one of those antique stores with tons
       of Life issues sold mostly to people buying one near their birth date (which I did
       too).


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