Q & A

D.L. of Estevan, Saskatchewan writes:

Would you have any info on the value of old song sheets? Some of the titles I have include:

• Royal Conservatory of Music (Grade 5, Copyright the Federich Harris Music Co Limited 1953)
• Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Copyright C. Irving Berlin Inc.,1942)
• Buttons and Bows (Copyright Famous Music Corp. MCMXLVIII )
• Frank Bogart (Copyright Oxford Music CO. 1948)
• Marion Hutton Copyright Saintly-Joy Inc. (1944, My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time)

We asked Michael Remenyi to respond:

Strange, but no one to my knowledge deals with used sheet music. The antiquarian shops and music stores can't be bothered. Usually, people donate them to a school library or church of their choice. There is one music company on the West Coast, (http://pacificcoast.net/~dacapo/) who has an "on line" used print music business.However, the list you sent is not very extensive. Old Conservatory method books (Frederick Harris Publications) are of no value.

However, old favourite songs like White Christmas and Buttons and Bows can definitely be sold on Ebay. Any "First Editions" are valuable, but later releases go only for a few dollars. Decent condition is important. Fine editions of classical music (pre 1900) is always sought after, but that's another business, I know the main house in New York for this.

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