Steam & Excursion > Railfan Price Fixing Of Photos And Negatives In The Early Days!

While going through and old railfan publication printed in 1938 for The California-Nevada Railroad Historical Society, I cam across this fascinating front-page article from one of the issues.  The problem it seems is that the publisher felt that Railfans of the day were not charging enough money for their railroad prints and negatives!  Yes, that's right, they felt that railfans needed to increase the price they were charging other railfans for railroad prints and negatives in order for the new "picture-taking hobby" to continue.

The publisher was clearly oblivious to the anti-trust implications of his article.  I thought you would find this as interesting as I did.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/21 06:15 by LoggerHogger.

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What is left of that organization?  Not one consideration of the content of the image as being rare and useful to the buyer. Surely not a profit making business. Show me a photo of New Mexico Lumber Shay #7 out on their logging railroad and see the limit I would pay even to this day?

Hard to tell exaclty no year found or about if its still there. But did find a page by googling it.

I bet anti-trust considerations might be reduced by the 'ease of entry' into taking California/Nevada photographs! (like, just go there?!'). Gotta love the myopic vision of Mr Demoro.
Beautiful shot of the SP 4-8-0 btw.
Thanks for posting this, started my day with a laugh!

Here is Ralph with his son and prolific author Harre and his granddaughter K.

https://crossingmarketstreet.wordpress.com/2018/06/17/three-generations-of-san-francisco-natives-dad-gramps-and-myself/

 

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For a second there I thought the Martin E Hansen Collection was for sale.

Negative prices are good.  Not sure what that is in 2021 dollars, but I've seen some very high prices on negatives today.

LoggerHogger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------                                                      I think that the 2937 photo was taken at Albany Oregon
> While going through and old railfan publication
> printed in 1938 for The California-Nevada Railroad
> Historical Society, I cam across this fascinating
> front-page article from one of the issues.  The
> problem it seems is that the publisher felt that
> Railfans of the day were not charging enough money
> for their railroad prints and negatives!  Yes,
> that's right, they felt that railfans needed to
> increase the price they were charging other
> railfans for railroad prints and negatives in
> order for the new "picture-taking hobby" to
> continue.
>
> The publisher was clearly oblivious to the
> anti-trust implications of his article.  I
> thought you would find this as interesting as I
> did.
>
> Martin

PlyWoody Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is left of that organization?  Not one
> consideration of the content of the image as being
> rare and useful to the buyer. Surely not a profit
> making business. Show me a photo of New Mexico
> Lumber Shay #7 out on their logging railroad and
> see the limit I would pay even to this day?
Cal-Nevada disbanded in 2020 as almost no membership was left and it wasn't viable to continue as a state-recognized non-profit.
It's archives (no photography) are preserved at the Western Railway Museum.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Negative prices are good.  Not sure what that is
> in 2021 dollars, but I've seen some very high
> prices on negatives today.

Online inflation calulator says in today's dollars:
.10 = $1.94
.15 = $2.91
.25 = $4.85

miniempire Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Frisco1522 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Negative prices are good.  Not sure what that
> is
> > in 2021 dollars, but I've seen some very high
> > prices on negatives today.
>
> Online inflation calulator says in today's
> dollars:
> .10 = $1.94
> .15 = $2.91
> .25 = $4.85
Still good prices.  A good RJ Foster Postcard roster negative draws a lot higher price.  Because, you can't go shoot the same engine today.