When we purchased a home on Franklin Street in Marietta in the late 1970s, we not only bought the home, we bought the entire contents, with food still in the refrigerator and the kitchen cupboards. The lady who had lived there had died, and her son just didn't want to bother moving any belongings out of the house. Turns out we ended up with everything, including family photos which we returned to the family, except for a cigar box of old early postcards of Marietta. One of these postcards showed President Roosevelt in Civitan Park. I ended up selling these Fischer Studio postcards to Jerry Devol who collected postcards of early Marietta.
Today their are several collectors around Washington County who will pay top dollar for early postcards of Marietta, that's if their up for bid on eBay. Just last week I told you in my column about a 1909 postcard of the Marietta Phonograph Company on Front Street selling on eBay for $150.
The most sought after postcards of Marietta today are of the 1913 flood. A Fischer Brothers 1913 postcard showing the Marietta Book Store on Front Street having a closeout sale sign in their window while surrounded by water, sold on eBay for $31.
Here is a list of other local postcards that have sold at auction:
- 1913 flood, Wakefield Hotel, corner Third and Putnam, $20.55.
- 1913 Muskingum Park flood, $24.50.
- 1906 Marietta river canal, early tugboats on Ohio River, $20.
- 1908 First Baptist Church, $6.
- A 1913 Postcard of Warren Brothers Meat Market at Franklin and Maple Street during the flood sold for $20.50.
Readers, see you next year. Happy Holidays!
Larry Koon is the author of several price guide books on antiques and collectibles. His column appears every Monday on Life. Send letters to Treasure in the Attic, c/o The Marietta Times, 700 Channel Lane, Marietta 45750; or e-mail him at koonantiques@yahoo.com. When writing, send a complete description of the item, along with size, color, any markings on the item along with condition the item is in, and how the item was obtained, and any other information. If possible, send a photograph. Letters will be answered through this column.
