Paper recording

Q: I have an old paper recording by Rudy Vallee with his picture on the blank side. Is it worth much? — Donna, Wiers Beach, N.H.

A: Your record was issued by Hit of the Week and was sold at news stands beside the latest copies of Liberty, Saturday Evening Post and Punch. The recordings, which featured such popular entertainers as Eddie Cantor and Duke Ellington, sold for about 10 cents, making them extremely affordable.Your Rudy Vallee recording is worth about $5 in good playable condition. Incidentally, the main drawback of these products is that they had a tendency to curl.

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Q: I have small trading cards that my dad collected from packages of cigarettes that include famous actors and actresses of the era. All are in very good condition. — Reg, Moncton, N.B., Canada

A: Most of the old cigarette trading cards have been reissued, but the originals are still very collectible. Two sources that might be helpful to determine values are collector David Grimes, P.O. Box 354, Hopewell, NJ 08525; and Card Times, a monthly magazine, c/o Magpie Publications, 70 Winifred Lane, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 5DL United Kingdom.

Q: We are finding it necessary to downsize. My wife has a first-class doll collection, and we would like to sell it intact, no pick-and-choose. What do you suggest? — Rod, Coulee Dam, Wash.

A: eBay, eBay, eBay. Your best bet would be to market the dolls on eBay for the maximum amount of money. If that doesn’t appeal to you, contact Judith Katz-Schwartz, a collector who buys, sells and appraises dolls. Her address is P.O. Box 6572, New York, NY 10128.

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Q: I recently found autographed photos of John Wayne and Alan Ladd that I was given years ago. Where can I get them appraised? — Carol, Milan, N.Y.

A: There are several excellent autograph dealers who can help you. Two established ones are Robert Jones, Autograph World, 559 Central Ave., Dover, NH 03820; and Ed Setfanik, Autograph Plus, P.O. Box 2558, Fall River, MA 02722.