Valuating an old book?

Question

I have been given a very old music book called "The Prima Donna's Album" It contains a collection of 40 celebrated works (like sheet music, but in a book), in italian and english. How can I find out if it has any value?

Answer 1

Looked it up, but don't know the condition..here was the results or you can click on the link below and look for yourself. Failing that do a search on ebay for it, but make the search for 'completed listings' so you get an idea of market value.

1 The Prima Donna's Album 41 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias[Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittmann, Josiah (editor) 25.04 Abebooks Mostly Books G. Schirmer, Inc., New York Softcover Binding becoming loose. Cover torn at spine. Cover creased. Pages in tact. Clean text. Previous owner"s info on front cover. A collection of 41 celebrated cavatinas and arias in their original keys extracted from famous operas with Italian words and an English translation. [Mobile, AL, U.S.A.]
2 The Prima Donna's Album 42 Celebrated Arias From Famous Operas Newly Revised.[Buy it!]
N/A 46.25 Abebooks the annex Softcover NICE CLEAN BOOK.ALWAYS FAST SHIPPING..298 pp.SMALL TEAR ON FRONT COVER.1956..REAL CLEAN!!! [PORTLAND, OR, U.S.A.]
3 The Prima Donna's Album 42 Celebrated Arias from Famous Operas Newly Revised[Buy it!]

[match this title] Adler, Kurt 33.04 Biblio Bartlett Street Bookstore Milwaukee, Wi.: G.Schirmer, Inc.. Good+ 4to soft cover. 1956. G.Schirmer, Inc US
4 THE PRIMA DONNA'S ALBUM. 42 CELEBRATED ARIAS FROM FAMOUS OPERAS, (Adler)[Buy it!]

[match this title] SONGS), 38.53 AbebooksUK Decorum Books Schimer pn12727, (1956) Card 298pp.Fine [London, , United Kingdom]
5 The Prima Donna's Album: 41 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias[Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittman, Josiah; 21.98 Abebooks Bank of Books G. Schirmer, Inc Softcover USED
6 The Prima Donna's Album: a Collection of 41 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias (in Their Original keys) (Italian and Enlgish words) Vol. 1[Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittman, Josiah 46.25 Abebooks B-Line Books G. Schirmer, New York Hardcover Tight book in red cloth with decorative gold trim and titles. Gilt top edge. Very slight wear to spine ends. Unamrked text but for prev. owner"s signature to ffep. 328 pp [Amherst, NS, Canada]
7 The Prima Donna's Album: a Collection of 41 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias [Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittman, Josiah 46.25 Biblio B-Line Books New York: G. Schirmer. Tight book in red cloth with decorative gold trim and titles. Gilt top edge. Very slight wear to spine ends. Unamrked text but for prev. owner"s signature to ffep. 328 pp. Cloth. Very Good/No Jacket Issued. Catalogs: Music. G. Schirmer CA
8 The Prima Donna's Album[Buy it!]

[match this title] Josiah Pittmann 19.82 Abebooks The Book Store G. Schrimer, New York Softcover fair condition, 41 celebrated cavatinas and arias, loose cover on both sides [Lake Elsinore, CA, U.S.A.]
9 The Royal Operatic Albums No. 1: The Prima Donna's Album, a Collection of 46 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias[Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittman, Josiah 39.64 Biblio The Haunted Bookshop New York: William A. Pond & Co.. Though the leather spine and corners of this otherwise brown-cloth-bound volume are battered and bumped, the gilt decoration of the spine and the owner"s name ("Mattie Barnard") are intact. The front and back boards have pulled away from the endpapers (though not at all from the binding), and the owner has also inscribed her name on the front endpaper, but other than that, the interior is in quite good condition, with only a few pencilled-in marks (breath marks, actually).. Half-Leather. Fair/No Jacket. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. William A. Pond & Co US
10 The Royal Operatic Albums No. 1: The Prima Donna's Album, a Collection of 46 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias[Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittman, Josiah (Edited by) 51.39 AbebooksUK Beach Hut Books London: Boosey & Co., London Hardcover Very Good. The Royal edition, green cloth with gilt lettering. [Surrey, n/a, United Kingdom]
11 The Royal Operatic Albums No. 1: The Prima Donna's Album, a Collection of 46 Celebrated Cavatinas and Arias[Buy it!]

[match this title] Pittman, Josiah (ed.) 39.64 Abebooks The Haunted Bookshop William A. Pond & Co., New York Hardcover Though the leather spine and corners of this otherwise brown-cloth-bound volume are battered and bumped, the gilt decoration of the spine and the owner"s name ("Mattie Barnard") are intact. The front and back boards have pulled away from the endpapers (though not at all from the binding), and the owner has also inscribed her name on the front endpaper, but other than that, the interior is in quite good condition, with only a few pencilled-in marks (breath marks, actually). [Iowa City, IA, U.S.A.]

Answer 2

take it to a bookshop or a manuscript shop or a 2nd hand bookshop or a collectors' shop.

Answer 3

Get it appraised online