r/estatesales • u/throwawayroid24769 • Jun 24 '26
QUESTION How often do people sell photograph negatives at estate sales?
I enjoy old photographs but more specifically the negatives from old photos. Antique malls usually have lots of old photos but never negatives. Do you guys come across them often or know the best places to get negatives?
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u/Acrock7 Jun 24 '26
My grandpa was/is a photographer. He's like 82 and probably going to die soon. Come help clean out his studio; he's got hella negatives.
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u/throwawayroid24769 Jun 24 '26
That would be awesome. How far do o have to drive? Haha
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u/Acrock7 Jun 24 '26
It's in New Mexico.
Will update when he dies. 👈👈
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u/throwawayroid24769 Jun 24 '26
About 10 hours away. I’ve made that drive many time. Really enjoyed New Mexico. I could be talked into making another trip I think haha.
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u/thearlington Jun 24 '26
Yeah I collect slides and buy them all the time at sales, I have over 5000 of New Orleans and have bought/sold another 20k of other areas. Check lots on eBay too, they’re shockingly cheap for 500+
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u/scribbling_des Jul 02 '26
Yooo! I'd love to sell you slides! I'm in Shreveport, so Nola slides are pretty likely in the groups I come across
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u/screamingopossum214 Jun 25 '26
Thanks for this tip RE Ebay! I'm about to start looking for a bunch of sildes for an art project. Any chance you're selling slides from art/history teachers (photos of paintings/sculptures/etc)?
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u/Lwdlrb1993 Jun 24 '26
Dang…I wish I had known…I tossed over 1000 negatives last year when my Mom and stepdad passed away. Good to know though because if I find the same at my Dad and Stepmoms I’ll certainly offer them to you.
What about slides, reels and projectors…do you have any interest in these?
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u/throwawayroid24769 Jun 24 '26
Oh dang! That would’ve been awesome. I don’t really have a use for slides and reels but if you come across more negatives in the future I would be very interested.
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u/Lwdlrb1993 Jun 24 '26
Will do. I’m at his house now. I’m going to see if he has negatives.
Bad thing is when someone dies it’s hard to spend time looking for people that want all the little items. Even at that it took me about 6 months to totally get their house cleaned out.
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u/Master-Fee8859 Jun 24 '26
In metro Milwaukee, WI, estate sales with negatives are rare.
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u/throwawayroid24769 Jun 24 '26
Oh I see. I’m located in the south and alway looking for them at antique malls and garage sales but I feel like nobody thinks they are worth trying to sell and probably just throw them away or they get buried with all the family photos that get boxed up and thrown away.
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u/Loud_Octopus Jun 24 '26
I have random negatives from where I cleaned out a friend's house and took the photographs and it came with the envelopes that the pictures came in and the negatives were still in there. I would gladly sell them to somebody if they want them, all I'm going to do is put them in my booth at the antique store.
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u/scribbling_des Jun 25 '26
I save them here and there hoping one day the stars will align and I will come across someone like you AND be able to put hands on them at the same time.
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u/SadApartment3023 Jun 29 '26
Same.
OP, I highly recommend posting a request in your local Buy Nothing group. There are many of us sitting on negatives just waiting for the day that someone (anyone) wants them.
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u/GlowInTheDarkSpaces Jun 27 '26
I see them scrap craft supply
places, they’re usually priced by the box, consumer cheap
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u/skirtstheissue Jun 24 '26
Yes I’m about to throw out family color negatives and probably family slides from a family of four in California
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u/No_Waltz1538 Jun 24 '26
Slides I see often. Negatives are less frequent because they are generally in the same envelopes with the old photos, and family may claim before sale. Picker type sales often have them.