November 1946: Better Homes and Gardens (Courtesy of Cheryl-Anne Millsap)

Hi Cheryl-Anne,

My mother has a box of old vintage magazines. She was wondering what the value is of these magazines. Here is a sample of some of them:

Good Housekeeping - April 1938
Better Homes and Gardens - August 1927
The Delineator - June 1905
The HouseKeeper - April 1910
The Little Pilgrim - 1899
Conkey's Home Journal - June 1903

She has others ranging from 1892 to 1901 and more!

Thank You,
Jay C Jensen ~ La Crosse, Wisconsin

CAM: Hi Jay, As a rule, unless they contain something of historical signifigance, vintage magazines don't command high prices.
I don't do appraisals (I'm not qualified) but I can point you toward a couple of resources:

First, eBay is always a good place to see what things are selling for. For example, a copy of the April, 1938 Good Housekeeping is currently listed for $3.99.

Interestingly, "Living for Young Homemakers," a cutting edge lifestyle magazine that was published from 1949 until it was incorporated by House and Garden Magazine in 1962, is highly prized by architects and designers for its mid-century design content. Copies in mint condition sell for as much as $20 to $25 on online auctions.

You might find more information in the Antique Trader Vintage Magazines Price Guide. It sells for $19.99 and lists more than 250 magazines.

Good luck!

Hi Jay,

Some old magazines are worth a lot of money. The thing to look for is color advertising by artists who have signed their work. The most popular magazines are from the 1910s through the 1920s because they have some wonderful artwork by artists like Coles Phillips, Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth, Harrison Fisher, H. J. Soulen and many others. The Delineator from 1905 looks like it might have some interesting information in it. Some magazines in the late 1800s have value, but not as much as ones with a lot of color pictures. Hope that helps!