For Collectors
Get Auction Alerts for Old & Antique Photographs
We understand the thrill of collecting—and how frustrating it can be to miss a piece you would have loved to own.
Sign up for Britannic Auctions email alerts and be notified when antique photographs, albums, cabinet cards, CDVs, tintypes, stereoviews, and other historic photographic materials are offered in our upcoming auctions.
Collector Interests
What Kinds of Old and Antique Photographs Can Collectors Bid On?
Our auctions and eBay store feature photographs of historical interest from estates, families, private consignments, and advanced collections, including daguerreotypes, Civil War images, stereoviews, identified portraits, albums, and archives.
Daguerreotypes & Ambrotypes
Cased images spanning portraiture, military subjects, and early America.
Tintypes
Gem tintypes, studio portraits, and military subjects.
Carte de Visite (CDV)
Tax stamps, photographer backmarks, and Civil War-era portraiture.
Cabinet Cards
Studio portraiture, family albums, and regional photography.
Stereoviews
Stereo photography documenting places, people, and history.
Press Photos
News photography, wire services, journalism, and popular culture.
Type 1 Photographs
Original photographic prints and period images.
Photographic Albums & Archives
Albums, archives, and historically layered collections.
Interested in historic photography like this?
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Why Collectors Follow
Old and Antique Photographs from Estates, Collections, and Consignments
Collectors know that worthwhile photographs often come from private sources. Britannic Auctions offers old and antique photographs of historical interest from estates, family collections, dealer accumulations, and long-held archives.
Collectors follow Britannic Auctions for:
- Upcoming auctions
- Fresh estate material
- Newly cataloged discoveries
- New eBay additions
Since 2014, Britannic Auctions has handled thousands of photographs from estates and private collections.
Old and Antique Photographs Previously Sold at Auction
Past Britannic Auctions have included historic, interesting, and uncommon photographs from estates, collections, and archives. Here are a few examples that have passed through our sales.
Pair of 1860s Stereoview Images Advertising A.E. Alden’s Photography Studio (Saratoga Springs)
Auction estimate: $150 – $200
Sold for
$1,984
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
1860s Civil War CDV of Union Gen. E.J. Farnsworth, Killed at Gettysburg
Auction estimate: $125 – $150
Sold for
$4,216
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
c1897 Rare Korean Empire Photograph Album Compiled by Louise Ropes Loomis
Auction estimate: $1,500 – $2,500
Sold for
$4,920
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
Daguerreotype & Tintype Named Family Gold Filled Locket, c1855
Auction estimate: N/A
Sold for
$235
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
Collection Antique Theatre Actors: Cabinet Cards, CDVs, Programs (1860s-1900s)
Auction estimate: $500 – $600
Sold for
$3,400
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
Gad’s Hill Place, c1870 CDV Photos of Charles Dickens’ Kent Home
Auction estimate: $75 – $100
Sold for
$275
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
1879 Stereoview of Nez Perce Chief Joseph & Yellow Bull
Auction estimate: $150-$200
Sold for
$850
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
1880s Felice Beato Photography Album of Japanese Albumen Prints
Auction estimate: $800 – $1,000
Sold for
$992
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
Mark Twain: Early c1872 Cabinet Card by Burlock, Philadelphia
Auction estimate: $400 – $500
Sold for
$620
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
c1865 Yosemite “The Three Brothers” Signed Carleton Watkins Mammoth Albumen Plate Photograph
Auction estimate: $800 – $1,000
Sold for
$2,728
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
Civil War Era Child Double Amputee CVD Photograph, 1860s
Auction estimate: $40-$60
Sold for
$60
Incl. Buyer’s Premium
Subjects to Watch
Collecting Areas in Old and Antique Photographs
From Civil War images and travel views to occupational portraits and small-town life, these are subjects collectors watch for in our auctions and eBay store.
- Circus & Sideshows
- Early Travel & Exploration
- Military & Naval
- Children & Families
- Americana
- Railroads & Transportation
- Western & Frontier
- Fashion & Society
- Presidents & Politics
- Native American History
- Architecture & Landmarks
- Advertising & Signs
- Civil War
- Schools & Education
- Disasters & Tragedies
- Small Town & Rural Life
- Occupational Life
- Sports & Recreation
- Fairs & Exhibitions
- And Much More
Shop our eBay store
Available Now: See Antique Photographs for Sale
While you’re watching for the next Britannic auction, check our eBay store for antique photographs available right now. New items are added regularly, including portraits, historical scenes, vernacular images, early photographic processes, and estate material.
Historic Photography Guides & Collector Research
Discover detailed articles on antique photography, collecting trends, photographic processes, and the historical context that brings early images to life.
How to Identify Antique Carte De Visite Photos: CDV Collecting Guide
A tiny photograph, a forgotten name, and one clue on the back can open an entire nineteenth-century life. Carte de visite photos captured Civil War soldiers, famous faces, circus performers, workers, and ordinary families. Learn how to identify and date CDVs, what…
Seeing Double: An In-Depth Guide to Stereoviews, Their Collectibility and History
Introduction to Antique Stereoviews: 19th-Century 3D Adventures Think of stereo viewer cards as the 19th century’s version of virtual reality. If you grew up with one of those red or white plastic View-Master toys – the ones with circular reels of Disneyland, cartoon…
The Complete Guide to Daguerreotype Photographs: History, Value, and Identification
Explore antique daguerreotypes and learn how to identify, collect and preserve these unique images. Discover the history and value with our detailed guide.
