Calendars Pass Test of Time

Question: The start of a new year might be a good time to ask about the value of old calendars. I have quite a few, but some have their pages missing. As long as I have the cover sheets, won’t the covers preserve their value?--F.P.

Answer: Not necessarily. Dealer catalogues we’ve read generally agree that, with rare exceptions, missing monthly pages detract from value.

As an additional guideline for you, calendar collectors tend to acquire by subject rather than looking for calendars that have certain years as a common denominator. For example, turn-of-the-century advertising calendars, mostly giveaways, have become very popular.

New collectors should seek expert help if they suspect that a new-looking calendar was recently reproduced. Modern printing techniques can make purchasing decisions treacherous in this area.

Mailbag

Poster aficionados interested in design from the early part of this century might want to visit a recently opened gallery, Turner Dailey, at 7220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 931-1185.

In putting emphasis on posters as “an important component of design,” co-owner Steve Turner says he and his partner, Victoria Dailey, “are trying to show things that are not being shown in Los Angeles”--including a broad range of topics from travel to the Olympic Games to political causes and the avant-garde. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.