Early Cadillac antiques/ memorabilia

[Lunchbox90909]

Hello all my name is al. I am New to the forum and I have a few questions I'm hoping someone can help me with. I have a few antique Cadillac items that I am trying to figure out the best route to travel down to find either an enthusiast or auction to sell the items to or at least try to gauge the value of these items. The three items in question are... Family photos of Henry Leland and his family and cars. The second item is an original notarized lease for Cadillacs properties in Detroit in 1910. Finally the third item is the minutes log from Cadillac motor car for 1905-1910. Any info or suggestions with these items is greatly appreciated. I will get photos up ASAP. Thank you

[Bob Hoffmann CLC#96]

Al,
I would suggest you call them memorabilia rather than antiques. They have a very limited market so a lot of exposure will be needed.
HTH, Bob

[Barry M Wheeler #2189]

You might consider donating the items to our museum and take them off your taxes. You might be able to assess a greater value for them that way. In any case, best of luck.

[J. Skelly]

Hello Al,

I suggest you find a reputable auction house, appraiser, or antique book dealer in your area and get an appraisal.  If there are none in your area, you could scan portions of the documents and email them to dealers that deal in rare documents.  If you decide to donate them to the Cadillac-LaSalle Museum, you can be assured that the items will be properly preserved.  If you've ever seen the PBS show, Antiques Road Show, dealers will often offer to buy items at well below their actual worth to keep for themselves or flip.  An appraisal service won't have a vested interest in the items.

[gary griffin]

Al,

  It may generate more interest if you were to post pictures of what you have on this forum. That would not change the value of the originals and all of us Cadillac lovers would love to see them!!

[Lunchbox90909]

Here are two examples of the photos i have. sorry about the poor quality pictures. the first is of Henry Leland and Wilfred Leland with Wilfred's children. The second picture is of Henry Leland  and his grandchildren (Wilfred's children).

[Lunchbox90909]

Here are a few pictures from the buildings lease from general motors to Cadillac motor car in 1910. Again sorry for the poor quality pictures.

[Lunchbox90909]

These are pictures from the minutes log. Again bad pictures on my part.

[jwjohnson86]

Wow.  That corporate minute book could have a lot of fascinating information about what business decisions they planned to take, production plans, approving new models, etc.  Would be a great addition to the museum as other posters have noted.

[Duncan Fox]

These are pictures from the minutes log. Again bad pictures on my part.

Wow indeed....................the very first meeting of the board,

We have just been allowed to view the actual birth of the Cadillac Motor Car Co. That's made my day seeing that document. Thank you for sharing with us. I believe this minute book is very significant to historians and I shall be calling Maurice Hendry to tell him that this has surfaced. The CadLaSalle museum seems the logical place but it would equally be at home in the Smithsonian.
The idea of donating it for a tax break is great but this opportunity should be looked at by the club with a serious view to obtaining this material.

[Duncan Fox]

Maurice Hendry was thrilled to hear of the existence of the minute book. He like myself likened it to the Cadillac equivalent of the Magna Carta ( US Constitution equiv) As he does not have a computer I read the material to him over the phone and will take copies around later today to let him see for himself.

Al I have pm'd you.

[Duncan Fox]

Maurice Hendry has asked me if there have been any developments here that are not obvious, any deal in the background,? he would like to keep track of these objects.

[veesixteen]

Hi Al,

As creator and compiler of the CLCMRC "Cadillac Database" (www.cadillacdatabase.org), currently supervised and kept up-to-date by CLC member "JC" Franchitti), I would like to ask if we might include in the "Database" the material you provided kindly to the Cadillac Forum web site. Any other, similar historical material and photos would also be welcome (good digital copies are fine) .

You may contact "JC" directly with copies to myself and to Paul Ayres, in charge of the CLCMRC (Cadillac and LaSalle Club Museum and Research Center located in Kalamazoo, MI).

Thanks in advance.