Marketplace · Monday, August 31, 2026
A New York Magazine correspondent recounts the discovery of a century-old photo album belonging to his grandmother, initially mistaken for a scam. The album contained personal photos and handwritten captions, revealing a complex provenance tracing back through eBay vendors and a hoarder's estate.
“It said, I have come into possession of a photo album belonging to your grandmother that's over 100 years old and for $150 bucks, I'll sell it to you.”
“But at the same time, the email had a couple of details in it, like where my grandmother grew up and when she graduated from high school, that were correct.”
“So it turns out it's this guy in Ohio who's got a side gig of buying old albums from flea markets and online stores like eBay.”