… but certainly Roger Bourdin’s Don Basilio (in Rossini’s Barber of Seville, above) had entertainment value even when he was not actually being played.

Not that the decorative albums are necessarily worth more—no more, indeed, than the LPs in the average person’s collection. So before you race out to see who will offer you the most for your vinyl, take a deep breath. Although hard-core audiophiles still maintain that analog recording and vinyl LP’s offer a warmer, fuller sound than the hard-edged digital recording of a CD, there isn’t a huge market for LPs. Even Caruso’s vintage recordings were so common in their day that many copies remain in circulation. Only if you have one with a blue label (like the one pictured in number 8), should you call your local dealer.

Otherwise: get the CD, sit back, and enjoy. For the average listener, the actual object is less important than simply hearing what the past sounded like.