1866 Silk dinner Christmas menu. What's it worth?

[EricaStormCirca1983]

Any idea how much this is worth? Rare item, possibly never seen before, may be the only one of it's kind. Has local history interest, story to go with it, provides a peek into the past, definetely something that only a wealthy person at the time would have possessed. Silk menu 1866 Christmas dinner National Hotel, Atlanta, Georgia. Pratt, Pond & Corey proprietors. It is said that my great grandmother cared for an elderly woman who was not so nice in the early 1900's in New York, whom she murdered with a pillow over the face & stole this menu most likely among other things. Her parents, my great great parents were immigrants who were naturalized there, my great grandmother a young woman can be seen on the census listed as a housekeeper as 1 of only 2 incomes in the home of a large family at the time. She married shortly after & left the state never to return. 6" long x 4" wide x .5cm deep

 

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[Red-Coat]

Cool item of family history.

I've seen similar items from other hotels selling for about 30 dollars at most. Sadly, the family story doesn't add anything to the value. For a buyer it's just a story that couldn't be substantiated (at least not insofar as connecting the menu to the events you describe).

I would have thought it has rather more value to you as a piece of family history that warrants a bit of research. You say she married shortly afterwards, so presumably was never charged or did she go on the run to evade arrest? Was the 'murder' ever recognised as a crime at all or did she just get away with it as a non-suspicious death?

PS: Welcome to T-net