The Backstory:

We believe great stories should be found and told before they are lost forever.

Every item is beautiful, but it is the story that makes it spectacular.

We meticulously research each item using historical archives, old newspapers, cemetery registers, genealogy records, and other resources to discover the lost stories. When an image has a truly remarkable story, we conserve the image with a multi-step process that reveals incredible details.

We only share a small, small portion of the story to the public. The complete story is passed to those who buy the piece of art in a leather-bound folio.

THE BACKSTORY GALLERY DIFFERENCE

Every piece we sell comes with its own incredible story.

We discover rare, beautiful images and objects in the most unlikely places.

Sadly, many beautiful images have been lost, discarded, and forgotten. Until we find them. We have found images tucked in books, sealed in long-forgotten boxes, and glued in cast-off scrapbooks.

We have searched estates, barns, collections, and obscure shops for artifacts that have been hidden for decades – sometimes more than a century. We acquire the item and its rights to give it the opportunity to tell its story again.

Art with Authenticity

Many companies sell art that is truly disposable and forgettable. You will find the same pieces in dozens of other retailers, and at any time they may flood the market with hundreds or thousands of reproductions. Every piece we sell is rare, one-of-a-kind or limited to 150 pieces.

We combine the best of rarity and remembering.

We combine the best of rarity and remembering.
Unlike other home décor and art sites that produce thousands of copies, every image we conserve becomes a limited edition of only 150 pieces. Many of our other items are truly rare or one-of-a-kind. Each piece also comes with more than provenance – it comes with its own true backstory so that events, people, and places can be remembered forever. Every item also comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.

The Work of Kenneth J. Weiss

Ken has been collecting rare ephemera for more than 30 years.His office is filled with thousands of rare postcards, shelves of old books, drawers of memorabilia, and hundreds of images waiting to be researched.

His passion however lies in the hidden stories of each. This quest has led to two history books and over 1,000 lost stories shared through social storytelling. He has enjoyed the great privilege of speaking to history groups and organizations around the country.

The Backstory Gallery Team

Family Owned
Kenneth and Barbara Weiss are the team behind Backstory Galley. (Yes, they get Barbie and Ken jokes a lot.) They are both collectors, and enjoy the thrill of finding wonderful images and objects.Ken writes – Barbie edits – the perfect combination.
Midwest-Based
Backstory Gallery is based in Ohio, and while we source items from around the world, we have found the Midwest to be a treasure trove of wonderful images and objects. The stories here are universal, but have been undiscovered or forgotten.
Paying It Forward
We are deeply committed to historic preservation and community development. We have a soft spot for small towns and rural America – places that have been forgotten. A portion of our profits are distributed as grants. Contact us to learn more.