Hello, this item is a group of six sketchbooks attributed to Ernst Platz, a German artist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known primarily for landscape drawing and alpine subjects. The contents shown, including detailed pencil studies of architecture, mountain landscapes, animals, and portrait sketches, are consistent with academic training and field sketching practices of that period. The presence of dated inscriptions, signatures, and location notes adds credibility to the attribution, while the varied completeness of the books reflects working material rather than presentation albums. The wear to the covers and binding, including one damaged spine, aligns with genuine use over time and supports authenticity as period sketchbooks rather than later compilations.

From a market perspective, sketchbooks by listed but not top-tier artists like Platz are valued based on content quality, quantity of drawings, and documentary interest rather than individual masterpiece status. Complete or near-complete sketchbooks with numerous signed and dated drawings carry stronger value, especially when they show cohesive travel or thematic documentation. As a group, these six sketchbooks would typically fall within a fair market value range of $1,200 to $3,500 USD, depending on the number of finished drawings and overall condition.