Prints made for publication might have value because they can be historically significant or have been made by or for a well-known photographer. However, they are rarely the best prints since for black and white they need to be printed flatter than ideal as the image gains contrast upon reproduction. Also, retouching can sometimes be crude, since the nuances would not make it to the printed page of the publication. I remember seeing a large print on display at a gallery of Horst's well-known Mainbocher corset photo. There was a lot of spotting of the black background and it was quite apparent from a foot away.
As far as fixing and washing publicity photos, I don't know if that was done to what would be considered archival standards. That takes extra time and effort for what is essentially a disposable print.
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