Unknown Old Card

[wazoo]

I bought this card at a local card show for $3. It looked old, but I have no idea what set it's from. The card says Ball Player on it. On the back, it is completely blank. This card is truly interesting. Anyone know how much it's worth and where it's from? Thank you.

[4815162342]

Try finding it on oldcardboard.com. I would look but I barely have one eye open, and it's focused on this auction that seems to never end!

[Pup6913]

Cool piece. Tobin piece maybe??

[wazoo]

Thank you. I have looked for a little bit and still nothing. The older I look, the more similar the cards get, but still nothing. If anyone of you want to help me solve this mystery, it will be greatly appreciated.

[drc]

Have to say I've never seen it before. Resembles an 1800s trade card. There can be obscure examples of those.

[where the gold at?]

that is a tobins card 1890s

[wazoo]

Would you happen to know the value of it?

[drc]

More than $3.

[wazoo]

I still cannot seem to find the card on the internet.

[drc]

What are you talking about? One is pictured online at the top of this thread?

Yes, I'm being a smart ass.

[wazoo]

That scan is of my card that I own. There is no writing on the card, so I can not find any further information about it on the internet.

[zljones]

I strongly believe you have a 1887 Tobin Lithograph card.

[Bugsy]

I strongly believe you have a 1887 Tobin Lithograph card.

What makes you think that it is an 1887 Tobin?

[Bugsy]

You could try looking in trade card book by Frank Keetz. There are a ton of generic 1880s trade cards. It could very well be identified there.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=144996&highlight=keetz

Good luck!

[zljones]

What makes you think that it is an 1887 Tobin?

The style of the cartoon looks just like Tobin plus the "baseball player" at the bottom looks like it is in the same place on the card as the descriptions on Tobins. I am not 100% that it's a Tobin, that is just what I think, my expertise for 19th century cards outside of the main sets such as N29, N28, N172, or Mayo is limited I am basing it upon what it looks like compared to other Tobins

[barrysloate]

It doesn't look like it was drawn by the same artist who did the Tobins, but there is a vague similarity in the style. I've never seen that one before either. Kind of neat. I would guess it's worth around $35-50, but it's just a guess. The marketplace determines its value.

[zljones]

maybe it's a game piece of some sort

[autograf]

need better, uncropped photos and measurements...........that'll help determine if it's a trade card or something cut from something larger or something newer. Is a little reminiscent of a Tobin Litho Trade Card but not 100% sure......

[wazoo]

New scans coming tonight. Thanks for the help so far, I'm not done with this mystery yet though

[irishdenny]

Wazoo,

I'm Not positive, but unless the Tobin artist did game cards, I don't believe it's from Tobin. With that said, A friend of mine went through a copy of "Baseball Advertising Trade Cards, Third Edition" by Frank Keetz and didn't see anything that looks like your card. Since your card has no advertising and just says "Ball Player" I think it probably came from some sort of game that has cards like it showing other occupations or activities.

I have many Tobin's and I have to admit, it is somewhat similar... as stated by a couple of other lads. I really believe I've seen this card before... Just can't recall?

I'm sure that we will nail it down soon enough though...

[GoldenAge50s]

I'm betting it was cut from some kind of a game box.

[wazoo]

That would be logical, of course it still has age to it and hopefully it is worth more than $3. Regardless, It's a unique piece in my collection.

[Butch7999]

It's not from any baseball-themed game we've ever seen, but the guess that it might be from some "Old Maid" / "Authors" sort of game is a good one -- and if that's where it comes from, someone at the Association of Game & Puzzle Collectors [ http://www.agpc.org ] might recognize it...

[wazoo]

Just sent out scans to them. Thank you Butch.

[FrankWakefield]

The image is of the style of the Tobin cards mentioned.

But that looks new to me, I don't think it's very old at all. Have you illuminated both sides with a black light? Please do that, and let us know what happens.

To me, from the image you posted, I think it's very new, its worth would be as a book mark or an object lesson. I'll back off from that after I hear about it not fluorescing. If it was scanned while in a holder, scan both sides again without the holder.

[wazoo]

I need it to be looked at further. Still no responses from anyone.

[FrankWakefield]

You need to look at it yourself after illuminating it with a black light. Have you done that? Please post the results of that. Thanks.