Help with preserving old Spalding Guides

[Runscott]

I have a group of 1800's Spalding and Reach Baseball Guides that have fragile covers and bindings. I want to be able to read them (interiors are okay), but it's disturbing to see flakes of paper on my coffee table each time I do so.

Any thoughts on how to safely store/handle? Even taking them in and out of my bookcase is a small problem. I'm leaning toward having them turned into hardbacks, using the original covers like they do in libraries, and for the coverless ones, creating faux covers and doing the same (turning into hardbacks). Their condition is not such that it would matter, and I don't plan on re-selling them.

Thoughts?

[thecatspajamas]

Scott,
You should probably go through the guides and cut out any of the pictures first so you can sell them on eBay as "photos" for big money to pay for your binding expenses. The pictures are all anyone wants out of those old guides anyway, or so I'm told by a certain eBay seller.

Just kidding. Having them rebound as hardcovers sounds like a great idea to me, especially if you're referring back to them regularly. As long as "james601" doesn't get ahold of them, it's all good :)

[Runscott]

Scott,
You should probably go through the guides and cut out any of the pictures first so you can sell them on eBay as "photos" for big money to pay for your binding expenses. The pictures are all anyone wants out of those old guides anyway, or so I'm told by a certain eBay seller.

Just kidding. Having them rebound as hardcovers sounds like a great idea to me, especially if you're referring back to them regularly. As long as "james601" doesn't get ahold of them, it's all good :)

Thanks, Lance. I remember as a kid, checking out paperbacks from the library that had been 'turned into' hardbacks. They looked great - the covers were both incorporated into the boards, and I think the spine was as well.

I read through some of these at least a couple of times each week - generally randomly thumbing through them for fun, not necessarily reference. I've been collecting horrible but complete copies, expressly for the purpose of re-binding as reading copies - only need a few more.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Scott one solution would be to preserve your guides as you suggested by having them converted to hard covers. But you could wrap your guides and leave them as is on the the shelf and buy the Horton reprints to read through.

They are well done but of course you don't get that feeling of touching the old guide that was possibly looked through by Cap Anson or King Kelly!

[Runscott]

Scott one solution would be to preserve your guides as you suggested by having them converted to hard covers. But you could wrap your guides and leave them as is on the the shelf and buy the Horton reprints to read through.

They are well done but of course you don't get that feeling of touching the old guide that was possibly looked through by Cap Anson or King Kelly!

Good idea. I have never held one of the Hortons, so not sure, but I would think that the quality of the photo reprints wouldn't be as good. Given that the quality in the originals isn't so great, I wouldn't want to have to deal with even fuzzier. But they are cheap enough that I probably should buy one, just to see.

I do have the Players League reprint, and I used to have an original - the quality in the reprint is great, but it might be a different publisher.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Scott I think it was also done by Ralph Horton? They are certainly not the real deal but they are darned good. He had actually started on the old NFL guides too before giving it up. I am not sure but it may have been serious health reasons?

[martindl]

I recently acquired a book published in 1665. It's about the court rules of Romans. It was rebound in old book pages from 1747, secured in vellum.

I think you should rebind your guides in old copies of Baseball Magazine or Harpers perhaps. If it's good enough for the Romans.........

[Runscott]

I recently acquired a book published in 1665. It's about the court rules of Romans. It was rebound in old book pages from 1747, secured in vellum.

I think you should rebind your guides in old copies of Baseball Magazine or Harpers perhaps. If it's good enough for the Romans.........

Ironically, I could do that. I have about half of the issues from 1909-12.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

I don't have any but I have always felt that a complete run of BASEBALL MAGAZINE would be the Cadillac of publication runs.

I think there are 534 issues 1908-1965, I have scans of almost all the covers from 1908 to 1930 but no issues. A complete run would be equivalent to a complete set of T206s, well maybe minus the Wagner and Plank!

[Runscott]

I don't have any but I have always felt that a complete run of BASEBALL MAGAZINE would be the Cadillac of publication runs.

I think there are 534 issues 1908-1965, I have scans of almost all the covers from 1908 to 1930 but no issues. A complete run would be equivalent to a complete set of T206s, well maybe minus the Wagner and Plank!

I bought mine as five lots from a 'set' break. My thinking was to slowly gather the pre-wwi copies I was missing, but now I'm leaning toward scanning the more interesting articles and then selling most/all of them.

A complete 'set' was recently auctioned - not sure if it met the reserve.

[coco]

You can spray them with a DE acidification spray available at archival distributors. It will tend to soften the paper and make it a little more flexible. The other option is to just buy the reproductions on EBay and leave the originals on the shelf for display. Probably your best bet if they are that fragile.

[Leon]

On very old and crumbling stock I have found the best thing to do is not handle them, as much as possible. If it were me, and I wanted to read them, I would probably go the reprint route and conserve/preserve the originals.

[Runscott]

There is something about holding and reading an old original publication, that just can't be matched by reprints. For me it's like the difference between reading the news on my computer instead of purchasing a newspaper. Works better with a cup of coffee than a computer.

[barrysloate]

The pages of Spalding guides are glossy stock and hold up pretty well over time. The problem areas are the covers and bindings, which are very susceptible to damage. I have a partial set and the pages are near perfect, but many of my covers are in pretty bad shape.

[BlueSky]

There is something about holding and reading an old original publication, that just can't be matched by reprints. For me it's like the difference between reading the news on my computer instead of purchasing a newspaper. Works better with a cup of coffee than a computer.

+1

I love reading through original guides. It's a great feeling to hold a piece of history in my hands.

[Leon]

There is something about holding and reading an old original publication, that just can't be matched by reprints. For me it's like the difference between reading the news on my computer instead of purchasing a newspaper. Works better with a cup of coffee than a computer.

I agree completely on the reading of an old periodical with respect to it's feel.
I guess I was rather incorrectly equating it to my often used, working copy (read:reprint) of the ACC. I would only use my earliest original one for research on that issue itself. But for a single reading or two, I get it....There is nothing like the smell of old paper in the morning!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPXVGQnJm0w

.

[Runscott]

The ones that I was going to 'preserve' for reading were not really all that valuable (coverless, etc.), but the pages were solid for reading.

I may actually purchase the reprints at some point - I already have them for several of the more expensive 1800's publications (Players League Guide, etc.).

I had reprints of some of Edward Curtis' volumes of "The North American Indian", but then I purchased one of the original volumes and the enjoyment of reading and handling the actual vintage pages is well worth it. Wish I could afford all of them, but one is still nice. Same for the photogravures. Looking at reprints of these would be similar to looking at baseball engraving reprints from the Spalding Guides - can't imagine it.

[ethicsprof]

There is something about holding and reading an old original publication, that just can't be matched by reprints. For me it's like the difference between reading the news on my computer instead of purchasing a newspaper. Works better with a cup of coffee than a computer.

very well said. I agree, wholeheartedly with your sentiments.
I have quite a few spalding and reach volumes in only fair condition that I
decided to protect on my bookshelves while still having them available to me
for reading every week or so. I bought some inexpensive hard cover albums for photos which were near the size of my volumes. I, then, removed the plastic sheets and placed the prized tomes between the hard covers. Not the best of all worlds but a great way to keep them from getting the life squeezed out of them in my bookcases.
all the best,
Barry

[gnaz01]

The pages of Spalding guides are glossy stock and hold up pretty well over time. The problem areas are the covers and bindings, which are very susceptible to damage. I have a partial set and the pages are near perfect, but many of my covers are in pretty bad shape.

Me too Barry, same thing here.

[barrysloate]

I also have a complete Horton reprint set, which includes Spalding guides from 1876-1905, plus the 1890 Player's League guide. They are very useful for research, but not as much fun as the originals. There weren't many printed photographs during those years, but for the few issues that have them, the photo quality is poor.

[Gary Dunaier]

I actually prefer reprints, not only because they're cheaper but because it allows me to "collect without responsibility" - which simply means that I can read it without having to worry about making sure it stays in Gem Mint 10.

[Runscott]

Gary, I started this thread explaining that these weren't anywhere near 'Gem Mint 10' - they are in a condition generally referred to by collectors as 'reading copies'. I guess that implies that they have other copies that are in much better condition, but I'm not sure, as I've only ever pursued 'reading copies'.

[Gary Dunaier]

Gary, I started this thread explaining that these weren't anywhere near 'Gem Mint 10' - they are in a condition generally referred to by collectors as 'reading copies'.

You said nothing of the sort! Stop lying. I'm gonna take you on Maury Povich show and have you hooked up to a lie detector and they're gonna prove you're telling a lie. Maury is gonna read the results, and it'll go something like this: Runscott, when you were asked about the condition of your 1800's Spalding and Reach Baseball Guides, you said they have fragile covers and bindings.

And the lie detector determined that you were telling... the truth...

I have a group of 1800's Spalding and Reach Baseball Guides that have fragile covers and bindings.

Never mind.

:o

In all seriousness, my reference to "Gem Mint 10" wasn't specifically directed toward the condition of your books. The main point of my "collect without responsibility" philosophy when it comes to reprints is that I can read, and enjoy, a reprint without worrying about having to handle it carefully to make sure it stays in whatever condition it's in - be it Gem Mint 10, or in the case of your books, without having to worry about paper flakes.

[Runscott]

Paper flakes suck. You know you are watching your books disentegrate right in front of your eyes...never to re-integrate :)

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[CBishop]

Do you have an 1887 Spalding Guide? I am looking for answers about the White Stockings of that year.

[Runscott]

Do you have an 1887 Spalding Guide? I am looking for answers about the White Stockings of that year.

No, but I have the 1887 Reach Guide. Ask whatever you would like, and I'll see if I can answer via the Guide.

[CBishop]

Hi Barry,

Do you have a 1887 Spalding Guide? Is there information about the White Stockings and the color of their uniforms? We are working on colorizing a black and white photo from 1887.

Thanks Barry,

CB

[CBishop]

No, but I have the 1887 Reach Guide. Ask whatever you would like, and I'll see if I can answer via the Guide.
Hi Scott,

We are trying to colorize a black and white photo from 1887 of Billy Sunday as a Chicago White Stockings and looking for any clues as to the color of their uniforms. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Scott