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View Full Version : civil war collapsible drink cup. clean or don't clean


khkco4bls
03-21-2014, 09:08 AM
Do u clean the 150 years of patina off or not. Leaning on not touching it. Your thoughts would be much appreciated..

Bestdj777
03-21-2014, 09:22 AM
I'd leave it. It's nice for old things to look old.

bgar3
03-21-2014, 09:48 AM
great piece, i would leave it. essentially an early original drawing of baseball.

Runscott
03-21-2014, 09:52 AM
To me those drawings look much more modern. If you clean it, it's going to bring that out even more, so if you are certain this is Civil War era, you shouldn't touch it.

perezfan
03-21-2014, 10:44 AM
What product would you use if you were to clean it?

The finish looks gold or bronze... so would you use silver polish? Something else?

Just curious... I agree that this particular piece is best left as-is. But was wondering what cleaning product is advised for this type of finish.

Thanks :)

khkco4bls
03-21-2014, 11:02 AM
It appears to be brass. I would love to clean it but i really think it would be best with the grime and patina that is on it.

smokelessjoe
03-21-2014, 11:09 AM
I agree with Scott on this... The baseball engraving does not look Civil War period to me. I would not shine her up.

GasHouseGang
03-21-2014, 11:15 AM
It seems like on every other episode of Antique's Road Show they have some item where they say, "Well, if you hadn't cleaned it it would be worth..." Do not clean it.

Bugsy
03-21-2014, 11:38 AM
I was the seller of the cup and I believe it was either from the 1860s or 1870s because of the uniforms and the umpire. According to the Hall of Fame page on uniforms, shield front jerseys weren't worn much after the mid-1870s.

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/jerseys.htm

Also, the umpire is holding an umbrella and walking stick. If you are a trade card collector, you know the image on this cup easily pre-dates images of 1880s umpires.

WillowGrove
03-21-2014, 11:53 AM
I was the seller of the cup and I believe it was either from the 1860s or 1870s because of the uniforms and the umpire. According to the Hall of Fame page on uniforms, shield front jerseys weren't worn much after the mid-1870s.

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/dressed_to_the_nines/jerseys.htm

Also, the umpire is holding an umbrella and walking stick. If you are a trade card collector, you know the image on this cup easily pre-dates images of 1880s umpires.


I wouldn't clean it for many of the reasons stated - mostly it's old - why make it look new? Chris, how did you acquire it? It's amazing. And where did it sell that I missed it! Maybe private sale.

Great item! Congrats.

khkco4bls
03-21-2014, 12:16 PM
According to 1860s the umpire would sit or stand on first base side with top hat and cane and fancy coat. Bib front uniform crests on the fronts. Hard for u to see maybe.Also no gloves and pitcher ready to throw underhand. All indications of that era. Definitely not modern.

Runscott
03-21-2014, 12:53 PM
Good, especially if the players are not wearing gloves.

David Atkatz
03-21-2014, 01:06 PM
Never, ever, ever, clean the patina from any antique. Doing so renders it just about worthless to collectors.

khkco4bls
03-21-2014, 01:10 PM
I will not clean the piece..

ooo-ribay
03-21-2014, 01:11 PM
It seems like on every other episode of Antique's Road Show they have some item where they say, "Well, if you hadn't cleaned it it would be worth..." Do not clean it.

Awesome piece :eek: About the only acceptable material to clean is silver....and that ain't silver!

vwtdi
03-21-2014, 01:38 PM
Don't even think about cleaning it!

I couldn't type this in fast enough...then I saw you weren't going to clean it after posting.

CarltonHendricks
03-21-2014, 02:20 PM
Great get Kevin…really cool and really unusual….it’s possible I may have seen one in some auction catalog at some point but can’t say I recall it…so really rare too…The shields on the jerseys say a lot to me for its era…I especially like the engraver included the players sitting on the bench…at least I think that’s what I make out on the bottom left…the bench, if that’s what it is, on top right is even harder make out…I’m with everyone else...leave it alone…

Couple of questions...so to clarify…the engraving is on the bottom exterior of the cup?...When you say civil war cup...were these used by soldiers in the civil war?...

I’ve seen antique collapsible cups with a bicycle motif…but never this…looks like something you’d see in the Halper collection…This is one of the best parts of collecting when I see something I’ve never seen before!...Congrats good eye!

khkco4bls
03-21-2014, 04:53 PM
Carton its the top of the lid. Cup seems stuck and i wont mess with it. I will get better pics later. I always look for the unusual pieces. And this fits that category. Yes they carried thesr around. And right field has a bench and on the left side with players.

ruth-gehrig
03-22-2014, 08:34 AM
Super piece even more so now that its going to stay this way! :)