opinions on belt style ball

[khkco4bls]

. could I get ur feedback on this ball. Thx.http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=181420744270

[1880nonsports]

clearly not a classic "belt style" ball but rather one made more recently than the mid 1860's with what appears to be repurposed leather that is unusually apparent on the balls surface. The circumference is quite large. The weight of the ball is missing from the description. There are stitching holes and no threading in at least one area, and the raised portions suggest perhaps once being part of a shoe. No idea how to determine the age - it looks like it might actually be the original handmade construction as stitches look tight enough. The yarn might be a bit suspect as it looks pliable and clean - with wear and use as apparent on the rest of the ball not sure how that happens - but without the ball in hand just guessing......
When it comes down to it - although there are other elements to consider - 9" around just too big to be antique. Now is it from 1905 or 1955? Lovingly constructed to be used in a sandlot ballgame or something else? Only the shadow knows......... A blacklight might help with the innards.
People here with more knowledge than I - hopefully they will chime in.

[perezfan]

Great analysis, given the info at hand. I agree with all above, especially the fact that the stitching lacks the wear and tear one would like to see on this example.

Obviously re-purposed leather and too large for an 1860s-70s Belt Ball. Still pretty nifty :cool:

[khkco4bls]

Well guys I received the ball today and we were all wrong. You really need to see it in person. Ripe with.age. very light. And definitely from 1860s to.70s. Little smaller than.a reg. Baseball. The photos he took make the stitching and the red stitching appear much later until u see it. Its a beauty. Looks much much older in person:D

[1880nonsports]

neat looking ball and the "extra elements" in the cover make it all the more unusual. Dating the ball that early is still problematic to me due to the size but accept that my knowledge base/experience is somewhat limited and that I'll never know the age with certainty one way or the other :-) These are generic types of collectibles - primitive and without stories to corroborate the terms that define their existance. Much of the value is in how we percieve it - obviously you like it and that's what it's all about. Thanks for taking the time to share the purchase and better pix.

[perezfan]

It's an awesome early baseball.... no doubt. But to me, the stitching is just a tad different than is typical, in terms of its construction, wear and the black color. Maybe it's just me... certainly within the range of acceptability, but tough to put a definitive date on it.

The new clearer pics portray it to be a terrific and very unique ball either way. Congrats :)

[khkco4bls]

U know with the photos it shows the ball being alot lighter in color. The ball is very dark. Like u guys said u really have to see it yourself. Thats why I was a little Leary. By the way he said he got this and a lemonpeel from an 1840 farmhouse about 8 years ago.

[1880nonsports]

nobody used the house for the next 170 or so years? Not meant the way it might read - not being sarcastic - my wife invented sarcasm so I usually can recognize it or wield it correctly :-) Like I said - it's a nice ball. That I can't pin down a date that I'm happy with is irrelevent as it's what you think. I'm happy when I can add something special to my accumulation just as you are now.
Thinking I'm in the market for a belt ball that's a little larger than my type. I passed on a beauty a while back as I had a couple of concerns based on a conversation - regret it as it was beautiful - but if I don't feel 100% comfortable with something (meaning once I own it I don't revisit the issue of authenticity/aesthetics unless prompted) - it will continue to bother me along the road and interfere with my abilty to go about my hobby business as a free spirit.
I know. Counseling might help me..........

[khkco4bls]

nobody used the house for the next 170 or so years? Not meant the way it might ad - not being sarcastic - my wife invented sarcasm so I usually can recognize it or wield it correctly :-) Like I said - it's a nice ball. That I can't pin down a date that I'm happy with is irrelevent as it's what you think. I'm happy when I can add something special to my accumulation just as you are now.
Thinking I'm in the market for a belt ball that's a little larger than my type. I passed on a beauty a while back as I had a couple of concerns based on a conversation - regret it as it was beautiful - but if I don't feel 100% comfortable with something (meaning once I own it I don't revisit the issue of authenticity/aesthetics unless prompted) - it will continue to bother me along the road and interfere with my abilty to go about my hobby business as a free spirit.
I know. Counseling might help me..........

No I hear ya. I always dont believe everything I here. I was skeptical about this one also untiI received it. The age on it is fantastic

[steve B]

nobody used the house for the next 170 or so years? Not meant the way it might read - not being sarcastic - my wife invented sarcasm so I usually can recognize it or wield it correctly :-) Like I said - it's a nice ball. That I can't pin down a date that I'm happy with is irrelevent as it's what you think. I'm happy when I can add something special to my accumulation just as you are now.
Thinking I'm in the market for a belt ball that's a little larger than my type. I passed on a beauty a while back as I had a couple of concerns based on a conversation - regret it as it was beautiful - but if I don't feel 100% comfortable with something (meaning once I own it I don't revisit the issue of authenticity/aesthetics unless prompted) - it will continue to bother me along the road and interfere with my abilty to go about my hobby business as a free spirit.
I know. Counseling might help me..........

Interestingly enough I just watched a show on the restoration of Clara Bartons missing soldiers office/boardinghouse in DC. They showed a lot of amazing stuff they found in the attic, rucksacks, civil war ambulance parts, flyers, boxes that held flyers or maybe stamps.......All of it still in the attic since the 1860's.
http://www.civilwarmed.org/clara-bartons-missing-soldiers-office-museum/exhibits/

The restoration was amazing, but of course they had a decent budget.

My own house is 1880's, and before I moved in hadn't had any renovation since maybe 1910. The antique people cleared out a ton of stuff when it was an estate in 94, but out in the carriage house there was still some stuff from before 1920. Car tire chains, a sparkplug, a couple blank ledgers.

Steve B