PDA

View Full Version : Federal League Lithographic Stone Find...


Archive
10-15-2008, 08:55 AM
Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Hello - I just pulled this lithographic stone from the estate of a printer and am interested in your opinions on it. The stone measures 10" x 14" x 2 3/4" and features various advertising and images for the Victor Sporting Goods Company of Springfield, MA. I believe the top portion of the stone was used to print either the box that housed Victor baseballs, or perhaps a paper band that went around the box. The proof marks are 2 3/4" apart, with four sections and an end tag, which would perfectly fit around a baseball box. Under that are four various sporting-themed images including baseball. Victor was the official baseball of the Federal League:<br /><br />"In 1914-15, the Federal League, the last serious threat to the two established major league circuits, utilized a ball made by the Victor Sporting Goods Company, at the time one of the leaders in the business." -The Official Rules of Baseball Illustrated - By David Nemec, 2006<br /><br />I’ve included a reversed image of the stone for ease of reading – interesting that it mentions the ball being adopted by the American Association, Southern Association and Pacific Coast League, among others. I believe Victor began in 1898, and the image on the reverse of the stone has dates of 189_and 190_. Can anyone provide any further information?<br /><br />Thanks! <br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_016x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_017x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_018x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_019x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_021x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_022x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_023x.jpg><br /><br /><img src=http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/10_07_08_024x.jpg>

Archive
10-15-2008, 09:15 AM
Posted By: <b>Max Weder</b><p>Jeff<br /><br />I can't offer any further thoughts on this, other than to say it is a very cool piece and a great find. <br /><br />Max

Archive
10-15-2008, 10:25 AM
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>I can't help you with it as I've never seen anything like it before...I just have to say though that it is a great find. I love the pre 'Wright Ditson' Victor logo. My favorite bat from my collection is a Victor bat.

Archive
10-15-2008, 11:57 AM
Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>This is the first baseball themed lithographic stone I've seen. Great condition too.

Archive
10-15-2008, 12:49 PM
Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Thanks guys - it's a hefty piece, weighing roughly 35lbs. I would love to see a Federal League ball with original box - Kovels has a sales record for one, but I lack a password:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.kovels.com/priceguide/kovels_sports/1997/baseball/1519255.html" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.kovels.com/priceguide/kovels_sports/1997/baseball/1519255.html</a>

Archive
10-15-2008, 12:55 PM
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Jeff, I may have a photo of a Federal league ball with box somewhere on my computer...it was sold on ebay about 3 years ago and IIRC it sold for nearly $6,000. When I was collecting baseballs I held that up as my holy grail piece...I had no idea that it would sell that high though.

Archive
10-15-2008, 12:59 PM
Posted By: <b>Greg Theberge</b><p>What a great piece.<br /><br />Can someone in the know explain the process of how this was used? I can't recall the use of a "Stone" but it obviously is one. Very interesting. We have some original lithography proofs which are also reversed, but these are actually lithograph images themselves, nothing like this neat stone.<br /><br />And if you think that puppy is heavy, we recently added a ten foot long Narragansett Brewing Company Terrazzo tile to our beer collection dated to 1916 (there's a newspaper image stuck to the back). That bad boy weighs at least 800-900 pounds and we needed a moving company to get it to the house. It reminds me a lot of this stone in it's construction as seen in the side view.<br /><br />great piece, congrats!<br /><br />Greg

Archive
10-15-2008, 01:08 PM
Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>The stone is the printing plate. The original form of lithography was printed from a stone, and the final prints are often referred to as a 'stone lithographs.' Stone lithography is better quality, but, for practical reasons including the weight and size of stones, commercial printers switched to metal sheets as is used today. <br /><br />So the above stone is not only a unique baseball item, but a historical printing artifact.

Archive
10-15-2008, 01:54 PM
Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Found a few bits through Google Book Search, which if anyone is unfamiliar with, it's quite amazing.<br /><br />"I have played with the Victor baseball and have also made a careful examination of its material and construction as compared with other balls. It is durable, holds its shape well, and is the nicest ball to handle I have ever used." – John M. Ward<br /><br />From: Recreation - By George O. Shields, American Canoe Association, League of American Sportsmen - Published by G.O. Shields (Coquina), 1896<br /><br />And an image from The Sportsman's Magazine, 1897:<br /><img src="http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/ladypaper/victor.jpg" width="494" height="386"><br />

Archive
10-15-2008, 05:20 PM
Posted By: <b>Clint</b><p>Jeff, that is an awesome piece. I was wondering, are going to get it graded? <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Clint

Archive
10-15-2008, 05:21 PM
Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Slab the slab right? Maybe Beckett with those new oversize holders... <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

Archive
10-15-2008, 05:38 PM
Posted By: <b>Greg Theberge</b><p>David,<br /><br />thanks for the reply. how does the process work?<br /><br />greg

Archive
10-29-2008, 02:39 PM
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Jeff, I found this photo in my computer today...it doesn't show the box, but it's a pretty cool photo of the ball. I think this one may have been in a Leland's auction.<br /><br /><a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/?action=view&current=38193a.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/38193a.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Archive
10-29-2008, 08:40 PM
Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Thanks Dan! That ball sold for $7186.00 with juice through Lelands. Here's a link showing all the Federal League items they've offered since 2001 - check out that Eddie Plank signed Fed. League ball that sold for $44k+. Great stuff.<br /> <br />I'll probably be putting the stone on ebay soon - I'll give a heads up when I do. <br /><br /><a href="http://lelands.com/searchlist.aspx?auction=all&type=Title&keyword=federal%20league" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://lelands.com/searchlist.aspx?auction=all&type=Title&keyword=federal%20league</a>

Archive
10-30-2008, 05:32 AM
Posted By: <b>Shawn</b><p>Nice stone Jeff... I would love to have this but probably out of my price range! Good luck with the sale, the shipping cost will probably scare the devil out me. <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14>

Archive
11-02-2008, 12:10 PM
Posted By: <b>Jeff S.</b><p>Ok, the stone is listed - take a moment to check it out if you get a chance. Started it at $9.95 so have fun...also have a Boston Garter box up this week: <br /><br /><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=260309839241" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=260309839241</a><br /><br />Thanks again to everyone who responded.<br />