Just added this really neat vintage baseball stitching "machine" from the Huggins and Scott auction yesterday. I am not comfortable calling it a machine as it really just held the ball and the leather in place while the ball was being hand stitched. I am also not confident that it necessarily dates to the 19th century, although I do not know if I will ever know the answer to that one way or the other as there are no manufacturers markings on it. The ones that I have seen that date to the 1920's or so had a spring that helped keep the two levers on top closed on the ball. This one seems to be more rustic in that there is a string and latch as opposed to a spring. This could potentially make it older than those I had seen previously, but does not necessarily make it a product of the 1800's. Although it certainly could be.
Anyway, I am going to be very happy with this item. It is nearly three feet tall!
Tom C