Minor League photos and postcards from 1914-1917 Cedar Rapids Rabbits

[KNH]

This is part of a collection which used to belong to a minor league player named Roy Mellinger who played for the Cedar Rapids Rabbits in the Central Association from 1914-1917. There are postcards, photos and a team picture which has the bottom corner broken off but can be repaired. I only posted some of the pictures. There are 4 postcards and 19 photos with names on some. Any idea as to the value of these items? Here is a link to Mellinger's stats which also has team roster links. Thanks. http://www.baseball-reference.com/mi...d=mellin001roy

[drc]

My conservative estimate would be $400-600 for the collection.

[KNH]

I should have mentioned that the names appear to have all been signed by the same person.

[slidekellyslide]

I think David is about right...I'd say in the $300-$400 range, unless you can find a Cedar Rapids or perhaps Iowa minor league collector who may pay a bit more. I know I'd kill to find something like that for Lincoln and would easily pay David's high estimate or more.

Nice find.

edited to add: Any photos of Bill Wambsganss? Could be the first professional photos of him.

[drc]

I looked at the whole, but also the individual items. If you sold each small photo/postcard for $10 each, as an example, and the cabinet for $60, that would be $300 right there. The cabinet of an identified minor league team has to be worth more than $60, and there's a premium in that they belonged to one of the players.

The cabinet has got that damage, but, still, I wouldn't be surprised for it to sell for over $200 on its own. Identified minor League team cabinets are uncommon.

My original estimate was was just my calculated guess. I don't profess to be a pricing Svengali.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by drc

I looked at the whole, but also the individual items. If you sold each small photo/postcard for $10 each, as an example, and the cabinet for $60, that would be $300 right there. The cabinet of an identified minor league team has to be worth more than $60, and there's a premium in that they belonged to one of the players.

The cabinet has got that damage, but, still, I wouldn't be surprised for it to sell for over $200 on its own. Identified minor League team cabinets are uncommon.

My original estimate was was just my calculated guess. I don't profess to be a pricing Svengali.

I wasn't criticizing you David. Minor league photos from the midwest are a bit of a specialty to me and I buy minor league cabinets like that....I usually pay in the $100 range. There just isn't much interest beyond local collectors unless there is someone who made an impact in the majors on the cabinet. Only the Pacific Coast League has a large enough collector base to see high dollars for minor league stuff like that in my experience.

Edited to add: I must have glossed over the part about there being postcards in the lot too...that takes things to a whole different level. Your high end estimate is probably correct. Minor league postcards from that era are highly sought after....moreso than regular snapshots and even cabinet photos.

[drc]

I know you weren't criticizing me, you were just giving your price estimate. I was just after the fact offering a bit more detail to my estimation. Besides, my estimates and auction final price guesses have been off before, so I'm the first to know my appraisals aren't beyond critiquing.

[KNH]

Dan,
Bill Wambsganss is not one of them. The following info is on the photos and postcards. They don't give the first names on the photos. I included the ones I knew in the info below using the Cedar Rapids roster from 1917. Some of the positions are written out and some are abbreviated.The ones that are signed are:

photo of Cedar Rapids baseball park 1917.
photo of Simmons catching Mellinger at McGrais? park. (It says "This is Simmons catching one of my wide ones. Keefront? batting".)
Photo taken somewhere in PA. It mentions someone striking out 14 men.
photo of Reese.
photo of Bruner,Reese,Mellinger and Sheam.(Cedar Rapids roster lists as Shean.)
photo of Mellinger pitching in 14 inning game. (It says "This is me pitching in the 14 inning game".)
photo of Severeid 1st base.
photo of Harmon 2nd base.
photo of Bruner and Sheam.
photo of Sheam 3rd base.
photo of Bert Carlton pitcher.
photo of Bruner pitcher.
photo of Sutton shortstop.
photo of Ray French shortstop.
photo of Mellinger pitcher.
photo of William "Bill" Collins manager.

The 4 postcards have all the info I show below. They are in great shape. If they were baseball cards they would be ex-ex/mt.
Elmer Boose 1913 Brookville
Andy Hastings 1913 Brookville
Buck Carpenter 1913 Brookville
John Fulton 1913 Brookville







A couple have 4 digit numbers stamped on the back. 2685,4012,4130

[slidekellyslide]

The postcards appear to be town team -Brookville, PA - looks like both Fulton and Mellinger must have started playing in Brookville and were picked up by Cedar Rapids in 1914.

A very nice lot...where'd you run across them?

[KNH]

A friend's parents used to be good friends with Mellinger and took care of him in his old age. He left them some things he collected from his playing days. The Town Souvenir pennants I had listed was part of it.

Dan,
When I mentioned the name Wambsganss to my friend, he finished the name before I said it. He remembers hearing Mellinger talk about him and thinks he might have something about him. Could be a photo,newspaper articles or who knows what. I'll keep you posted.

Would newspaper articles and photos of these players have any value?

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by KNH

Would newspaper articles and photos of these players have any value?

Very minimal unless you find a family member to sell to. Thanks for the info!

[KNH]

11 more photos found from Cedar Rapids. They are from before 1917. When I get more info I'll share it. At this point, no Wambsganss.

[KNH]

We have come across quite a few more items including 11 photos or cards. I'm not sure what they are but they measure 3 1/2"x 2 1/2" and are about 1/16" thick. All 11 are from the 1914 Cedar Rapids roster. Their names are printed on the photos. Here is a list. Any thoughts on what they are or possible value? Thanks.

Curtis-3B (2 of these)
Henseling-SS
Mellinger-P
Lingle-C (Photo below)
Spencer-P
Brown-P Scoring after driving ball over CF fence.
Lapham-C (his name is listed "Lappin" on baseball-reference.com)
Hill-MGR.
Buttle-P
Fulton-1B

[slidekellyslide]

Very interesting...don't know what they are, but having the name printed on them increases their value and moves them to beyond merely a photo as some folks will consider them a minor league issue and they will be of interest to type card collectors.

Great find Kary...keep the photos coming. I'd love to see the rest of them.

also is the Curtis the exact same photo/card or is it a different pose?

[KNH]

The Curtis' are the same photo.

[Leon]

I picked up the group of 10 cards and the extra duplicate. Now, trying to figure out if they were cards is going to be fun. They are neat. It looks like they might have come off of some kind of advertising sign but then the duplicate sort of dispels that. They have a fairly unifiorm bevel cut to the sides and are indeed quite thick. Thicker than any regular baseball card I have seen. The name and position does means they were perhaps issued in larger pieces to be cut down, were done so, and then maybe handed out...as the auction description said. regards

edited to add-
Yes, Dan...I think type collectors and maybe even set collectors were interested.....they didn't go real cheap.
and....a bit more to add...they are definitely a photo glued onto a heavy backing....

[slidekellyslide]

Oh nice...glad you got them Leon. I knew you'd have some interest there.