NonSports Forum

Net54baseball.com
Welcome to Net54baseball.com. These forums are devoted to both Pre- and Post- war baseball cards and vintage memorabilia, as well as other sports. There is a separate section for Buying, Selling and Trading - the B/S/T area!! If you write anything concerning a person or company your full name needs to be in your post or obtainable from it. . Contact the moderator at leon@net54baseball.com should you have any questions or concerns. When you click on links to eBay on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Enjoy!
Net54baseball.com
Net54baseball.com
ebay GSB
T206s on eBay
Babe Ruth Cards on eBay
t206 Ty Cobb on eBay
Ty Cobb Cards on eBay
Lou Gehrig Cards on eBay
Baseball T201-T217 on eBay
Baseball E90-E107 on eBay
T205 Cards on eBay
Baseball Postcards on eBay
Goudey Cards on eBay
Baseball Memorabilia on eBay
Baseball Exhibit Cards on eBay
Baseball Strip Cards on eBay
Baseball Baking Cards on eBay
Sporting News Cards on eBay
Play Ball Cards on eBay
Joe DiMaggio Cards on eBay
Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
Bowman 1951-1955 on eBay
Football Cards on eBay

Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Main Forum - WWII & Older Baseball Cards > Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-09-2019, 06:00 AM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default My recent visit to the Burdick Collection

It had been a while so I thought I would visit the Burdick collection (which BTW I was told is in the process of being digitized). The Met does have a number of cards on display in the main body of the museum that they rotate every six months or so. But to see the cards displayed in the albums as Burdick intended, one must visit the Collection itself.

As I leafed through some of the albums, I felt I was going back in time to my days as a kid when a clean excellent was viewed as a thing of beauty, a time when people handled cards and got great pleasure in trading and flipping them. My sense of awe when I looked at the M101-4's, all pasted to album pages, was pronounced. Having been that way for many years and protected from exposure to the elements, they retained most of their original sheen and whiteness; so much so in fact that at first I wasn't sure I was looking at M101-4s. The typical card was on a good day maybe a 5. Yet for my money if given a choice between owning that set or a set of slabbed noticeably toned 8's housed in boxes destined to be stored on some shelf and looked at only with great effort and very seldom, I would prefer the Burdick set. The Ruth was a 4, and, as is typical, was OC. But boy did it pop exhibiting much of the original freshness it had when it first was issued in 1916 and looking more beautiful than any I had seen auctioned.

The Wagner (which BTW when I asked was told does not have back damage - it was removed from the album page by an expert conservator and as such is undamaged) is easily one of the top five I have seen. It is well centered, clean and has amazing color and registration. It does have a one or two hairline creases that are not readily apparent but that would on a technical basis probably prevent the card from grading higher than a 4. Yet if given the choice I would in a heartbeat prefer that Wagner over any other I have seen sold at auction, and probably over all but 2 others I know to exist (neither of which is the "8").

While I recognize that slabbing can be regarded as a necessary evil given the proliferation of card doctoring, it takes away the ability to see cards en masse, which to me plays the biggest part in making card collecting so enjoyable. A good metaphor would be to regard the card in a slab as the tree, and the cards in the Burdick Collection as the forest. Slabbing prevents one from seeing the forest from the trees. As I left I felt reaffirmed that the passion I had as a kid was the passion a collector is supposed to have, and I felt reinvigorated to continue collecting.

Last edited by benjulmag; 06-09-2019 at 07:36 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-09-2019, 06:58 AM
Leon's Avatar
Leon Leon is offline
Leon
peasant/forum owner
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: near Dallas
Posts: 34,196
Default

Nice write up, Corey. Thanks

.
__________________
Leon Luckey
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-09-2019, 07:12 AM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is offline
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

How is the Wagner housed/displayed?
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-09-2019, 08:02 AM
Zan Zan is offline
bR!@N R0+H
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: NY, NY
Posts: 647
Default

How can someone view the albums? Would love to go.
__________________
I collect Hank Greenberg

Greenberg collection
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-09-2019, 08:36 AM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth View Post
How is the Wagner housed/displayed?
In its own frame.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Burdick Wagner.jpg (78.3 KB, 351 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-09-2019, 08:37 AM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zan View Post
How can someone view the albums? Would love to go.
By appointment.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-09-2019, 08:49 AM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is offline
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

Yeah that Wagner ranks up there for sure. I don't recall seeing a picture of it before but I must have. Corey where would you rank the one in the HOF?
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.

Last edited by Peter_Spaeth; 06-09-2019 at 08:50 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-09-2019, 08:50 AM
epike3 epike3 is offline
Ed
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 388
Default nice!

I went in December and the collection was not available; if I go back I will ask for an appointment. The rest of the collection was great.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 06-09-2019, 09:24 AM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth View Post
Yeah that Wagner ranks up there for sure. I don't recall seeing a picture of it before but I must have. Corey where would you rank the one in the HOF?
To me 2, but many others will say 1 (again, tossing out the "8"), depending on what one looks for. The HOF one has the best corners I have seen, though one may have a hairline crease FWIW. The color though very good doesn't pop as much as some others I have seen, and it has a stain in the orange background. It is oversized, which depending who you are is either a positive, negative or a neutral. For me, if given the choice. I would rather have a perfectly sized card.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 06-09-2019, 09:36 AM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is offline
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

Interesting that several of the top few Wagners remain unslabbed.
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 06-09-2019, 10:58 AM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth View Post
Interesting that several of the top few Wagners remain unslabbed.
Out of my top six, as far as I know five are raw.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 06-09-2019, 11:08 AM
barrysloate barrysloate is offline
Barry Sloate
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 8,293
Default

The Burdick Wagner is a solid 3, and a very nice one.

In April I met up with board member Tom B. at the Metropolitan. I was there to see the daguerreotype collection and Tom had an appointment to see the Burdick. But for some unexplained reason they told him that he could not see the baseball albums. I'm not sure I understand this but it appears Corey had no problem at all.

I looked at the picture again and I'm raising the grade to 3.5

Last edited by barrysloate; 06-09-2019 at 11:11 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 06-09-2019, 11:34 AM
RedsFan1941 RedsFan1941 is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 1,207
Default

has anyone looked at the burdick Wagner under a halogen lamp?
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 06-09-2019, 11:51 AM
oldjudge's Avatar
oldjudge oldjudge is offline
j'a'y mi.ll.e.r
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: The Bronx
Posts: 5,353
Default

Corey-Did you see the Anson in Uniform? Last time I saw it it was barely still attached to the album page.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 06-09-2019, 12:18 PM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default

I did not Jay.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 06-09-2019, 12:19 PM
barrysloate barrysloate is offline
Barry Sloate
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 8,293
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by oldjudge View Post
Corey-Did you see the Anson in Uniform? Last time I saw it it was barely still attached to the album page.
Do you think someone was trying to pull it out of the album, and take it home as a souvenir of their visit?
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 06-09-2019, 12:23 PM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is offline
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by barrysloate View Post
Do you think someone was trying to pull it out of the album, and take it home as a souvenir of their visit?
Someone steal cards from a public place? Surely that doesn't happen.
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 06-09-2019, 12:27 PM
barrysloate barrysloate is offline
Barry Sloate
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 8,293
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth View Post
Someone steal cards from a public place? Surely that doesn't happen.
And they always try to steal the most valuable ones. The commons remain in the collection in perpetuity.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 06-09-2019, 12:35 PM
oldjudge's Avatar
oldjudge oldjudge is offline
j'a'y mi.ll.e.r
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: The Bronx
Posts: 5,353
Default

Barry, I don’t know, but I pointed it out to the woman who was helping me and explained to her that it was a very valuable card. She said I must be mistaken and that the only really valuable card was the Wagner. I repeated myself again and then just carefully went on to the next page.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 06-09-2019, 01:01 PM
benjulmag benjulmag is offline
CoreyRS.hanus
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 750
Default

The last time I tried to point out to someone at the Burdick collection that a valuable card (the Goudey Lajoie) was not being safe guarded well, here is what happened. The card was adhered to the album page by a single piece of adhesive tap. It was dangling in the page and if someone closed the book the wrong way, it would fold the card in half. Add to this that at that time (in the 80's or 90's) you would be sitting alone in a room with a single person at the front who often was focused on doing other things than watching you. It would have been no effort at all to the pull the tape out of the page with the card on it, put it in my pocket, and go on my way.

When I was ready to leave, I politely pointed out to the person that the card was extremely valuable (the condition looked amazing, as if Burdick had just pulled it out of the Goudey envelop, and I estimate the value at the time to be $5-$6K) and that perhaps the museum should make an effort to better protect and safeguard it. The person thanked me very much for my suggestion, and asked I put this information on a note and insert it the album page with the edge sticking out. That way someone would be certain to act on it.

We now flash forward around 6 months when a good friend of mine was reporting to me on his visit to the Burdick collection. When I asked how things went, he said fine, though one unusual thing caught his attention. In the album with the Goudeys in the page with the Lajoie (still dangling from that single strand of adhesive tape) was a handwritten note saying words to the effect "Lajoie card, $5,000 - $6,000 value, please safeguard." That was my original note. So clearly the museum did do something with my note -- they highlighted it so a thief would know which card to steal.

Need I say more why so many cards from the Collection were stolen.

Last edited by benjulmag; 06-09-2019 at 02:10 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 06-09-2019, 01:29 PM
Aquarian Sports Cards Aquarian Sports Cards is offline
Scott Russell
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,297
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by barrysloate View Post
Do you think someone was trying to pull it out of the album, and take it home as a souvenir of their visit?
I saw the collection 30 years ago (when I was 17 on a class field trip, I knew about it because I had seen mention of the collection on the back of a 1977 Topps card, can't remember which one) and they literally handed me the Wagner loose, I think in a top loader. There was a guard in the room with me the entire time and I could only have one album at a time,and when I wanted to see the Wagner that is all I was allowed to have at that time. My bag had to remain outside. I think they took it pretty seriously even back in the 1980's.

I didn't realize they were still allowing access except for research but even back then you had to make your appointment in advance so if anyone is thinking of going, don't think you're rolling in that day and then making an appointment!
__________________
Check out https://www.thecollectorconnection.com Always looking for consignments 717.327.8915 We sell your less expensive pre-war cards individually instead of in bulk lots to make YOU the most money possible!

and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecollectorconnectionauctions

Last edited by Aquarian Sports Cards; 06-09-2019 at 01:31 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 06-09-2019, 01:47 PM
Goudey77's Avatar
Goudey77 Goudey77 is offline
Martin
Martin L.ee
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Northwest
Posts: 429
Default

I’m surprised none of the members here on Net54 were invited to the exclusive dinner at the Metropolitan club? My understanding is that a large group of the finest collectors were invited to the dinner to discuss the market and have some time to network. Hosted by PWCC and a few others. All part of the special weekend events surrounding the Burdick collection.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 06-09-2019, 01:58 PM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is offline
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goudey77 View Post
I’m surprised none of the members here on Net54 were invited to the exclusive dinner at the Metropolitan club? My understanding is that a large group of the finest collectors were invited to the dinner to discuss the market and have some time to network. Hosted by PWCC and a few others. All part of the special weekend events surrounding the Burdick collection.
If it was the finest collectors, there's your answer Martin.
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 06-09-2019, 02:04 PM
barrysloate barrysloate is offline
Barry Sloate
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 8,293
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by oldjudge View Post
Barry, I don’t know, but I pointed it out to the woman who was helping me and explained to her that it was a very valuable card. She said I must be mistaken and that the only really valuable card was the Wagner. I repeated myself again and then just carefully went on to the next page.
When David Block was doing research for his book on the origins of baseball, I accompanied him one day to the NYPL and decided to do a little hunting myself. To my amazement, I discovered there was an 1893 Harry Wright scorebook as part of the Spalding Collection. It is one I didn't know about when I wrote my article for VCBC, so I asked to see it.

When I opened it to the first page, tucked into front cover was a pristine 1887 World Series scorecard- the sepia one that is no more than a single page foldover. As it was sitting loose in the book, and since I knew it could be worth around 10K, I walked back to the librarian and explained to him that this seeming bookmark was extremely valuable and would be really easy for someone to steal.

He proceeded to glare at me and then walked the other way. He was completely disinterested in what I told him. Apparently, people in jobs of great power don't like to be told what to do. I returned the scorebook and the scorecard shortly thereafter. For all I know, that scorecard may be gone by now. I never found out.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 06-09-2019, 02:06 PM
Goudey77's Avatar
Goudey77 Goudey77 is offline
Martin
Martin L.ee
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Northwest
Posts: 429
Default

Peter I thought Net54 was the creme de la creme.
I know one guy who went so I was informed about this special gathering.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 06-09-2019, 02:08 PM
Peter_Spaeth's Avatar
Peter_Spaeth Peter_Spaeth is offline
Peter Spaeth
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 30,264
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goudey77 View Post
Peter I thought Net54 was the creme de la creme.
I know one guy who went so I was informed about this special gathering.
More like Cream of Wheat.
__________________
My avatar is a sketch by my son who is an art school graduate. Some of his sketches and paintings are at
https://www.jamesspaethartwork.com/

He is available to do custom drawings in graphite, charcoal and other media. He also sells some of his works as note cards/greeting cards on Etsy under JamesSpaethArt.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 06-09-2019, 02:42 PM
rats60's Avatar
rats60 rats60 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,898
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by benjulmag View Post
To me 2, but many others will say 1 (again, tossing out the "8"), depending on what one looks for. The HOF one has the best corners I have seen, though one may have a hairline crease FWIW. The color though very good doesn't pop as much as some others I have seen, and it has a stain in the orange background. It is oversized, which depending who you are is either a positive, negative or a neutral. For me, if given the choice. I would rather have a perfectly sized card.
Here is a picture of the Wagner in the Hall of Fame that I took last time I visited.

Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 06-09-2019, 04:46 PM
prestigecollectibles's Avatar
prestigecollectibles prestigecollectibles is offline
Robert Klevens
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lauderhill, FL
Posts: 707
Default

Found this video on You Tube about collecting items including the Burdick Collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G09aIKMBNhE
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 06-12-2019, 06:00 AM
Leon's Avatar
Leon Leon is offline
Leon
peasant/forum owner
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: near Dallas
Posts: 34,196
Default

That is one of the best looking Wags I have seen.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rats60 View Post
Here is a picture of the Wagner in the Hall of Fame that I took last time I visited.

__________________
Leon Luckey
Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Mr. Burdick's Collection at the Met! irishdenny Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 44 04-21-2019 07:54 AM
Burdick Collection steve_a Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 30 12-20-2015 04:23 PM
Cooperstown Visit (No I did not visit) - The Ultimate Card Set - Part 1 Zone91 Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 25 05-26-2013 08:41 AM
Has anyone seen Burdick's collection? Matthew H Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 22 07-12-2010 01:54 AM
Burdick Collection Visit Archive Net54baseball Vintage (WWII & Older) Baseball Cards & New Member Introductions 22 07-21-2004 12:27 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:17 AM.


ebay GSB