very early baseball scene- Reward of Merit

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Posted By: leon

I could be mistaking but I believe this is a very early baseball scene. It says "Master Edward Elliot" on it in ornate handwriting....If it dates to that era it is indeed very early...Guesses on the date?..regards

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Posted By: barrysloate

ca. 1850

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Posted By: leon

That's what I thought, ca 1850, and have it labeled as such internally....but didn't want to go there just in case it was a little later.....thanks again...

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Posted By: J Levine

Now I know who outbid me...darn!!

The seller mentioned 1850 as an approximate date based on the kid's entrance to the Civil War.

Being a teach myself and a lover of baseball, I was annoyed I did not get a larger snipe in.

Enjoy it Leon and if you want to sell it, let me know.

Joshua

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Posted By: leon

It's already on my site in my pesonal collection. If I ever go to sell it I will try to remember. I thought it went pretty cheap too....

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Posted By: J Levine

I agree it went cheap...great buy. Enjoy.

Joshua

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Posted By: barrysloate

Rewards of Merit were very popular in the first half of the 19th century, as teachers would give them to students, kind of like we would have gotten a gold star. There are hundreds of different ones known, several which depict bat and ball games. There is a more common one that is in color and has baseball as its central motif. This one has a smaller illustration of the game, but is scarcer. They usually sell around $150-200, I didn't see what this one went for.

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Posted By: leon

I got it for $26 and a buck or two for shipping.....regards