19c Baseball Postal Covers

[Michael Peich]

All--

I am doing research on 19c baseball themed postal covers, and have included scans of three of mine. Each one is unique in its own way, but I particularly like Goldsmith's caveat that their ball is "guaranteed for one full game of 9 innings." It was the Dead-ball era!

Does anyone have covers they would share by sending scans, or would consider selling? My goal is to create a printed piece that showcases images of the originals.

Please send me an email at my home address: mpeich12@gmail.com.

Thanks for looking, and enjoy!

Cheers, Mike

[Leon]

Hey Mike
I don't know what I have with actual baseball stuff on them but I probably have a few with relationships to cards...

[Michael Peich]

Thanks, Leon. I am looking for covers that show equipment, players, fields of play, etc. The Hess is interesting, but not what I seek. Wish I had it, though!

Cheers, Mike

[GaryPassamonte]

I don't have any, but I really like them. One has a motif similar to this ribbon.

[Michael Peich]

Gary--That's a beauty from the mighty Unions BBC. Wish it were represented on a cover! Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Mike

[vintagesportscollector]

Mike - I don't have any baseball themed (I have a few general Spalding sporting goods), but those are very cool. I especially like the Goldsmith envelope. I look for these early advertising envelopes at Paper Shows, but haven't come across any baseball themed that were reasonably priced.

[steve B]

I have one that mentions baseball goods, I'll scan it in the next couple days.

A few other potential sources come to mind.

http://www.siegelauctions.com/

Has a search feature that covers all their auctions back into at least the 70's. I've never tried searching for baseball related covers, but it's worth a try.

the Frajola message board run by Richard Frajola is sort of like this place, just with a horrid bit of board software. But a lot of the guys that know "stuff" are on there. I've never joined formally, but read it fairly often. The site owner is a dealer in postal history - covers to the rest of us- and may be able to find covers for you. He may also be a *little bit pricy* (As in there's probably some really expensive stuff out there and a lot of that gets sold through connections like him)

http://www.philamercury.com/board.php


Steve B

[Michael Peich]

Thanks, Steve, and I look forward to your scan. Thank you, too, for the tips. I'll contact those two sources and hope something turns up.

Cheers, Mike

[slidekellyslide]

I know this is not 19th Century, but this team did start in 1897 and it's quite possible that there exists one with a 19th Century cancel on it. Also I don't believe the ebay seller I got this from realized this was baseball related...I also wonder if Guy Green was inquiring about baseball related jewelry of some sort since this was mailed to Kay Jewelers.

[steve B]

Here's the one I have. A shoe manufacturer that apparently did special shoes for the popular sports of the time.

Unfortunately undated. It probably contained an advertisement which went as a class of mail that by regulation didn't include a date in the cancel. The closest I can get for a date is that the stamp was issued in 1881 and replaced by one issued in 1887. The stamp is really common, and was used by some places until maybe 1890 when the new smaller stamps came out.

I can email the full size scan if you want it, 400DPI so it shows the small print well.

Steve B

[steve B]

And as is typical for me I finally looked at the big scan to read the fine print and realized the bottom of the shoe says "Tournament / Patented Aug. 1884

So that narrows the date down a bit.

Steve B

[vintagesportscollector]

Very cool Steve. That is exactly the type of 19thC envelope/cover I would like to find more of.

[Michael Peich]

Steve--That is a very cool image and exactly the type I am looking for, so please send me a scan when you have a moment. Higher resolution would be great.

Dan--Yours is very cool as well, and even though it is postmarked 1903, I would like a scan if you will send one.

Thanks to both of you!

Joe--Don't we all want to add covers like these to our collections?!

Cheers, Mike

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Michael Peich

Steve--That is a very cool image and exactly the type I am looking for, so please send me a scan when you have a moment. Higher resolution would be great.

Dan--Yours is very cool as well, and even though it is postmarked 1903, I would like a scan if you will send one.

Thanks to both of you!

Joe--Don't we all want to add covers like these to our collections?!

Cheers, Mike

Mike, I don't have the ability to scan at higher resolution. I got a new scansnap S1500 and I'm not sure if it can get better resolution. My old scanner which was great is unfortunately not compatible with my new computer running Windows 8.

[vintagesportscollector]

Mike - here is an 1867 invoice (unbelievable, wow) from Reach with that exact image you have on the Holcomb cover. (not mine)

image.jpg

[Michael Peich]

Dan--That's fine. Please send me the scan you have and I am certain it will work. Thank you for your care.

Cheers

[Michael Peich]

Hi, Joe,

The Reach invoice confirms what I suspected--the Holcomb image was probably shared by others. I have sent you an email.

Thanks for sharing this!

Cheers,
Mike

[slidekellyslide]

Mike, you should be able to just right click and save the image above. It would be the same scan that I would send to you.

[seattlerainiers]

That graphic was "customized" and used by a lot of different ball clubs over a long number of years.
Here's the exterior of a leather-encased pass for the Seattle club in the first year of professional baseball in the Pacific Northwest.

[bbpostcards]

Stepping a few years into the 20th century...
In the envelope was a letter and a promotional insert related to his baseball guide. They can be seen here: http://www.sportingoregon.com/p799838731

[Michael Peich]

Thanks for posting yet another manifestation of the Holcomb image. Now if we could figure out who issued it.

The Lajoie ALP envelope is spectacular!

Any additional 19c covers out there?

Cheers, Mike