Any one recognize these faces?

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Posted By: jamie

Picked up these unusual cyanotypes on the Bay. The more I look at them, the more I think it's an artist and his model. Was wondering if any of the people in the pictures rang a bell with anybody.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

I watched those and contemplated on bidding on them. I think you're right that it's an artist. The model could be an actual ballplayer though, but figuring out who it is, is probably going to be near impossible. Ask the seller if he knows where the photos originated.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Good chance it's a college (Pittsburgh, U of Penn, other). The art/photography studio and studying scene is collgiate themed. The player looks old enough for college, perhaps too old for high school. A typical early college student's album will look like this, with snapshots and ephemera of campus scenes (rallies, football game, campus buildings, friends). There's a good chance that the owner of album was the photographer.

If you can identify the college, college baseball player photos will be worth more than an anonymous team or high school player. Ivy League athletes (Penn, Princeton) are popular amongst collectors.

It's not the case with baseball or basketball, but, in vintage football, major college photos can be worth as much or more than the NFL version. Notre Dame and U of Michigan have as much or more of a collector's following than that of many NFL teams .... Every Pro Football Hall of Famer had an alma mater, and even the Cowboys-only collector would love to pick up a photo of Tony Dorsett in his Pitt uniform or Roger Staubach throwing for Navy. It would be like picking up the player's Pre-Rookie or Minor League photo.

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Posted By: Daniel Bretta

Speaking of pre-rookie minor league photos here's Nellie Fox when he played for the Lincoln Athletics.

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Posted By: Harry Kress

The Blue Man Group dressed as ball players?