Darn, missed it

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Posted By: Max Weder

Underbidder was I. If you weren't following this, any guesses what it went for?

Max

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Posted By: barrysloate

I wasn't, so I'll guess - $1000.

Sure looks nice.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Just looked it up- I think it went cheap.

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Posted By: Max Weder

I was afraid you'd say that Barry. I was contemplating more, but decided to pass.

Max

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Posted By: Mark

Wow.... stunning graphics! One of the oldest I have seen, and condition looks pretty amazing, too.

Max... Was this on Ebay? Do you know what year this was from?

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Posted By: Brock G.

Mark,
It was on ebay and sold for $***. Year was 1889.

edited to delete price for those who want to take a guess.

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Posted By: Steve Murray

DON'T LOOK IF YOU STILL WANT TO GUESS!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/1889-A-G-SPALDING-BROS-SPORTING-GOODS-CATALOG_W0QQitemZ310058227438QQihZ021QQcategoryZ73 430QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Posted By: Mark

Winning bidder must be happy with that...

It's almost surreal to see those Giant-wheeled bicycles advertized as new. That Victor Tricycle is something else... wonder how many of those survived?

Thanks for posting!

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Oh.....my.

That went way too cheap.

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Posted By: Tom aka TE

The title is the key to search engines, the sub-title does not pop up in most search engines, sure wish I'd seen that one, wow.

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Posted By: Jimmy

I failed to to bid as well, was on my watch list for a day and I was busy packaging items I sold on Monday night last night when it ended - great item

I was going to bid at least 200.00 was just over a 100.00 when I last looked, but I am sure it went for more

Jimmy

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Posted By: Aaron M.

Had that on my watch list but decided to pass (nowhere to display it). I think Hunt had one in an auction in the last year and it went for 3 or 4 times that amount. Great, great cover. Whoever got it won a choice piece.

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Posted By: Mike H

Aaron,

Why is the room blog out of commission? We miss it!

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Posted By: Joe K.

Incredible piece. Wish I had seen it - it went very cheap! (although don't think I could have gone much higher)

Here is one that sold on ebay in Aug 2005 where you can see the details a little more clearly. Don't have a record of what it went for. I am suprised that "Spaldinger" did not bid on this one, but he may have the one pictured below from 2005. Same covers but this one has "Wagon Tongue" written on the bats.





Cypres also has an image of the back cover framed in the tennis wing of his museum.

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

http://www.sportsantiques.com/06natpage1.htm
Kirk Kovacs had an example of that catalog at the 2006 National for $1,500.00. Kirk always has great stuff, all baseball. I shot the heck out of his catalog for my story, I was so impressed with it. I ended up posting 3 photos and 13 links to more photos of the inside. If you scroll down to his booth via the link above you'll see them.

I’m starting to think maybe that 1889-90 one was graphically, the best Spalding catalog, at least multi-sport one, they produced. I’ve never seen a better I can recall.

That’s the good, the downside is I’ve mostly stayed away from those pamphlet type catalogs because they’re so fragile it bugs me. I feel like every time I pick it up to look thru it, one of the pages or the cover is going to come loose. Spalding Guides are the perfect example. Nevertheless, for the $393.88 this one went for I’d definitely make an exception. That cover is something else!! Does anyone have a Spalding advertising poster with comparable graphics?

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Posted By: Aaron M.

It's still there, Mike, just "closed for repairs" to the public!

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Posted By: Max Weder

I can only justify my timerity in bidding by gazing fondly at my copy of Baseball as viewed by a Muffin

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

Max, What is that? The graphics are killer!!

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Posted By: Max Weder

Carlton

It's an 1866 (maybe 1867, can't recall for sure without checking) book --paperbound. I've got some more photos of it I can post.

It's one of the rarest baseball book items. Perhaps Barry can add in, but I've only heard of 3 or 4 copies.

Max

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Posted By: barrysloate

Max- it's a great rarity, and three or four copies sounds about right. But I don't think it's a soft cover book. It has board covers and your copy is missing them. That is the title page, not the cover (unless my memory is way off).

For those who haven't seen one, it's pictured in its entirety in John Kashmanian's book. It contains a series of comic baseball illustrations that depict the dangers of playing the game. It was pretty rough back then, more so than it is today.

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Posted By: Max Weder

Barry

I'll check John's book, as I don't recall seeing it there.

The only copy I've seen in person was Steve's copy. There was extensive restoration work done to it, and it did not have boards to it.

Max

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Posted By: barrysloate

I'm not in Brooklyn and don't have access to my Grobani, or even my VCBC book article. But I've handled two copies, and in my mind's eye I recall dark board covers and a paste-on on the front.

I think Grobani would probably have the answer, if you have a copy handy.

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Posted By: Max Weder

Barry

Grobani lists it as paperbound. I've looked at my copy, and it doesn't look like it was removed from boards. Perhaps the copies you recall where in fact hardbound with new bounds after the original publication.

Max

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Posted By: barrysloate

Hi Max- maybe my memory is playing tricks on me. Unfortunately, I'm at my summer home without any of my research materials. I'll check it out when I get back to the city. But if Grobani says softcover I'm likely incorrect.