More vintage clean-up - Black Baseball Broadside
 

If you are going to 'clean up' history, at least tell us what you removed - could be helpful information :(

Before: Huggins and Scott, December, 2011
After: Hakes - last night

http://www.hakes.com/product_images/...91/001_big.jpg

My experiences with Hakes have always been good.
I would not blame them here, I would guess the consignor cleaned it up and then submitted it to Hakes.

Wow
 

great catch on that!

I wasn't knocking Hakes - I think the 'Forest City' info should have been given to them by the consignor, and included in the description. The main point is that historical information has been destroyed by the clean-up job. Knowing that they were playing 'Forest City' is important to researchers.

I had a personal interest in this piece because George Neal played for two teams that I'm researching. Which towns/teams in Iowa were willing to play black teams is useful information, as not all of them were - I have an article being published sometime this year that goes into this a bit.

Out of curiosity . . .

What was the selling price in H&S? Hake's?

I don't begrudge the restoration to the staining (although it clearly should be disclosed by the consignor and if so then by Hakes), but to me, the removal of the game information reduces the value of the piece.

It didn't hit the $750 opener in Hakes. It sold for $325 in December - the Huggins & Scott description had all sorts of detail regarding the team, but Hakes stuck to basics, including the restoration. I'm guessing it had a better chance of hitting the opener if the description had contained the team history. I also agree that cleaning it up, but leaving the 'Forest City' notation would have been better.

Another item they had trouble moving was the 1920 Detroit Wolverines photo - it went for $700+ ten years ago, but only around $500 last night. I thought maybe all the great black baseball stuff would get lost in the middle of the larger amount of Americana stuff, but those Cuban cards went for a fortune.

That is shameful. On a side note, someone should do research on the Hopkins Brothers Sporting Goods store..they sponsored barnstorming teams such as the All Nations, the Capital City Giants and an all women's team (managed by J.L. Wilkinson)...I'd like to know more about these Hopkins brothers.

I only have two vintage uniforms - one of them has a 'Hopkins Brothers' tag.

Do you know the team?

Yes, it's the Busse, Iowa team. I am fairly sure I have had others, but will need to dig around.