Need opinions - pro and con - and maybe a photo match?
 

I just picked up an item that I thought long and hard about. This is purported to be a travel case once owned by Bobby Bonds (SF Giants 1968-74). I always liked Bobby...a great player who never realized his potential due to both a drinking problem and the huge shadow cast by Willie Mays. Bobby would have become baseball's first ever 40-40 man in 1973 if not for homerun #40 being lost to a rainout.

Before purchasing this item, I reached out to 5-6 Net54'ers who either collect this kind of thing or collect from this time period. Mostly due to their positive responses, I pulled the trigger. My major concern had been that this case looks much older than late 60s to early 70s.

Here are some of the responses that eased my misgivings...


"Why would someone fake a piece like this? There are far easier things to fake, which would yield far more money. So my inclination is to say it's legit, without knowing any history or details. I guess that's not a ringing endorsement, so suppose you should just go with your gut. It's pretty cool and obviously unique."

"1. It is not uncommon to find teams using travel trunks manufactured in the 1930s and 1940s into the 1960s and 1970s. I know this to be the case with the Reds, Yankees, and Cardinals.
2. This is about the size I would expect to see in a personal travel trunk. A number of the larger ones that have single digit numbers (4, 6, ect) are often associated with players like Snider or Musial. I think period images support that these numbers are inventory numbers for a group of trunks.
3. I like the fact that is Bonds, while a star in his own right, this could have been "doctored" to have been Mays, McCovey, Marichal, Cepeda, etc.. So why waste a forged trunk on Bonds when other more profitable players might have worked."

"For what it's worth, from what I can see, I would be a buyer at $xxx for this.."


A person who offered one of the opinions above, also alerted me of a similar trunk being offered by Hunt Auctions. The people at Hunt's were nice enough to give me the dimensions of their case and it and my Bonds are the exact same size - 25x20.5x9.5.

Below are (5) pictures of the Bonds, before I received it, (2) of the Wes Westrum offered by Hunt and (3) of a trunk that has been on ebay for a loooooooong time which was supposedly owned by Willie Mays and later given to a Mets trainer named Joe Deer. I have no reason to doubt the Mays/Joe Deer story - I just think no one wants to spend $1600 on a painted over case with stick-on "mailbox" letters on it. I'll post my amateur restoration in my next post. As the thread title implies, I'd love to hear anyone else's input (good or bad); maybe see your comparables and I would love to see a photo match of any modern era Giant with a similar case.

Amateur restoration....like Mike Wolfe does with cars and bikes on American Pickers...not back to new; just some glueing and cleaning.

Rob, I don't have any comparables or photo match, buy my guess is that it is legit. It's a great looking piece and will fit and display wonderfully in your collection. I don't think you should have any regrets on pulling the trigger. Congrats!!

Glad you ended up getting it. The other replies you got make a lot of sense.

Good thing you didn't listen to me:p Congrats on a great pick up.

I did listen to you, Mike, since you collect from smack dab in this era. I took everyone's opinion into consideration.

I assume the corners and hardware are brass(?). Anyone got any ideas how to best remove the corrosion (best shown in the 4th photo of my second post)? I don't want them to shine necessarily, but I would like to remove some of the roughness. Here's a trunk restorer I found and plan to hit up for some free advice. :p

http://www.legacytrunks.com/

Check their before/afters and restoration photos!

Do you have a link for the Wes Westrum trunk when Hunt sold it? I'm curious to see what it went for.

It ends in 12 hours...

http://huntauctions.com/phone/imagev...146&lot_num=89

If you have done business with or know the owner ignore this. "Free" advice is only free to the person getting it. Be upfront from the start that you are only looking for advice and offer to compensate them for that advice. Business owners see this way different than hourly workers. As a business owner I see free advice the same as someone walking into their local super market and asking for a free T-Bone. As a business owner we also hate being lied to and will sometimes give "free" advice that will cost you by screwing up your project/item intentionally.. Just a FYI. Nice trunk and good luck with the restoration.

I love stuff like this! So cool and definitely authentic

FWIW, here is a similar item from Walter Alston's estate...

http://catalog.scpauctions.com/bids/...e?itemid=40468

Again, the vintage looks far older than 1950s/60s. But it has impeccable provenance, so I supopose we can safely assume this type of luggage was used by MLB teams for travel, well through the mid-century.

I hear ya, Ben. As it turns out, I found another site with a lot of how-to guides and followed the online advice for dealing with rust. I bought a Dremel tool this morning (I've always wanted one :p ) and went after the rust with a small wire brush. The brass is pretty much gone but, at least, the rust is too. I'm gonna stop before I screw this thing up. Wouldn't be the first time!

Thanks for the auction comparable, perezfan! I'd still love to see a photo of a player with a similar travel case.

I feel pretty good with the authenticity of my suitcase. It looks like Bobby may have painted it himself. The "B" in Bonds is just like the "B" he would usually start his Bobby with...this makes sense because he would presumably start "Bonds" like he would start off his full autograph.

I swear I am now done messing with this thing. I realize that replacement hardware will be considered blasphemy by some, but I'm not one of that "some." :p

I was able to find exact replacement hasps and a lock. The patina is not perfect, so maybe I need to leave this thing outside for a couple of winters. :p To replicate the original fasteners, I cut down 16 penny nails and ground off the waffle head. I'll never sell this piece and I do think it now presents better.

Amazing restoration job.... looks great, Rob!

It went from looking like something that was recovered from the Titanic after decades on the ocean floor.... to a very attractive piece of vintage luggage.

I'd say the restoration was warranted, and well worth the effort you put in!

That looks awesome Rob.

brass
 

Brass doesn't rust. Brass will tarnish a little but it can be easily cleaned with a product called Brasso.

If the latches and corners on your suitcase are rusted, they must be made of some sort of steel or iron.

BTW, I love the suitcase and I also think that Bobby Bonds was underrated.

Rick

I think the hardware is brass PLATED and most of it wore off, leaving the metal to rust.

Great job Rob you can't really tell it has been restored.