1868 Muller Baseball Boy Figurine/Statue
 

Hi-

I am an avid antique shopper and just finished an exhausting but fruitful week at the Brimfield Massachusetts antique show. I am always amazed at what can be found there and at other antique shops and shows. Pre Brimfield I purchased a stereoview of a baseball scene at Mt Hermon prep school (circa 1900). At Brimfield itself I bought an early Draper and Maynard basketball jersey, a couple of Honus Wagner company uniform pieces, and a cool photo of a team from the Middleboro Massachusetts twilight league among other interesting items.

Overall, I was having fun but yearning to make a more significant find. The last show of the week opened on Friday. Waiting in line for the show I greeted multiple baseball collectors/dealers and there were two others already on the field (they had a booth). I have not found much at this field for several years but I still enjoy going.

This time was similar to the other times and as I was getting ready to leave I went to a few tents I thought I had already been to but I missed them. Inside one of them was this. Thanks to John Thorn's blog (and a pm from him), this is probably the spelter version of the baseball boy (see link to his blog below) which was patented in 1868. The bronze version sold in Christie's in 2023 as part of the Gladstone collection.

https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/the-base...y-7eb1268127d4

This was a perfect cap to my July Brimfield and ranks as one of my favorite finds ever. I collect pre 1880 baseball items so this is a great fit for my collection. Please feel free to post your own Muller or other early baseball figurines.

Alan

Great pick up !

Thank you Matt!

Just to give a little more information, it was part of a larger piece that John described in his blog post (he dug up some great information). The larger piece had a pitcher too. I do not think any of those are known, but I would love to see one or the entire item with both figures.

Alan