Anyone Watch The Vintage Baseball Games in Bertoia today?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Wow...some great games.

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Posted By: Joseph

Sure did...not since the REA sale before last have so many nice games been sold in one place at one time.

The prices were not too crazy, although one must remember to add 22 PER CENT juice plus shipping to the prices!! Frankly, I was blown out of the water.

But really, is there anything as lovely as the McLoughlin Bros baseball games?
(Why yes, he said, "the Zimmer's game")

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Posted By: Mike H

What is Bertoia?

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Posted By: dennis

http://www.bertoiaauctions.com/

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Posted By: John H.

I was watching the "Major League" game that only sold for $200. That was a good deal for someone.

John

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

I think the highest the sports ones went for was $2,750.00 for the c1899 Parker Brothers Harvard Yale Football game.

But the game that almost brought tears to my eyes was the Vassar Boat Race Game.

I'd never seen it before. I hate not being able to enlarge more than the Live Ebay listings allow, so I emailed and asked for more photos I could enlarge to examine closer. They sent me a link that had everything I asked for.

The aprons were worn which I was OK with but the cover had significant water damage at the bottom left and top right area. Naturally I reconsidered how high I'd go after seeing the damage. But there was a gnawing problem with what I'd learned. What if other bidders went by the gallery photos and weren't aware of the damage. Naturally I'd be bidding at a disadvantage. I wrote the acution house to get them to add the photo that showed the damage better, but they didin't. I bid $750.00 and it went for $1,500.00. My game display case is full anyway.
http://www.sportsantiques.com/games.htm

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Carlton, in your opinion what is the crown jewel of vintage sports games? Is it the Zimmer baseball game? Some other more obscure game?

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

The Zimmer is so rare it's beyond rare, it's an exotic. If I had a Zimmer it would be the centerpiece displayed with all other games around it. Plus it's diamond shaped when displayed so would standout perfectly at the center.

Your question to me: "what is the crown jewel of vintage sports games?" is basically a "if money were no object" question, so, I suppose I'd say the Zimmer is King of board games.

If money were no object, then, since baseball is the king of sports collectibles, that is, it is the most popular, and generally the most expensive sport to collect. Then the Zimmer would take first place. It's kind of the ultimate Mcloughlin game, it's got the Mcloughlin quality graphics, at least on the inside, plus it features all those name players, so it's not generic like most or all other Mcloughlin's. The Zimmer is actually hard memorabilia and hard memorabilia that is displayable and great looking is almost always very expensive. The first time I saw a Zimmer was where most of us saw it in the article on Barry Halper's collection in the April 1987 Smithsonian magazine.

But from a practicle perspective....I don't know what Zimmer's are bringing now days, but I could probably buy a lot of great Victorian sports board games with all the money it would take to buy a Zimmer. Really they're only for the baseball purist. I'm a generalist that collects all athletic sports. The baseball purist enjoy what they collect, I enjoy what I collect, stuff overlaps sometimes, we all have a great time, it's a great hobby!

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

So Dan...tell me about your games...if you had an interest in the Bertoia auction you obviously have interest in the Victorian ones....What is the crown jewel of games in your opinion?

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

By the way, I meant to mention a Mcloughlin Baseball game that sold on eBay a couple weeks ago on Oct. 31st
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-1897-McLoughlin-Home-Baseball-Board-Game-No-Res_W0QQitemZ110184737465QQihZ001QQcategoryZ30QQss PageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting
I was a little taken back by what it brought $2,223.76....although I believe it is a rare version, in that it is a vertical format 11" wide by 20" tall...36 bids, came out of the midwest is all the location it gives....The rare format was probably what drove it up, but really as rare and great as it and all Mcloughlin games are, $2,223.76 is a bargain I think.

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Carlton, none of my games go back that far...I think I have a Parker Brothers game that is circa 1920-30s with nice graphics, but nothing like the Victorian era games. My interest is solely for educational purposes as I like to know a little about every aspect of memorabilia.

I believe the Zimmer game is the crown jewel of baseball games, but I do not know them as well as you do which is why I asked...you basically confirmed my suspicions.

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Posted By: barrysloate

The Zimmer game is the king of baseball board games, and I think that a reasonably nice one would sell for about 25K-35K. Several years ago Hunt's had one that was still in its original box.

Another very rare game is the 1869 New Parlor game. The board is black and white and has a game action scene, and only two or three are extant. It's also pretty much the earliest baseball game known.

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

Yeah I see that 1869 New Parlor Game in the Wong book, in the Mark Cooper collection....I'll have to keep an eye out for that one at yard sales

Barry, you once had a piece I'll never forget, a large color 19th century Princeton vs. some school football broadside....I got blown out on it...then saw it later at Cypress' museum. I called you about it and you told me it survived a flood somewhere in the gulf coast area, and the kid that had it saved it or something. You're friends with Herman Kaufman right? great guy!

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Posted By: barrysloate

Hi Carlton- I don't remember telling you that story, but it's true. The consignor had a real bad flood at his house and he had the presence of mind to put the poster high up so it wouldn't get ruined. That was a really stunning piece, but it needed a little restoration. I don't know if Gary ever had anything done to it. I know I really loved looking at it while I had it here. I hated to have to ship it off. And it was Yale-Princeton from 1891. Game was played at the Polo Grounds.

Yes, I know Herman but haven't spoken with him in a while.