Display items to compliment your baseball card collection?

[Belfast1933]

I’d love to hear (and see) some of creative vintage items that collectors have picked up to include as adjunct display items around their vintage card collections.

For example, empty wax boxes from a specific era of cards (an empty late 70’s wax box to act as a side display to my HOF cards from that decade could look cool and kind of fun.)

I think I’ve also seen some collectors use vintage Spaulding baseball boxes (ie, a dozen baseballs with vintage Spaulding logo and font, etc.

Personally, I have a great George Brett cover from a late 1970’s Baseball Digest to help show off my 75 Brett rookie

Please share your ideas, your images etc! I’ll be making some changes and additions to my “card cave” soon and could use some new inspiration!

Thx,

Jeff

[todeen]

This is my Ernie Lombardi display, and I occasionally rotate the items.

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[todeen]

This is my Tris Speaker display. A couple items I have my eyes on include a metal statue from the 70s, and also the 2002 T206 relic card. And of course adding more vintage cards. I also want a Type playing photo.

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[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Belfast1933

I’d love to hear (and see) some of creative vintage items that collectors have picked up to include as adjunct display items around their vintage card collections.

For example, empty wax boxes from a specific era of cards (an empty late 70’s wax box to act as a side display to my HOF cards from that decade could look cool and kind of fun.)

I think I’ve also seen some collectors use vintage Spaulding baseball boxes (ie, a dozen baseballs with vintage Spaulding logo and font, etc.

Personally, I have a great George Brett cover from a late 1970’s Baseball Digest to help show off my 75 Brett rookie

Please share your ideas, your images etc! I’ll be making some changes and additions to my “card cave” soon and could use some new inspiration!

Thx,

Jeff

My collection is the exact opposite idea… the cards compliment the memorabilia….

I have player-endorsed gloves of the game’s greats (Ruth, Gehrig, Hornsby, Foxx, Ott, Vance, Collins, etc.) The gloves are displayed on easels, flanked by the endorsers’ Goudey Cards (from the same era).

Another example is the Harland Statues set, flanked by that player’s Topps or Bowman card. Same can be done with the 1963 Hall of Fame Bust Set.

There’s an infinite number of possibilities… Vintage Photos, Magazines, Programs, Scorecards, Line-up Cards, Autographs, Statues, Ticket Stubs… all can be complimented with a related card.

But to me, the mass-produced card is secondary to the rarer piece of memorabilia it compliments (even if the card is worth more money, haha).

[mrreality68]

Both ways sound good.

I currently have my card locked up and I have some autographed balls on a shelf and a BST signed by Ted Williams in a glass gas on wall with some pictures and autographed pictures

But nothing special and nothing as nice as what is shown above

I could see getting old game programs and putting behind or around the cards

[todeen]

Originally Posted by perezfan

My collection is the exact opposite idea… the cards compliment the memorabilia….



I have player-endorsed gloves of the game’s greats (Ruth, Gehrig, Hornsby, Foxx, Ott, Vance, Collins, etc.) The gloves are displayed on easels, flanked by the endorsers’ Goudey Cards (from the same era).



Another example is the Harland Statues set, flanked by that player’s Topps or Bowman card. Same can be done with the 1963 Hall of Fame Bust Set.



There’s an infinite number of possibilities… Vintage Photos, Magazines, Programs, Scorecards, Line-up Cards, Autographs, Statues, Ticket Stubs… all can be complimented with a related card.



But to me, the mass-produced card is secondary to the rarer piece of memorabilia it compliments (even if the card is worth more money, haha).

Perezfan has shown his collection on other threads: the man cave thread, and I think one other. Its worth digging up and gawking at. I'm also proud to call him a fellow Reds fan. His hat collection.... out of this world.

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[MK]

I don’t display many of my cards, mostly memorabilia. But here are a few.

[Leon]

This should qualify. I picked up this 8 x 10 Type 1 photo recently to go with the lobby card.

[NiceDocter]

Lou decided to give the bad guy a break by shooting him right handed instead of his usual left……

[Big Red Machine]

Here are some items that I have collected to supplement my Cincinnati Reds and Johnny Bench collections.

[Bpm0014]

I have many. But here is my favorite. Hal Chase game used glove with one of his T206’s.....

[bobfreedman]

Not exactly what I had envisioned when I started but this is how it came out

[vintagesportscollector]

a little of my display...

[Exhibitman]

Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey on the same display from Billy Taub's clothing store:



1972 Baltimore Sun Hank Aaron poster:



Lou Gehrig trains with Jack Dempsey:



Signed rock posters and other displays:

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Bpm0014

I have many. But here is my favorite. Hal Chase game used glove with one of his T206’s.....

That is simple and Fantastic

[Carter08]

Lots of great stuff. Personal favorite is the Chase glove but so many good things.

[Bpm0014]

Wow thanks fellas!

[BobC]

Originally Posted by MK

I don’t display many of my cards, mostly memorabilia. But here are a few.

Hey Mike,

Love the bubble gum machine. I'm assuming that also dispenses cards with the gumballs? And are those real '56 Topps cards in the display windows that were to be given out? I've got a late '50s Baby Grand penny gumball machine myself, made of wood and metal, that originally dispensed '58 Topps cards with gum. Mine came with three actual '58 Topps cards in the display on the front of the section that held the cards for dispensing. Your machine looks to be be all metal though. Do you know it's actual year of manufacture, and who made it? Really cool item!

[vintagesportscollector]

Bob, I used to have one those machines. Here is a 1957 ad for the 'Oak's Premiere', by the Oaks Manufacturing Co. Dispensed both a gum ball and a baseball card with your penny. Holds 800 cards.

[MK]

Originally Posted by BobC

Hey Mike,

Love the bubble gum machine. I'm assuming that also dispenses cards with the gumballs? And are those real '56 Topps cards in the display windows that were to be given out? I've got a late '50s Baby Grand penny gumball machine myself, made of wood and metal, that originally dispensed '58 Topps cards with gum. Mine came with three actual '58 Topps cards in the display on the front of the section that held the cards for dispensing. Your machine looks to be be all metal though. Do you know it's actual year of manufacture, and who made it? Really cool item!

Bob, yes the machine does dispense both a gumball and a card for a penny. Those are real 1956 cards I display. I’m not sure what year the machine was manufactured but it is an Oak and is all metal.

[71buc]

There are some incredible displays in this thread. Here's my attempt at 1971 Topps Clemente and a bit of related Pirate memorabilia in my collection.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by 71buc

There are some incredible displays in this thread. Here's my attempt at 1971 Topps Clemente and a bit of related Pirate memorabilia in my collection.

I love it when you post your "attempts," always great stuff.

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[71buc]

Thanks Todd I appreciate the kind words. My wife doesn’t complain when I buy “my toys” but she draws the line at allowing me to display them. My collection is largely relegated to a couple of walk-in closets. No one in my immediate social circle understands my fascination with this stuff. This is one of the few places I get to share my collection with others who share my illness.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by vintagesportscollector

Bob, I used to have one those machines. Here is a 1957 ad for the 'Oak's Premiere', by the Oaks Manufacturing Co. Dispensed both a gum ball and a baseball card with your penny. Holds 800 cards.

Hey Joe,

That is cool. The Baby Grand machine I have was made by the Victor Vending Company out of Chicago, IL, and is mostly made from real stained hardwood, which blew me away. I never remembered seeing mostly wood gumball machines when I grew up. Mine looks like a somewhat regular gumball machine with a single rectangular wooden box standing on end, on the right side of the gumball dispensing part, that holds and dispenses the cards. I think mine holds maybe 300-400 cards to dispense (never really tried counting), but was definitely made for only the regular modern size Topps cards, the oversized 1956 and earlier Topps cards won't fit in the card dispenser part. Same as yours, penny for a gumball and a card. I've even got what looks to be the original, single pole, metal stand that it still sits on, just like when you'd walk in your local store and see the gumball machines by the door. Because of the mostly wood frame and screws and all, mine was definitely assembled by hand. Still real solid and sturdy, they certainly don't make things like these anymore. On the rectangular box that holds the cards. When I got it, the gumball machine still had three 1958 Topps cards displayed on the front of the card dispensing box, stacked three high, vertically one atop another. The plastic piece that holds them in place is just like the top half of an old screw down holder, but in this case the bottom half is actually the wooden front lid/door of the card dispenser, and the four corner screws holding the cards in place are actually wood screws that are screwed right into the wooden front lid/door. Definitely old school, but still very cool. The three 1958 cards I have showing on the dispenser front are Minoso, Shantz, and Jensen. So an extra bonus for me with Minoso's recent election to the HOF. I hadn't even realized that till I just went looking at my gumball machine right now. Just made my day. LOL

Not sure if the displayed cards were original to the machine though. If you look up images (sorry no photo I can post) of a 1950's Victor Baby Grand gumball card dispenser machine, you'll find pictures of the wooden gumball machines, and eventually one with the card dispenser on the side. Except the images I found don't show cards on the front lid/door of the card dispensing unit. Instead it shows the name VICTOR printed vertically on the dispenser lid/door. So I don't know if maybe the clear plastic screw down piece holding the cards on mine was original to the machine so whoever owned it could display whatever cards were being dispensed, or if it was something that someone jerry-rigged and came up with on their own to show the cards in the dispenser. Still pretty cool either way. I'll have to see if some research can get me a better answer. Thanks for sharing that info by the way.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by MK

Bob, yes the machine does dispense both a gumball and a card for a penny. Those are real 1956 cards I display. I’m not sure what year the machine was manufactured but it is an Oak and is all metal.

Mike,

That is a great piece. As I noted in my post above, mine is a Victor Baby Grand gumball machine, with a card dispenser made for 1957, and later, size cards. So if your machine can hold and dispense the larger 1956 Topps cards, it's probably at least a year or two older than mine. Still, fantastic items you don't see everyday. Thanks for sharing.

[vintagesportscollector]

Originally Posted by BobC

Hey Joe,

That is cool. The Baby Grand machine I have was made by the Victor Vending Company out of Chicago, IL, and is mostly made from real stained hardwood, which blew me away. I never remembered seeing mostly wood gumball machines when I grew up. Mine looks like a somewhat regular gumball machine with a single rectangular wooden box standing on end, on the right side of the gumball dispensing part, that holds and dispenses the cards. I think mine holds maybe 300-400 cards to dispense (never really tried counting), but was definitely made for only the regular modern size Topps cards, the oversized 1956 and earlier Topps cards won't fit in the card dispenser part. Same as yours, penny for a gumball and a card. I've even got what looks to be the original, single pole, metal stand that it still sits on, just like when you'd walk in your local store and see the gumball machines by the door. Because of the mostly wood frame and screws and all, mine was definitely assembled by hand. Still real solid and sturdy, they certainly don't make things like these anymore. On the rectangular box that holds the cards. When I got it, the gumball machine still had three 1958 Topps cards displayed on the front of the card dispensing box, stacked three high, vertically one atop another. The plastic piece that holds them in place is just like the top half of an old screw down holder, but in this case the bottom half is actually the wooden front lid/door of the card dispenser, and the four corner screws holding the cards in place are actually wood screws that are screwed right into the wooden front lid/door. Definitely old school, but still very cool. The three 1958 cards I have showing on the dispenser front are Minoso, Shantz, and Jensen. So an extra bonus for me with Minoso's recent election to the HOF. I hadn't even realized that till I just went looking at my gumball machine right now. Just made my day. LOL

Not sure if the displayed cards were original to the machine though. If you look up images (sorry no photo I can post) of a 1950's Victor Baby Grand gumball card dispenser machine, you'll find pictures of the wooden gumball machines, and eventually one with the card dispenser on the side. Except the images I found don't show cards on the front lid/door of the card dispensing unit. Instead it shows the name VICTOR printed vertically on the dispenser lid/door. So I don't know if maybe the clear plastic screw down piece holding the cards on mine was original to the machine so whoever owned it could display whatever cards were being dispensed, or if it was something that someone jerry-rigged and came up with on their own to show the cards in the dispenser. Still pretty cool either way. I'll have to see if some research can get me a better answer. Thanks for sharing that info by the way.

Very neat Bob. One recently sold on eBay. The Card Vending attachment is pretty cool.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by vintagesportscollector

Very neat Bob. One recently sold on eBay. The Card Vending attachment is pretty cool.

That is it exactly the one I have, except as I said, on the card dispensing box where it spells VICTOR in big red letters, mine has three '58 Topps cards held in place by a piece of clear plastic with wood screws in the four corners. Have never removed the the clear plastic piece and cards to see if mine says/spells VICTOR underneath, but would assume so.

Mine also has the metal stand so it can stand on its own and not require a shelf or table/desk top to sit on. I see the one you pictured sold recently on Ebay for $331, but without the stand or displayed Topps cards that came with mine. Not too bad. Vintage gumball/card machines like this are out there, and generally go for not too ridiculous prices. Definitely a cool complimentary display item when the card dispensers are attached. Very cool collectibles IMHO, just like those Oak gumball/card machines you and Mike have. I especially like these Victor models though because the stained hardwood they're made from really gives them an old, antique look and feel.

[mrreality68]

Those vintage card dispensers are fantastic

Never thought of those but those are great pieces and really would compliment card displays, man cave etc

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by 71buc

Thanks Todd I appreciate the kind words. My wife doesn’t complain when I buy “my toys” but she draws the line at allowing me to display them. My collection is largely relegated to a couple of walk-in closets. No one in my immediate social circle understands my fascination with this stuff. This is one of the few places I get to share my collection with others who share my illness.

Sounds like you need a new circle.

Joking aside, I didn't have a place to display my stuff either until my wife wanted to build a house. My demands were a room of my own and an extra bay three car garage so I have a place for my toys/collection.

[jeff8877]

Beautiful stuff guys. I'm looking for empty baseball boxes to compliment some of my stuff if you have any laying around 1950-1970. Thanks all.

Jeff

[sayhey24]

So many cool items here -- I'm partial to the Hal Chase glove, Reds posters, the Hank Aaron poster and of course the Oak's card machine. I use a lot of card machines to complement the collection -- here's a sampling --

Greg

[MK]

Originally Posted by sayhey24

So many cool items here -- I'm partial to the Hal Chase glove, Reds posters, the Hank Aaron poster and of course the Oak's card machine. I use a lot of card machines to complement the collection -- here's a sampling --

Greg

Fabulous items and spectacular displays.

[sayhey24]

It can also be fun to look for non-baseball items to complement cards, pins and other BB memorabilia. I just picked up this shoelaces service station to go with a pair of Rabbit Maranville cleats, the large white wooden sign advertising postcards and photos is something I bought at a flea market and put baseball postcards on, the vintage wood lathe makes for a great display for an early hand turned Lajoie bat, and I use a 60s drinking cart to display baseball glasses.

Greg

[jsage]

Very nice collection of Baseball Card Vending Machines.

Did you purchase the 3 matching wooden ones as a set or just lucky to find 3 of them?
Jerry Sage

[BobC]

Fantastic collection SayHey.

Where did you ever come across all those Exhibit machines?

[sayhey24]

Thanks for all the kind words guys.

Jerry -- that large machine is made up of three pieces that are connected and meant to be together as one. It came out of an amusement park on Long Island and then stood inside a Cooperstown business for many years before I was able to purchase it. I actually had one other that was made the exact same way -- three pieces together as one.

Bob -- I've just always had a real thing for card machines and for years I bought them whenever I could find them. I haven't picked up a new one in quite awhile.
I've got a few others that I can try to post over the weekend.

Greg

[jsage]

Greg - The triples are Great items! You were very fortunate to get two.
I also was a big card machine "guy". Had several ESCO's - wood and metal
also many Premiere card/gumball machines. Liked the way they all complemented my game used baseball collection.
Only have one left - Premiere never been used.
Happy New Year
Jerry Sage

[sayhey24]

That's a beauty Jerry in a terrific looking room!
I seem to recall a photo from years ago showing all your machines lined up in a row -- one of the coolest display photos I ever saw.

Greg

[jsage]

Greg -
Yes I remember that photo
Collected for 30+ years.
Thanks.
Stay Well.
Jerry

[CarltonHendricks]

Originally Posted by Leon

This should qualify. I picked up this 8 x 10 Type 1 photo recently to go with the lobby card.

Nice companion p/u....don't recall seeing either....had the half sheet poster once...congrats Leon...

[CarltonHendricks]

Originally Posted by sayhey24

So many cool items here -- I'm partial to the Hal Chase glove, Reds posters, the Hank Aaron poster and of course the Oak's card machine. I use a lot of card machines to complement the collection -- here's a sampling --

Greg

V nice array...great selection of card vending machines...especially those three matching tall ones...have to wonder where you found them all...not shipping friendly items...congrats nice work....

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by jsage

Greg - The triples are Great items! You were very fortunate to get two.
I also was a big card machine "guy". Had several ESCO's - wood and metal
also many Premiere card/gumball machines. Liked the way they all complemented my game used baseball collection.
Only have one left - Premiere never been used.
Happy New Year
Jerry Sage

Love those card machines

[sayhey24]

Carlton -- Almost all of my machines were picked up locally over the span of many years (within a few hour drive of where I live). I've probably only bought two or three online.

Here are a couple more -- I'm having trouble posting some of my other photos, and for some reason these are coming out sideways.

Greg