Sure, the T206 Wagner's rare, but what about this....

[Archive]

Posted By: Adam J. Baxter

Sol White's 1907 History of Colored Base Ball. Some might find the condition a little rough, but other then Jacob Morse's 1888 History of Base Ball (Sphere and Ash), is there a tougher baseball book in existence? If I had the scratch, I wouldn't need to blink twice before throwing a bid down on this gem.


http://www.mastronet.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Preview%20Lot%20Information&DisplayIndex=12

[Archive]

Posted By: jay behrens

Not sure if it is rarer, but I know Cap Anson's book, I forget the title, is very valuable and sought after. I attended school and Cal State Hayward for awhile and they had a copy in their library. It was kept in a locked and caged room and someone ahd to be present with you when looked at the book.

Jay

[Archive]

Posted By: prewarsports

This copy originates from ebay last year. A guy found it in his basement and didn't know what it was. If I remember right it went for $6,000 when the auction ended.

I have actually seen more copies of this go up for sale then Fred Pfeffer's book on baseball from the 1880's. Just my observation.

[Archive]

Posted By: jeff s

Jay-
Anson's book is rare, but not even in the same league as these others. You can choose from among several copies on abebook.com, most (if not all) of which sell for three figures. Last time I checked, somebody had an ex-library copy for $200.

[Archive]

Posted By: runscott

He lists "Sol White's Official Baseball Guide", published 1907, as exceedingly rare, $10,000 and up (this was in 1995).

A hardback reprint is available fairly often on ebay, but Barry Sloate says that it was reprinted poorly in 1984, and I think that's what this edition is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2767006516&category=204

[Archive]

Posted By: jay behrens

Scott, right in the description it says it is a reprint, but not in the title. Doesn't say what year, but that only 80 copies were made.

Jay

[Archive]

Posted By: runscott

...

[Archive]

Posted By: Jeff S

1. R. Plapinger, one of the major baseball book-sellers, is currently offering a strong copy of the Sol White book for $15k.

2. I believe Scott's right about 1984 as the date of the reprint. I haven't seen that one, but I'm not surprised that it's a "poor" reprint--I have a reprint of the 1894 Spalding Guide made by the same people (Amereon House, who also reprinted the Anson book). On the spine of the reprint, it spells Spalding "Spaulding." Wow.

[Archive]

Posted By: runscott

Some reprints are very nicely done, and of course are just as readable as the real thing.

My rule is that if I can purchase a real book, in "reading copy" condition, at an affordable price where I can re-sell and get my money back when done reading, I buy the real thing. It is more fun to read the real thing, especially when it's a pre-1900 publication. I have never paid more than $250 for a baseball book, and won't unless my fortunes change drastically.