Cooperstown Vintage shops?

[Ericc22]

Greetings,

Any opinions on the shops in Cooperstown? Any to be avoided, or do you have a favorite? Or are they just for looking?

Thanks!

Eric

[jbsports33]

Mostly just for looking, you may find a few things and there are many shops in the area right in the center of town.

Jimmy

[mjkm90]

Here is a link to photos posted by Joe Kirschner. Joe hasn't been active in a while, but he has a nice site featuring his collection. Hope you are listening Joe

The prices on these pieces are INSANE and they do so to lure people in for the junk they sell as well.

http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...tor/?start=all

Joe's site
http://www.antiquesportscollector.com/

[sayhey24]

The National Pastime store featured in Joe's photobucket slide show is no more. Many of the items you see in the photos were just sold in large lots in the recently concluded Leland's auction.
I now own the large colorized single player photos seen in photo 19 and 21, and also the oversized Mellon photo collage seen in photo 26.

The other stores in town just have a smattering of memorabilia, and I'm not sure that all of them are open in the winter months.

Greg
http://www.baseballbasement.com

[Ericc22]

Would have been fun to see National Pastime, just to look.

We are in Cooperstown and most places seem open.

Let me know of any other recommendations if any.

Thanks!

Eric

[Ronnoco]

I bought, sold and traded tens of thousands of dollars worth of memorabilia (no cards or autographs) with the owner of National Pastime between 2003 and 2008. If you think the front window and display cases were impressive (and they certainly were--I vividly remember those beautiful Spalding trophies), you should have seen what wasn't in the public eye. He had the nicest collection of late-nineteenth early twentieth-century gloves I'd ever seen outside the HOF. We traded dozens of gloves, ring bats, lemon peel and early figure eight balls, CDVs, Cabinets, vintage snapshots, bat racks, you name it. The owner (Mike) was one of the nicest and best people I've ever dealt with. Prices were sometimes high, but he was always open to very fair trades and had the same insatiable appetite for quality gloves that I have for ring bats and photographs. I moved away in 2008 and the shop apparently closed in 2009 (I think). It is a terrible loss, considering that Mike had a lot of museum-quality material and would always do his best to treat customers fairly, while many of the other "vintage" shops in Cooperstown sold largely crap. It was easily my all-time favorite place to do business or just look around for hours on end. Even before he knew me I was never rushed out of the shop. I loved that place.

[ibuysportsephemera]

I am up that way a few times a year. Very hard to find vintage memorabilia at an affordable price. However, I do recommend Willis Monie Books on Main Street. Great selection of vintage books and ephemera.

Jeff

[Caseyatbat]

You may as well hit all of the ones that are open. They are worth going into if your already there. Mickey's Place is always worth going into. Also I believe Tom Catal (formerly owned the Mickey Mantle museum) has a shop in Cooperstown now. I believe its called Safe At Home Collectibles

[mjkm90]

Where did all the figural pieces, pinbacks, advertising, etc go?!?!?!? He could have one of the auctions of the decade if he went that route.