Photography: post your favorite 19th century images

[sphere and ash]

Nineteenth century photographers—not one of whom devoted themselves exclusively or even largely to baseball as a subject—were sometimes able to capture stunning images in their studios by manipulating lighting, pose, or attitude. Others, before the introduction of the dry plate in the early 1880s, were able to escape the confines of the studio by taking their darkrooms with them to the baseball field.

Please post your favorite nineteenth century images: ambrotypes, cartes des visites, stereoviews, tintypes, albumen prints, and early silver prints.

My own favorite: this gorgeous portrait of a black catcher staring through his mask. For twenty years, the heroic nature of this portrait kept suggesting to me that the subject was someone important and that I needed to discover his story. After a lot of research, it turned out that he was important, and came within inches of crossing the color line. There are even some accounts that he did. I just love the white below his irises, like a boxer in a fight poster.

[GaryPassamonte]

Great idea for a thread and great image, Paul.
One of my favorites is the classic 1869 Red Stockings. Why this isn't a $50-$100K photograph, I don't know.

[bgar3]

Good idea Paul, I love the 19th century stuff now.
Gary, I think we had had a thread earlier where Kevin proved that image was the earliest of the 1869 ones. Anyway, here is one with a date along with George and Henry Chadwick.

[Leon]

This is one of my current faves.

[lumberjack]

I believe this photo was taken shortly after King Harold was killed at the Battle of Hastings.
lumberjack

[sphere and ash]

Gary: I agree with you that pricing on most baseball photographs (other than Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, and Jackson) is inexplicably low. At the same time, I’m a net buyer of photographs, so I like it that way. I would be happy to see prices go down.

Bruce: Great images. Any idea what processes were used to make your Chadwick prints? Dates?

Leon: That’s such an oddly compelling image. I wish I could unravel it.

[GaryPassamonte]

I've had this ever since the Rucker auction in 1995. It's almost a piece of folk art to me.

[mikesglove]

Originally Posted by lumberjack

i believe this photo was taken shortly after king harold was killed at the battle of hastings.
Lumberjack

lol

[Yanks23]

Upon receipt of this photo, I did a little bit of digging to try to learn about its origin. In doing so, I came across the following article from the September 19, 1892 edition of the Bangor Daily Whig and Courier (page 3):

“The new Shutter Club was granted a charter Saturday by the Attorney General. The club was organized July 9th at Mouse Island, and is the result of the refusal of the old Shutters to play base ball this season with the juvenile shutters, giving them a chance to regain their old name of Loon Club. The juveniles concluded that as they could not be Loons, they would be Shutters, and the only ones in the State, so they became incorporated, and will, they say, drive the old Shutter out of business. The headquarters of the club is Rockland.

The incorporators are R.W. Sawyer, of Bangor, John D. Nichols, of Boston, Frank F. Clapp of Malden, D.N. Hardacker, of Dennisport, S.H. Webb, W.S. White and A.B. Jones, of Rockland, with seven associates H.C. Chapman, Bangor, F.O. Sargent, T.E. Lindsey, H.M. Harris, Boston, W.I. Littlefield, Belfast, R.F. Genthner, Damiriscotta, and George D. Hughes, Brunswick.

The officers of the club are President, R.W. Sawyer, vice president, Frank F. Clapp; secretary and treasurer A.H. Jones; director H.C. Chapman and W.S. White.

The club has adopted the old Loon Club plan of having an annual dinner and summer outing.”

Every player in the photograph is mentioned in the article. What I found to be pretty cool was, other than every player rocking those amazing mustaches, the two ring bats, and the spelling of “Mascott” – check out the guy in the upper left. Perhaps one of the first documented baseball “photobombs”  It appears that he is wearing a “Shutters” jersey. Based on the article, my guess is he was not supposed to be there!

[jpop43]

Another of our c. 1870s tintypes.

www.dugouttreasures.com

[GKreindler]

Paul,

It's REALLY hard to pick one. Incredibly so.

Lately, this has been my favorite:



It pictures the Wheeling Nailers playing a game on May 19, 1887. Something about having such a clear panoramic of what the game was like in the late 19th century, with players actually not posing, is really appealing to me. This is actual game action. I feel like it harkens back to some of the origins of the game most fans hold dear. Just a small town game with a couple hundred fans when the professional game was still somewhat of a new thing.

But then again, some of the great Tomlinson cabinets are friggin' incredible. I wanna paint them all.

G

[sphere and ash]

This is one of three Civil War-related baseball images of which I’m aware. One is a GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) image like this one, but with better composition, and the other is a game in progress at Fort Pulaski. The Pulaski image has always bothered me because the game looks like it might be something other than baseball. I remember reading somewhere that the Hall’s research staff had opined that it depicts baseball, but that it gave no reasoning.

Please let me know what you think of this image, good or bad.

[sphere and ash]

Here is the Fort Pulaski image, with a game in the background, which I no longer own.

Does anyone else own another Civil War baseball image?

[ramram]

Originally Posted by sphere and ash

This is one of three Civil War-related baseball images of which I’m aware. One is a GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) image like this one, but with better composition, and the other is a game in progress at Fort Pulaski. The Pulaski image has always bothered me because the game looks like it might be something other than baseball. I remember reading somewhere that the Hall’s research staff had opined that it depicts baseball, but that it gave no reasoning.

Please let me know what you think of this image, good or bad.

Nice image Paul. Interesting content. Those uniforms are definitely Indian War period so I'd put the image c. 1870's.

Rob M

[ramram]

Originally Posted by GKreindler

Paul,

It's REALLY hard to pick one. Incredibly so.

Lately, this has been my favorite:



It pictures the Wheeling Nailers playing a game on May 19, 1887. Something about having such a clear panoramic of what the game was like in the late 19th century, with players actually not posing, is really appealing to me. This is actual game action. I feel like it harkens back to some of the origins of the game most fans hold dear. Just a small town game with a couple hundred fans when the professional game was still somewhat of a new thing.

But then again, some of the great Tomlinson cabinets are friggin' incredible. I wanna paint them all.

G

Graig - You hit it on the nail (no pun intended) with this photo. I used to have it as my background on my computer. It is the best, and clearest, depiction of a 19th century game that I have come across. I didn't know that there was a broader view, like the one you posted, or that it was identified. The view I had was much closer but, unfortunately, I can't find it now. I just now pulled the image below from the internet which isn't as good. I'll keep looking for the more detailed view because you can clearly make out the chicken wire backstop, the scorers in the scoring box (with the canopy over them), the telegraph wire running up from the scoring box and behind the stadium, the "home club" sign, the two African-American men standing on the field in front of the scoring box and that's not even to mention the game and the players.

Rob M.

Baseball.jpg

Edited to add a somewhat closer view:

Baseball 2.jpg

[Jcfowler6]

I have many favorites. Today it’s this one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mikesglove]

Originally Posted by sphere and ash

Nineteenth century photographers—not one of whom devoted themselves exclusively or even largely to baseball as a subject—were sometimes able to capture stunning images in their studios by manipulating lighting, pose, or attitude. Others, before the introduction of the dry plate in the early 1880s, were able to escape the confines of the studio by taking their darkrooms with them to the baseball field.

Please post your favorite nineteenth century images: ambrotypes, cartes des visites, stereoviews, tintypes, albumen prints, and early silver prints.

My own favorite: this gorgeous portrait of a black catcher staring through his mask. For twenty years, the heroic nature of this portrait kept suggesting to me that the subject was someone important and that I needed to discover his story. After a lot of research, it turned out that he was important, and came within inches of crossing the color line. There are even some accounts that he did. I just love the white below his irises, like a boxer in a fight poster.

That's a great image. A close up of the photo shows a ultra rare lace up catching glove.

[mikesglove]

I always loved this 1880's image of Cal Broughton. The tipped finger, double wrist strap catching glove is ultra rare.

[mikesglove]

Sucks I couldn't find the complete image. Anyway, the transition from catching glove to catching mitt, circa 1889-90. This one's a "Decker Patent Safety Mitt". Harry Decker was hard up for money and sold the patent to Spalding. Notice the button wrist strap. Odd that despite their popularity, I don't recall any of the originals surfacing into the hobby.

[sicollector1954]

Early photo from a town nearby where I live....Freeport, Il....I am guessing around 1885 or so....but feel free to correct me....if anyone can determine the year closer to when this might have been taken....I especially like the fact that one of the players has a uniform with Captain on it and not the towns name...

[Bobsbats]

Anonymous Cabinet front.jpg

[bgar3]

My first 19th century pickup in 1980 or so.
Not sure what the trophy is, but always wished it was somehow associated the amazing Parian Base Ball piece. If anyone knows anything about the team or trophy, please let me know.

[ruth-gehrig]

My favorite

[tennisguy]

Originally Posted by ruth-gehrig

My favorite

Michael,

Are you sure that isn’t Laura Ingalls batting? Looks like a scene from Little House on the Prarie. Incredible piece of early baseball history Michael! Thanks for sharing.

Ryan

[WillowGrove]

This is such a great thread. I tried to keep some notes on my favorites but it became most every photo. Mikesglove is that glove on the catcher's left hand something that you've seen elsewhere? It seems so unique. I'm not a glove guy just an interested party.

Right now this is my favorite in my collection. It caught my eye because I thought maybe the guy in the middle with the moustache was Mike Kelly, but I have ruled that out. I loved the boater hats which i assume makes it roughly 1875-1883? And i thought the size was big for its age - it's 7 x 9.5. But maybe the size is common for the era?

Any feedback welcome. Thank you. -peter

[sphere and ash]

Originally Posted by WillowGrove

This is such a great thread. I tried to keep some notes on my favorites but it became most every photo. Mikesglove is that glove on the catcher's left hand something that you've seen elsewhere? It seems so unique. I'm not a glove guy just an interested party.

Right now this is my favorite in my collection. It caught my eye because I thought maybe the guy in the middle with the moustache was Mike Kelly, but I have ruled that out. I loved the boater hats which i assume makes it roughly 1875-1883? And i thought the size was big for its age - it's 7 x 9.5. But maybe the size is common for the era?

Any feedback welcome. Thank you. -peter

The hats were available as early as 1876, but as late as 1892.

[ruth-gehrig]

Originally Posted by tennisguy

Michael,

Are you sure that isn’t Laura Ingalls batting? Looks like a scene from Little House on the Prarie. Incredible piece of early baseball history Michael! Thanks for sharing.

Ryan

Haha.....Heritage called it the earliest California baseball action photo

[bcbgcbrcb]

Only a handful of 19th Century images exist picturing key African American ballplayers. This one has to rank near the top of the list, 1894 Findlay team cabinet. Grant "Home Run" Johnson appears seated in the middle row on the far left and Bud Fowler appears seated in the middle row, far right.

[sphere and ash]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Only a handful of 19th Century images exist picturing key African American ballplayers. This one has to rank near the top of the list, 1894 Findlay team cabinet. Grant "Home Run" Johnson appears seated in the middle row on the far left and Bud Fowler appears seated in the middle row, far right.

I would kill for that image.

[prestigecollectibles]

There are not many original 19th century baseball related photographs from Japan. This photo taken in 1891 includes Japanese Hall of Famer Kanoe Chuma (3rd from right), the man who in 1894 coined the term Yakyu, meaning baseball in Japanese.

[ramram]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Only a handful of 19th Century images exist picturing key African American ballplayers. This one has to rank near the top of the list, 1894 Findlay team cabinet. Grant "Home Run" Johnson appears seated in the middle row on the far left and Bud Fowler appears seated in the middle row, far right.

That's a great cabinet card Phil. I actually picked up that cabinet you have back in 2004 on ebay for $30. Man did ebay have some bargains back in the early days. I ended up flipping it to somebody else on Net54.

Rob M

[bcbgcbrcb]

Wow. you're killing me, Rob. Let's just say that adding a couple of zeros to what you paid wouldn't even come close to what it cost me......