A Fun Hypothetical Question For The Experts- Spalding Collection

[Archive]

Posted By: Adam Baxter

I was just perusing the Spalding Collection on the NYPL website and a thought crossed my mind:

Hypothetically, how much do think the Spalding Collection,(baseball images only), would go for in a major auction?

This is not counting non-baseball pics, books, ephemera. Just photographs of players, both in uniform and civvies.

Now keep in mind folks that this collection includes tintypes, cdvs, and cabinets, many of which could be or are unique.

I'm going to throw out a number- $500,000.

[Archive]

Posted By: Jodi Birkholm

Not sure, but I would venture a an estimate far more lofty than your own.

[Archive]

Posted By: Adam Baxter

I hear that Jodi. $500,000 was just a ballpark guess on my part.

Or how about this, How much would each of you pay if money was no object and the collection being was offered to you

[Archive]

Posted By: bruce Dorskind

We have visited the Spalding collection on six separate occasions.

Whilst it has been nearly four years since our last visit, we are confident
that the collection would bring closer to $2.0 million dollars.

There are a number of unique images of pre-1900 HOFs and several
large heretofore uncataloged team photos. At a 1979 dinner meeting with
Sir Edward Wharton Tigar, he mentioned to us that there were several pieces
in the Spalding Collection that neither he or his good friend, Charles Bray,
had ever seen.

There are also 20 + Kalamazoo Bat single player cards.

Unfortunately, in the mid-60's and late 70s a number of items
from the collection were stolen- most were never recovered.

One need only look at the original list of donated pieces and compare
it with the current inventory.

Whilst Spalding's collection is small in size relative to the Burdick collection
at the Met, the breadth and scope of 19th century baseball material
is breathtaking.

In addition to all of the aforementioned factors, pieces with provenance traced
to the Spalding Collection would, no doubt, command a premium.

Bruce Dorskind
America's Toughest Want List

[Archive]

Posted By: peter ullman

bruce...like jail time?

[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

The most valuable piece in the collection is likely the 1860 mammoth plate salt print of the Brooklyn Excelsiors with Jim Creighton. That alone should command six figures.