1866 Baseball Cards

prewarsports · #1 05-15-2011, 06:38 PM

I really love those images. I have owned/sold several CDV's and those are some of the best I have seen and the fact that each player is identified is a HUGE plus. I also think the photo with the Trophy Balls is fantastic. It is hard to place a value on something like that, but I agree with Jay and think these would probably do VERY well at a major auction as a group with the history behind it. Cool stuff and thanks for sharing.

Rhys

Kudbegud · #2 05-15-2011, 07:16 PM

oldjudge:
I'm getting it. Rather than an Auction House, which I know nothing about, what do you think about the Buy-Sell-Trade forum here?

slidekellyslide:
Your right, they sell off stuff all the time for more acquisitions and opperating expenses.

Rhys:
Yeah, but which one? And how or who would determine if these were important or major? My head is spinning! I'm going to photograph the back of the rest and post them on Photobucket.

ChiefBenderForever:
I know a collector would appreciate them more. The great unwashed public would remain unaware of the history or that these cards even existed unless they stumbled in to the museum and saw them, if they were displayed for any length of time if at all.

kllrbee:
The Rock Island Line from the Johnny Cash song!! Roll RIL Rocket!! What were you thinking? The Baseball Hall Of Fame maybe? I can't think of any bigger.

egbeachley · #3 05-15-2011, 07:22 PM

I guess I will add to the chorus....if a museum gets them, nobody will ever enjoy them.

Kudbegud · #4 05-15-2011, 07:33 PM

autograf:
Yeah, it looks unanimous. But now, which way to go? Auction House? B-S-T? Private offer sale? Sheesh! I came in with what I thought was a simple plan and it looks like a bad plan

Kawika:
Aloha! Another great idea. I am so impressed by the knowledge, helpfulness and expertise of this forum. I have to thank forum member Whitehse for suggesting I post here after I posted on the Collectors Universe forum.
"Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono." This forum is also perpetuated in righteousness, isn't it.

Kudbegud · #5 05-15-2011, 07:37 PM

egbeachley:
Welcome to the majority opinion. It's gotta be right, right?

barrysloate · #6 05-15-2011, 07:42 PM

You can put them on BST, and it's free, but you have to be comfortable pricing them. Or you can auction them on this site too. While not every collector will see them enough already have that you won't have to be too concerned about leaving money on the table. Since you've had them since the 1960's, I wouldn't be too hasty with your decision.

slidekellyslide · #7 05-15-2011, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kudbegud

And how or who would determine if these were important or major? My head is spinning! I'm going to photograph the back of the rest and post them on Photobucket.

Kudbe, these ARE important and major.

ChiefBenderForever · #8 05-15-2011, 08:06 PM

You have a lot of options to sell, you could take offers and see what you get. Also any auction house would love to get these. Leon and Scott have a auction coming up sometime soon and I'm sure they would love to highlight these in their auction and you wouldn't have any worries at all going that route. I would think the best thing to do is keep them all in a group so whoever gets them can keep them together since they are such a historical piece of Americana history to our national pastime.

19cbb · #9 05-15-2011, 08:11 PM

Beautiful cartes!
Thanks for sharing...

I would go with an auction house.

Jay Wolt · #10 05-15-2011, 08:19 PM

Kudbegud instead of donating them, why not just keep them?
They are fantastic momentos from your grandfather and you & your family & friends
can enjoy them daily.

Old Hoss · #11 05-15-2011, 08:38 PM

These are really incredible photographs! If you decide to donate them, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum would be a great spot for them.

The Hall of Fame would take great care of them and make the photographs available to all visitors who ask to see them. The Hall would store the works in a secure storage facility and use archival materials. And many passionate researchers and fans of 19th century baseball come through the Hall of Fame every year. Your photographs would be sure to catch many eyes there.

Also, as far as donating is concerned, you can restrict your gift to ensure that any museum that you donate to does not sell your photographs. This is pretty common in the museum world.

However, if you are interested in selling, please keep me in the loop. I also collect this material and would be very interested.

Thanks for sharing! Seeing these pictures made my night!
Charles

Matt · #12 05-16-2011, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Hoss

These are really incredible photographs! If you decide to donate them, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum would be a great spot for them.

The Hall of Fame would take great care of them and make the photographs available to all visitors who ask to see them. The Hall would store the works in a secure storage facility and use archival materials. And many passionate researchers and fans of 19th century baseball come through the Hall of Fame every year. Your photographs would be sure to catch many eyes there.

I had thought the HOF only displays a small % of what is owned based on reports from board members who have seen the archives and basement. If he wants them to be enjoyed by the masses, I'm not sure the BBHOF is the way to go.

bbcard1 · #13 05-15-2011, 08:44 PM

FWIW, I think they are pretty important and could go for a lot of money...it's not in my collecting interest, but for what it's worth:

Very nice copies / enlargements that could be displayed could serve the museum as well as the originals...This could probably be accomplished for less than $100.

If you have even minimal website skills (or wanted to slog your way though a few tutorials), you could do a nice website that would allow your holdings to be shared with everyone who might be interested.

Then you would be liberated to put them with an auction house which would probably yield a good bonus which you could use on something nice for your family. If you have kids or grandkids, I suggest blowing it on a Disney cruise. Did it once with a found 5 grand and never regretted it a bit. Perfect memories may family will have forever.

spec · #14 05-15-2011, 09:45 PM

Kudbegud, you have received a lot of expert and, I believe, well-meaning advice from this board. Overlooked, or at least downplayed, is the historical value of your CDVs, something I gather you grasped at the outset based on your instinct to donate them to the local historical society. These cards are an irreplaceable glimpse at a moment in the history of your family and your region. Whatever you choose to do with the collection, you ought to begin by visiting that historical society to assess their reaction. If they recognize the CDVs' significance, they might offer a variety of options ranging from buying them from you (likely with another donor's contribution), accepting them on loan or donation with strings attached or just photographing or scanning the cards for their permanent collection. That way your ancestor's treasured collection would be available to your community for generations. Further, I would suggest you contact the Society for American Baseball Research to locate a historian (perhaps someone local who could trace the players' backgrounds and eventual fates) who could use this collection as a stepping-off point in researching this team. The CDVs would make an excellent SABR journal article or monograph that would ensure your ancestor's place in baseball history. Baseball historian extraordinaire John Thorn is a frequent visitor to this board and might respond, or you could start by visiting with the SABR website, SABR.org. All of this can be done without surrendering the CDVs. If you do choose to sell the collection on the open market, they undoubtedly will pass into the hands of someone who will treasure them, but they also likely will be as inaccessible to public viewing as if they were in a museum basement.
Bob Richardson, longtime SABR member

Kudbegud · #15 05-15-2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Kudbe, these ARE important and major.

Wow Dan, I knew these were unusual. And that they were earlier than others I've seen mention before. I'm surprised and delighted at the reception they have received. Important and major, amazing!

wonkaticket · #16 05-15-2011, 10:34 PM

Amazing items, if you decide to sell seek a top tier auction house such as REA or any of the other fine auction houses.

To auction off via our BST would be a mistake IMO. While our community is a fun place and there are plenty of wonderful and advanced collectors here too assume that Net54 is reaching even half of the collective collecting community is a bit na�ve.

With an item as such as this I think you will find most auction houses will work with you so that %'s are none or very attractive.

Thanks for sharing and good luck which ever direction you decide to take.

Cheers,

John

smtjoy · #17 05-16-2011, 02:06 PM

Awesome CDV's.

IMO go with a major auction house, it will be worth it.

Also if you wanted to preserve the history you can spend some of the proceeds and have a small web page developed about them.

oldjudge · #18 05-16-2011, 04:55 PM

I was poking around on Google today and I came up with some information on the Wapello baseball club:

1. The history of baseball in Iowa goes back to 1866 when the Davenport Union Club played the Wapellos of Rock Island.

2."The matched baseball game between the Union club of this city and the Wapello club of Rock Island came off on Saturday last at the appointed place and resulted in the victory of the Wapellos. A large number of spectators attended, the greater portion being ladies. The game commenced at 2:15 o'clock, the Wapello boys having their first inning. The following is an official report of the game. We wish the Union boys better luck next time:

Wapello, Rock Island. Union, Davenport.
W. Gleim, 3d b....................... 13 E. Glaspell, 1st b.........................1
W. Dart, c. f........................... 11 J. W. Coon, s. s......................... 1
M. Weiser, 2d b..................... 14 A. L. Mossman, 3d b................. 0
J. Hodges, 1.f......................... 14 Samuel Priest, 1. f...................... 1
C. Platt, p............................... 13 C. Krum, r. f...............................1
S. M. Eggleston, r. f.................11 C. Glaspell, c..............................1
H. Platt, s. s........................... 15 John A. Bamber, c. f...................0
M. Sturgeon, 1st b................ 15 D. Porter, 2d b.......................... 1
R. Chamberlain, c.....................13 P. McManus, p......................... 1
_____ ____
Total......................................119 Total...........................................7
Innings Runs Innings Runs
Wapello...................9............119 Union........................9...............7

"Fly balls caught by the following gentlemen of Wapello: C. Platt, 1; H. Platt, 1; M. Sturgeon, 2; R. Chamberlain, 1. Union: J. W. Coon, 2; A. L. Mossman, 3; C. Durm, 1; Claspell, 1; P. McManus, 1. Umpire, William Sayles, of Moline; scorer. W. S. Gates, of Rock Island.

oldjudge · #19 05-15-2011, 10:45 PM

Bob-All great points. The ideal outcome is that the historical society appreciates these items for what they are and prominently displays them. For me the second best solution is that they stay in your family. However, if you choose to sell them do not use the BST thread. That involves you guessing what they will sell for and my sense is that you will be way low. The auction process is the only way to let the market determine their value. If you are concerned that you may do worse than the numbers thrown out here in auction be assured that I will bid at least $5000. That being said, follow Bob's advice and go to the historical society first. Good luck!

Jay

Kudbegud · #20 05-15-2011, 11:18 PM

ChiefBenderForever:
Thanks for the suggestion. I will be contacting them for sure. As well as the Historical Society, Hall of Fame and others. I'm going to be busy for a while...not a bad thing.

19cbb:
I just might, thanks.

Jay Wolt:
I don't really have family that might appreciate them. It's just time to do something with them or they could end up the way I wouldn't like, as if I would know.

Old Hoss:
I will be contacting them, if only to donate high quality photos and any research data I have. Who would be around to enforce any restriction I may put on them? I can only hope they stay together as a set.

bbcard1:
I was never after the money. I could always use some more, but I'm OK with out it. I'd rather they are enjoyed by the many instead of the few. So this will play a large part in my decision. Enlargements, that's a good idea I will relay when I contact the museums. I'm posting in Photobucket, anybody can look. That's about all the web building savvy I can muster. Unless your volunteering?

spec
I wrote them down on my list. Its very intriguing to think that a research paper could evolve. Neat! May I reference your name as referring me?

M's_Fan:
Ah, taxes rear their ugly head. I hadn't really considered any thing more than a charitable donation deduction. But I haven't been able to take advantage of itemizing the past couple of years. So, I may not get that but it's not a factor in my decision.

slidekellyslide · #21 05-15-2011, 11:37 PM

I'd rather see them go to your local museum than the Hall of Fame where I think they'd truly be buried in the basement. I do think you should contact SABR though and see if there is someone who can take up enough interest to dig into who this team was and write an article.

Kudbegud · #22 05-15-2011, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I'd rather see them go to your local museum than the Hall of Fame where I think they'd truly be buried in the basement. I do think you should contact SABR though and see if there is someone who can take up enough interest to dig into who this team was and write an article.

The Historical Society will be first, then SABR and maybe the home town paper next. Their responses will guide my next steps.
I am in debt to the forum for their freely given advice. Thank you all.

Kudbegud · #23 05-15-2011, 11:42 PM

Golf History:
The home town Historical Society was my first choice because of the local tie-in. No better place for history preservation and an interest base than the home town, right? But all the possibilities revealed here makes me wonder if that is really the best route. More and greater appreciation might be had elsewhere. I will have a lot of phoning to do.
I have the medium resolution photos posted on Photobucket. I could do a Blogger page. Do you think that would be sufficient? I may get a new battery and fire up my prosumer camera for some consistent high rez pix....or get them done for the highest quality I can get.

wonkaticket:
I'm really looking at the auction route. But first are the non profit public outlets.

oldjudge:
You got it. I'm taking it all in and letting my gears grind it all very fine.

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