Help with 2 antique/vintage baseballs(lemon peel?)

[BigJJ]

Interesting items. Baseball was primarily a game for children and youths until 1840-1850, and most small lemonpeels and belt balls date from that time period, or earlier. But your small ball appears to be a figure eight, dating to post 1870-1880, may be additionally dated to the later date based on what looks like it being a harder ball. Balls got progressively harder until finally we, unfortunately, needed mitts, c.1880-1895. So I think you have either some unusual salesman sample or child's baseball from c.1880-1890. The other ball appears to be a rural made, softer, four piece? (hard to see in the photos) lemon peel baseball c.1860, better made ones had three interior sticthes, one exterior, and even better if made of one, instead of four, pieces of leather. Nice pickups.

[thecatspajamas]

The smaller ball looks like a well-worn "cork ball" to me rather than a "mini baseball". I'm basing that on the stitching appearing to be spaced farther apart than what I have seen on true mini baseballs. Brandon may be able to give more specific differences between the two (stitch count, perhaps?), but at that level of wear, I don't think it would make a huge difference price-wise.

Both cork balls and baseballs were produced well beyond the early 1900's. There is at least 1 manufacturer that I know of still making cork balls, and I've seen true mini baseballs up through at least the Bill White ONL era of the early 1990's.

No idea about the "lemon peel" ball, but there has been enough discussion of those being produced in modern times from vintage leather that I would be wary of that one as well. Hopefully someone more knowledgable can jump in here with more than my "be careful" advice.