Spalding, Reach and other cut outs sold on our BST

[ullmandds]

While this concept is appalling to me...similar to cutting a cobb bat or ruth jersey into a million pieces.. I answered the survey based on the premise that this practice cannot be stopped.


but in retrospect I'd like to change my answer to no so as not to promote the buying or selling of this "Stuff."

[obcbobd]

I voted yes, as long as they are marketed as so, but the more I think of it I'm not comfortable about it. I think destroying a 100+ year old piece of memorabilia is a shame.

Guess I'm kinda disappointed that there is a market for this stuff among our members.

Sigh

[Runscott]

Pete, Bob - If I saw these pages matted and framed, before I ever handled any of these historical books, I would probably consider buying them. I think it's natural, as they display very nicely. But you could also cut up the Book of Kells into individual pages, or even cut the illuminated areas out of some of the text pages, and they would each be incredible display pieces.

[ethicsprof]

very well said.
The Book of Kells was just the right choice for showing the import
of keeping hagiography in its original form. What a beautiful wonder this
seminal Irish masterpiece is.
In its own way, the hobby literature we often refer to has its own
sacrosanct place in the halls of scholarship.

all the best,
barry

[Runscott]

Barry, sadly, ancient illuminated texts ARE being treated the same way as the Reach and Spalding Guides. You can find illuminated pages cut from prayer books, etc., in many auctions these days. The rationale is that a single page is affordable, whereas an entire book would not be. Fortunately that's not the case with Reach and Spalding Guides.

[steve B]

I voted to allow it as long as they're described correctly.

I also dislike cutting up books or magazines for the plates or other images, but I've handled enough old paper to know there's a lot of it that's already been removed.

I've bought lots of old magazines, mainly two larger batches.

One was a smallish batch of magazines from about 1915-20, Most were national geographics. All of them were worn and missing the covers. They also had a lot of car ads and others which were selling well at the time. The old national geographics in nice condition sell for anywhere from 2-10 dollars now, but at the time they were maybe .50 to a dollar.

The other batch was huge, and came from a person who published a nostalgia magazine. Probably thousands of them ranging from the 1860's to 1940's. Some in excellent condition, some really not. A lot of them had had articles cut out to be used in the magazine or in a book about old fashioned Christmas he put out. There were also boxes full of the cutouts. Unfortunately for me they were almost all womens titles or general interest with nearly no sports at all unless it was by accident. Some of them are valuable, and even some cheap ones aren't common. But titles like "needlework" are under $10 in good condition, less in lots of a few magazines. The ones with covers and articles missing aren't worth much at all. But the back covers are all cream of wheat ads that sell, and one issue has an early ad directed at women for the 1920 presidential election. That one was like finding money in the trash.

Even some good titles like Godeys commonly have the color fashion plate removed. Sometimes for use in something more interesting. One thing I got my wife for Christmas was a Godeys print that had had needlework done over the images so it was a little 3-d ish, done probably in the late 1800's and framed at the time.

Steve B

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

While this concept is appalling to me...similar to cutting a cobb bat or ruth jersey into a million pieces.. I answered the survey based on the premise that this practice cannot be stopped.


but in retrospect I'd like to change my answer to no so as not to promote the buying or selling of this "Stuff."

Me too, but the genie is out of the bottle...I'm not so sure the market is our BST with the attitude towards the practice that most here have, but if we are going to allow it don't clog up the card forums with it, keep it in the Memorabilia BST.

[BlueSky]

Leon,

Thanks for bringing this topic up. A couple of years ago I inherited a good number of early Spalding, Reach and other guides in various conditions. I have had the pleasure of reading a few of them. Lately, I have been considering selling them, but this discussion has made me think twice. I would hate if someone bought them and in turn rather them enjoying them, cut them up and sold them piecemeal.

I have no problem in folks buying and turning around and selling items, but to destroy something even if it was in poor to fair condition like this one shown really gives me heartburn.

Well, for now I am going to keep them, continue to read and enjoy them. Maybe sometime in the future I will consider selling them, but this discussion will remain in the back of my mind.

Marty

[jb217676]

Love that Lajoie book!