Fading Autograph Question

[JMEnglish27]

It sucks, and I've dealt with this on balls too. There's no easy way around it...I've lacquered a couple balls I know I'll never sell but that's likely not recommended.

Honestly your best bet here is to pull that one out and stick it in a drawer, and get another Smoltz ball for the display.

[mr2686]

You can use a UV case, make sure it's on a OMLB, use a blue pen (bic med pt is my preference) and never touch the darn things, and still you can have this problem. Some of the problem, I believe, is the fault of some of these modern baseballs (Selig and after). Not sure how the hide is being treated, but it seems to be an intermittent problem. For this reason, I have a hard time investing any further in signed baseballs. I will get a few more to fill up the remaining spots in my cases, but I'll probably rely on older baseballs to get that done.
The other solutions I've thought about, is taking a new ball and (using gloves) wipe them down with a terry cloth rag (something a little rough but not enough to rough up the ball). May not do anything, or may allow the ink to adhere to the ball better. Just something to try.

[packs]

I find it's usually the ball and not the ink. Some baseballs are just bad. I've found Bobby Brown balls to be the worst. If it's not the signature being eaten by the leather it's the leather turning brown. I have more than a few Brown balls that have random brown spotting all over them.

[CamaroDMD]

Originally Posted by packs

I find it's usually the ball and not the ink. Some baseballs are just bad. I've found Bobby Brown balls to be the worst. If it's not the signature being eaten by the leather it's the leather turning brown. I have more than a few Brown balls that have random brown spotting all over them.

The balls have issues are all Selig balls.

[Klrdds]

Many issues can be the cause ,but I believe in your case the case is still too exposed to light , temperature and humidity no matter what its UV rating is.
Also the balls themselves can be a problem especially how they were handled prior to signing . I agree with Mike , in that the type of pen is important .I always get baseballs signed in Medium blue ink from new Bic pens for current players , and I've used them for over 30 years with no problems. But I also believe that Selig and Post -Selig baseballs have a slightly different finish on them as well.

[CamaroDMD]

Originally Posted by Klrdds

Many issues can be the cause ,but I believe in your case the case is still too exposed to light , temperature and humidity no matter what its UV rating is.
Also the balls themselves can be a problem especially how they were handled prior to signing . I agree with Mike , in that the type of pen is important .I always get baseballs signed in Medium blue ink from new Bic pens for current players , and I've used them for over 30 years with no problems. But I also believe that Selig and Post -Selig baseballs have a slightly different finish on them as well.

Do you think it's light from the window...even with the blinds closed?

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by CamaroDMD

Do you think it's light from the window...even with the blinds closed?

Look at the light coming in in your photo. That is quite a bit. If this is an easterly or westerly facing window go in the room when the sun is hitting that side of the house and you will have your answer. If that is your only choice for where you display you may wish to consider black out curtains. Alternatively, you could hang dark curtains, on a 'U' shaped rod and use velcro to attach the edges to the wall. If you go with curtains I would use a single curtain, hang the rod very high on the wall so that the frill at the top touches the ceiling. The curtain should hang 8 -12 inches below the sill and extend 4-6 inches past the sides of the window. It is not perfect, but it is a solution. If you keep it closed when the sun is on that side of the house it will also keep out a lot of heat. My bedroom window faces the morning sun and has blinds. I did not want to hang curtains so I use an old dark blue duvet cover hanging with push pins. It keeps out a lot of light and heat. I have a hook so that I can pull it aside when I need light and it is cooler.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by packs

I find it's usually the ball and not the ink. Some baseballs are just bad. I've found Bobby Brown balls to be the worst. If it's not the signature being eaten by the leather it's the leather turning brown. I have more than a few Brown balls that have random brown spotting all over them.

true, but the Bobby Brown balls hold their ink. If they have not started to spot like a raccoon by now, they probably won't. Most of the balls from Haiti were prone to toning, due to the bad water used in production. It had nothing to do with the signatures fading off the ball.

ANY SELIG ball with a bic blue pen, given any light whatsoever, will eventually fade completely off the ball PERIOD. Brown balls hold ink like nobody's business....even with moderate+ sun exposure. I have a great experiment where I display 30 balls in a UV glass case, none of them great. They are all in UV ball cubes.

There were 5 selig balls & 25 brown. 20 pristine brown balls. None of the brown balls have toned anymore than when they were signed in the 1980's. All 5 selig balls that were graded 9.5-10's have the autographs that have completely disappeared. Mays, Berra, Ryan, McCovey and Ripken...BA BYE!

[Huck]

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

ANY SELIG ball with a bic blue pen, given any light whatsoever, will eventually fade completely off the ball PERIOD. Brown balls hold ink like nobody's business....even with moderate+ sun exposure. I have a great experiment where I display 30 balls in a UV glass case, none of them great. They are all in UV ball cubes.

Interesting. I will have to check whether the signed balls that are fading are Brown, or Selig issues.

[JRS123490]

I agree with one of the above posters. It's probably 80-90% the ball. Direct sunlight sure as hell doesn't help and contributes a ton, but there's no rhyme or reason on whether baseballs bleed, fade, spot, tone etc..It's a complete crap shoot whether the ball will hold up over time. That's exactly why I stopped doing them. Have had too many good guys turn to complete garbage. They look the nicest, but are also the riskiest. I have had baseballs signed 15 years ago that look almost like they were signed yesterday, and I have baseballs where the signature completely fades or explodes within a year or two.

[JRS123490]

I should also note, I only got ROMLB's signed and never displayed in direct sunlight. Some still faded.

[pclpads]

All the signed BB's I have obtained were IP at shows by the signer. Never bought any at auctions. Haven't attended any shows in 20 years. All the balls have been in a dark, humid free closet in a covered plastic display case, no sunlight exp. I don't handle them. Now, most of the sigs are history. The blotches on the stained Aaron in the pic are similar to many of mine. Leads me to think that tannins used in the rawhide are the source of the light brown oil stains and the faded pen ink. As a result of this, i no longer buy or have signed, any BB's. Money wasted, like a lot of things in this hobby. Some day, I'll likely put the whole damn lot in a curbside bag for the Goodwill.

[tazdmb]

To the OP-Were those balls ever exposed to sunlight/UV lighting?

[CamaroDMD]

Originally Posted by tazdmb

To the OP-Were those balls ever exposed to sunlight/UV lighting?

I don't believe so. The balls are housed in a framed case and the plastic is rated to shield out 98% of the UV light. It is on the wall adjacent to the window...but the window nearly always has the blinds drawn. I will bet that I don't have the window blinds open more than 50 hours a year.

I have lived here for 5 years and that is how they have always been displayed. Most haven't changed...but a couple have.