Knickerbocker Photo

[SteveS]

Thank you, Phil! I'm kind of surprised no one has chimed in yet. It doesn't even take any baseball or collecting expertise to render an opinion as to whether they look alike.

[jcmtiger]

I am not an expert, but there are experts on this site. But I see at least 4 possible matches. Joe

[SteveS]

Thank you, Joe!

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by SteveS

Thank you, Joe!

PS, been collecting since 1970’s also.

[bgar3]

Steve,
As an early base ball collector, I would like to see it be the Knickerbockers.
However, I don’t really see it. Having said that I am not the best at this, but have been helped by Mark Fimoff in the past and trust his judgment. I would be curious as to his reasoning. As for John Thorn, he has also been helpful to me, not on identifying people, but on historical matters, on which he is an expert. He has done extensive work on Doc Adams and Wheaton and I would also take his opinion over mine. I acknowledge I am no expert, but if I had to choose, I would go with their opinion absent some conclusive evidence to the contrary. To me, resemblance is not that.
Good luck, I really hope it is them and some further evidence turns up.

[SteveS]

Thank you for your response, bgar3! In this case, I'm not sure what evidence can be gathered other than the resemblances and the confirmation of that by objective facial-match programs. I read on this forum the fascinating back-and-forth regarding the purported Knickerbocker daguerreotype that was provided to the Hall of Fame by Alexander Cartwright's own grandson to be used to design his plaque, and even with that provenance it has been called into question. But I do see enough similarities here, including unique hairstyles and facial features, to believe that it's a match.

[Shoelessseb]

Like Steve said, what are the odds of having 6 men on the same photo with a possible match ? It means something. Nobody looks exactly the same 2 decades apart anyway.
We probably will never know for sure, but I like to think it’s them.
Enjoy your photo ! It’s a very interesting piece

[SteveS]

Thanks, Shoelessseb!

[Directly]

Originally Posted by bgar3

Steve,
As an early base ball collector, I would like to see it be the Knickerbockers.
However, I don’t really see it. Having said that I am not the best at this, but have been helped by Mark Fimoff in the past and trust his judgment. I would be curious as to his reasoning. As for John Thorn, he has also been helpful to me, not on identifying people, but on historical matters, on which he is an expert. He has done extensive work on Doc Adams and Wheaton and I would also take his opinion over mine. I acknowledge I am no expert, but if I had to choose, I would go with their opinion absent some conclusive evidence to the contrary. To me, resemblance is not that.
Good luck, I really hope it is them and some further evidence turns up.

If the EARS don't fit you have to Acquit--fortunately with my photo I didn't buy Marks ears theory.

[ramram]

My two cents:

That stereoview is from the 1860's or later. I can also say without a doubt though that it definitely is not an image taken of an earlier daguerrotype (which would have been the only photographic medium in use in the 1840's).

Rob M