Need advice on a pre-WW1 type collection

[BobC]

Originally Posted by darkhorse9

I'm familiar with the site and know information. I like advice for aesthetic reasons. What do people think would look good when viewing? That's what I'm asking for.

The actual goal is to interest people and visitors who are NOT card collectors. Tell them the story of what baseball collecting was like before 1919. If I'm going to show it off I'd like to make it interesting.

Got any advice there?

Then definitely go with items that aren't just typical cards, items that may catch someone's eye and have them asking, "What is that?". You already have a great start and very diverse collection, what with the S74-1 silk, B18 blanket, BF2 felt pennant, Colgan's Chips, Domino Disc, Helmar Stamp, Sweet Caporal pin, and so on already in your collection.

I'd already suggested getting one of the colored version S74-2 silks to go with your white version one, along with a T222 Fatima player card and a Polo Grounds game card (which is very different from the Tom Barker game one you already have.) As others had suggested, an M101-2 Sporting News Supplement would be perfect, as would a Scrapps Tobacco card. Your $300 price point does limit your options somewhat, especially when looking at 19th century items, but if condition isn't a primary issue, you may be able to get lower condition items to fill some of your slots. So here are some more possible selections:

N284 Buchner Gold Coin Card
N183 W.S. Kimball Champions Card
1901-17 Police Gazette Supplements
W601 Sporting Life Team Composite
PC765-1 (or -2) Dietsche Tigers/Cubs Postcard
1909-10 German Baseball Stamp
1909-10 W555 (These are not strip cards and came off candy boxes.)
D304 Brunner's/Butter Krust/General Baking/Weber's Bakery Bread
1913 Baseball Series Notebook Cover
1913 Napoleon Lajoie Game Card
T330-2 Piedmont Art Stamp
PM1 Ornate Pin
1915 Postaco Stamp
Baseball/Player Related Sheet Music
Magic Lantern Ballplayer Slide

Not an all-inclusive list by any means, nor one that is necessarily always easy to find items of in your price range. But it does include many diverse items, most of which are not your typical sports card, so it definitely speaks to diversity. Good luck, you already have a super collection.