1870's Baseball Team Photo

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Posted By: CarltonHendricks

Condition is an interesting subject. For me condition, that is, the amount of wear or damage that would preclude me from owning an item, isn't a matter only unto its self, but is relevant to other factors. Some of these factors would be:

1. The items historical significance
2. How rare the item is
3. The level or amount of damage, and prognosis for restoration if necessary
4. Whether or not I already have an example

In the case of this Monitor Baseball team photo, based on the background information in the listing which is posted below, it appears to be either a U.S. Naval Academy baseball team, or at the least an early and rare monitor vessel team photo. Since a Naval Academy archivist I.D.'d the players, I assume they were at least cadets at some point. In my opinion, this photo qualifies as very important, and I'm sure the Naval Academy, or Library of Congress would welcome it in their collection. As for it's condition, the listing says it measures 8 1/4" x 6" excluding the board it's mounted on. The most significant or glaring damage would be the tear next to the player with the monitor ship on his chest. I'd estimate that tear to be about 3/8"-1/2" wide, which I would classify as "disappointing" but not "condemned to walk the plank". Particularly considering the clarity of the rest of the photo, and monitor on the players chest. It may be the only photo of that uniform extant, and it's part of our country's naval history. As for this photos importance, all things considered, on a scale of 1-10, I'd give it at least an 8. And the selling price of $1,213.00 seems quite reasonable. A bargain is state of mind!

PART OF LISTING COPY:
It is also very possible that the “Monitor Base Ball Club” pictured here was actually the 1870 Baseball Team of the United States Naval Academy. The photo came to us as part of a fantastic and historically important archive of material relating to George A. Calhoun and his service in the United States Navy during the 1870’s. Included in this archive was a number of pages from the 1870 US Naval Academy Class Book - each page with albumen photographs of the Academy grounds, various Naval Academy organizations and Cadet Portraits. This Baseball team photograph and its card mount match the other pages from the Academy Class Book and the fact that a photo of the Naval Academy Boat Crew is mounted on the back of the card mount seems to support the premise that the “Monitor Base Ball Club” was actually the U. S. Naval Academy Baseball Team of 1870. Another indication of this is the fact that one of the team members has an image of an ironclad warship (see the scans below) on the bib of his uniform. We have been unable to find any information regarding the US Naval Academy Baseball Team dating before 1872 but one of the players in the photograph offered here strongly resembles a player seen in a photo of that 1872 Academy Base Ball Club. Further research should be able to definitively identify the origins of this fantastic, early Baseball Team Photograph and we will leave that research up to the winning bidder. The rare and wonderful, 1870 Baseball Team Photo is extremely attractive and in very good condition. The focus is sharp and the contrast strong. There is some scaring to the emulsion but this was an effect of the original printing out process and not deterioration over time. There are 3 small surface scuffs that can be seen between the images of the 3rd and 4th players standing in the back row (see the scans below) and an edge chip at the bottom of the left hand edge (again this was created during the original mounting of the image). This is the very earliest, larger size, 19th century Baseball Team Albumen Photos we have handled and will be a fantastic addition to any collection!!! Please Note: This is an original, 1870 Photograph - it is NOT a reprint, reissue, reproduction or modern copy but an original Albumen Photograph taken, developed and produced in 1870!!!
ADDED POST LISTING INFORMATION:
On Jan-06-08 at 13:21:25 PST, seller added the following information:
A kind eBay friend sent the following player identification from a Naval Academy Archivist: (Standing)J.J. Hunker, G.A. Calhoun, H.M. Jacoby, W.S. Baker, L.C. Heilner. (seated)A.C. Dillingham, E.L. Ludlow, J.J. Augur, M.F. Wright, H.O. Rittenhouse. Information comes from a 1970 research paper that was passed along in 1990 by an official U.S. Navy Assistant archivist.