Help with dating a recently picked up Lemon Peel Baseball

[vintagesportflips]

Hello fellow board members,

My dad recently picked up this nice lemon peel baseball at an estate auction a few weeks ago, and I want to pick the baseball expert's brains on this board. I am more of a football collector, and have never come across a lemon peel in person before. The ball has 4 leather panels that meet on one end in the lemon peel shape, and the opposite side the leather panels are sewn to about 1 inch of eachother. The ball is in very nice condition, is pretty light, and appears to be made of twine. It has a circumference of about 8 inches, and is about 2.5 inches wide in diameter.
From the research I've done, I thought this ball date to the 1850s? Am I accurate with that date? Also, any thoughts on value?

[barrysloate]

1850's seems about right. I don't think you can get too precise with these early baseballs.

[perezfan]

That's a gorgeous and very desirable example.... and I agree with Barry about the dating. Congrats to your Dad!

[william_9]

Dating a lemon peel ball really depends on who made it and why it was made. Organized base ball stopped using that style of ball in the late 1860's when organized leagues established somewhat consistent standards for balls, eventually adopting the figure eight style pattern. In the early years, those base balls started out small like yours, but they were made to a higher standard. At the end of their run the size topped out slightly bigger than a modern ball. Since yours looks home made, it was probably made by one of the members of the team who used it. They would most likely have been a group of neighborhood boys as opposed to a town team. Because it was homemade, the date could range anywhere from the 1850's into the 1880's. It's hard to say for sure. Fantastic example. I'd put a guestimate value in the $400-800 range. Possibly more. They seem to be all over the place in terms of final values. Though, because of the condition, I'd say you are looking at the higher end of the value spectrum for your ball.

[vintagesportflips]

Thanks alot guys. I really appreciate the info and input.

[CarltonHendricks]

Man, you got that at an estate sale?...That looks like one of the nicest lemon peels I've seen..the condition is super..the seams look dark and such good shape. I haven't paid attention to prices of them for many years since I got one, but I'm surprised they go for only $400-$800.

Say what's that plate on the right? is that a football illustrated on the plate?

[vintagesportflips]

Carlton, thanks, Yes it was an estate auction pickup. I used to hit 2 to 3 estate auctions a week, but having our first child this past year has made them alot tougher to get to; but my dad has been picking up the slack hitting alot of them lately. In the past month he has picked up this lemon peel, and a ring bat (the one I showed a couple of weeks ago - the reach red ring)

When I was researching lemon peels, I couldn't find many recent auction house results on them; but found some in hunts and lelands auctions in the 2000-2002 time frame. The prices varied alot in those auctions, and I am not sure if the 7-9 years would change their value much.

As to the plate, yes there is a football on it. I included a larger photo below. The plate reads: Cornell Champions 1915. Also in the photo are a couple of newer pickups: A 1933 Princeton Spalding Trophy ball with all of their undefeated season's scores painted on it, and a 1919 trophy ball (bottom right) from the post WWI Military Football Teams Tournament in Paris France. This 1919 ball is pretty neat, and its makers mark is actually that of the YMCA, who sponsored the tournament.

[khkco4bls]

if your willing to trade or sell let me know. baseballrelics@yahoo.com. great ball.

[CarltonHendricks]

KJ, Thanks for your appreciation....it's both bottom corners that are missing I think...someone just trimmed it in a nice artistic way...I'm pretty sure anyway...I've never seen another example to know for certain.

KH, Thanks boss but I really wasn't interested in moving it...although if you have a good sized 19th century Harvard vs. Yale football broadside I might be interested...or some exceptional pre 1920 sculpture...especially basketball.