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Four
Page Written Account of
The
28th Annual 2007
National
Sports Collectors Convention
Including
Pre Con Venture to
Philadelphia
and Adamstown PA
By
Carlton
Hendricks
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click
photos to enlarge
A
few of finds at the show |
click
on highlighted words to see photos
Continued
from page 1
Wednesday
was set up day for the National and I went in right when the doors
opened. As usual there is a lot of hurrying around at the
beginning desperately looking for stuff even though hardly anyone
is set up. Then slowly over the next four hours the show starts to
unfold and take shape.
It
was an unusual set up day in that things came out slower than
usual. For instance the Kanuit contingent; that is, the shared
booth of John Kanuit, John Orban, and Jim Griffith, decided to
wait two or three hours before setting
up. Usually they are the
power blast that kick starts the show right at the beginning. At
which time, mob rule/marshal law is declared
the first hour
they set up. So that created a lull. More than usual, it seemed
that a lot of good
stuff didn't come out until after the show
opened. Another example of the lack of oomph on set up day was the
sentiment of John Gennantonio who kept murmuring he couldn't
believe he took a day off work to come there. One thing that stayed the same though, I usually find my
power pieces early on, and that didn't change. The two greatest
things I bought, I found within the first hour or two. I also found a lot of very
good stuff
after the show opened that was priced so
reasonably I couldn‘t pass them up. More on my buys later, lets
get to the show.
The
one dealer that was already set up, or at least had a lot of good
stuff already out was Hunt’s. The reason they were set up way
ahead of the other dealers was they were part of the corporate
opening day which took place the previous day, Monday. Well, let’s
get rock’n with what I saw. As usual, please understand the
dealers mentioned had much more than I recorded, I’m only subjectively
featuring the highlights.
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click
photos to enlarge
Items
in Hunt Auctions booth |
Hunt
Auctions
We
begin with the booth of Hunt Auctions from Exton PA. First up was
a
Spalding
first baseman trophy, 11” tall x 15” wide, $2,900.00. One leg
had been re-soldered, had a chip in the bottom lip of the metal
base, the wood base had been refinished, I saw it later in Sotheby’s/SCP’s
booth with a $4,000.00 price tag. Next was a 1929 Michigan
Collegiate Conference baseball trophy with a 10” tall figure of a
pitcher with a strong resemblance to Walter Johnson, 17 7/8”
tall $2,900.00. Next, Hunt’s had another excellent figural
baseball trophy called the Goldsmith Trophy. It had three crossed
bats holding up a life size baseball, which in turn had a batter
standing on top, 19 ½” tall, $850.00. Next up was a c1897
baseball broadside for the Pemberville Base Ball Club, with “Our
Champions” at the top, and a large team photo in the middle and
a games schedule below, pretty good condition, slightly pink in
color, 17 7/8” tall x 9 7/8” wide, $750.00 (John Buonaguidi
got this in a Hunt’s auction latter) Next, was a c1900 14”
tall water/beverage pitcher with two 5 ¼” tall tankards (mugs),
made by Avon. All had a transfer ware illustration of a Harvard
Baseball pitcher about to burn one in. Excellent condition,
$1,750.00. Next was a c1890 squared barrel baseball
bat, no maker,
$525.00. Next in Hunt’s arsenal was a Victorian era silver or
silver plate flask with an excellent engraving of a baseball
batter. 5 5/8” tall, $525.00. Next was a vintage baseball
cap with “Babe Ruth” on the front, $650.00. Next was a white
plaster figural bookend sculpted as a seated baseball player
holding a bat with a mitt by his feet, and a large baseball next
to him. It was engraved “The Biltmore Homecoming Dinner” and
dated “March 1914”, 6 ¼” tall, never got the price.  Next
was a great c1880’s porcelain shaving mug with crossed ring bats
and a baseball, intertwined with a green wreath, with the name G.
Furano at the top, 3 ½” tall, $900.00. Next was a 40
½” wide x 29” tall c1930’s oil painting of a boy scout
holding a baseball bat in one hand and a baseball in the other. He
was in an odd pose, appeared sitting on the ground leaning back.
By it’s seemingly unfinished look, it was probably produced as
illustration art, $3,900.00. Next up, a pair of baseball shin
guards, of the smooth finish type, made of a fiber composition
material, very good condition, no maker, 22” tall, $750.00. Next
up was a c1930’s Nokona 325 Model
leather football
helmet, nice
condition, had strap, $750.00. Next was a Rawlings St. Louis 25
Jerome Wilson - catchers
mask, $450.00, Next another Rawlings
catchers mask, this one a St. Louis 300 Al “Red”
Evans, also
$450.00, was a little nicer condition than the other. Next up, a
D&M Stuffy McGinnis baseball glove (back
photo) $1,400.00.
Next was a dark brown catchers
mitt (back
photo) no markings, never got the price. Next, a signed
photo of Babe Ruth with Yankee shortstop Lyn Lary with his
actress wife Mary Lawler Lary, Lyn looking very Hollywood dapper,
7 ¾” tall x 7” wide, $6,200.00. Next up, a signed
Honus Wagner photo with a very honest 1st
grader-ish personalization “With best wishes to H.D. Evans
from J. Honus Wagner", 9 1/4" tall x 7 1/4" wide,
$3,400.00. Next was a Rawlings
Mickey Mantle glove that came with the original 2 1/2"
tall x 1 3/4" wide, cast metal die used to stamp the glove
when it was produced, $1,450.00 . Next, a 40 3/4" wide x 13
3/4" tall panoramic
photo of Forbes Field with corner inscription
"Attendance 30,338 June-30-09", $6,750.00. Next, a signed
Ruth photo of him swinging a golf club, personalized: "To
Don Sincerely Babe Ruth" 8 1/4" tall x 6 1/4" wide,
$6,500.00.  Next, a Babe
Ruth wristwatch baseball shaped case, with original box, but
without watch, $475.00. Next, a signed
Ruth softball, $4,800.00. Next, a Spalding
web glove c1896-1900 (back),
$1,300.00. Next up, a c1890
porcelain shaving mug illustrated with a batter and catcher,
and personalized with the name C.G. Nothwang, 3 5/8"
tall, $1,600.00. Next, a 15
3/4" tall x 8 7/8" wide trophy with a life
sized baseball on top that was engraved: Wilson Official
League, $475.00. Next was a great wire type photo
of Lou Gehrig sitting on a couch with a dog on his lap that
appears to be a boxer,
greatest grin
on his face (Gehrig not the dog), 8 7/8" tall x 7
3/4" wide, $700.00.
Next was a c1887
Harvard vs. Yale baseball game scorecard which was written in,
6 3/4" tall x 3 3/4" wide, $350.00. Next up, a 27"
wide x 15" tall panoramic
framed photo of the 1910 Princeton baseball team, $475.00
(bought by Ryan Simms). Next, a c1913
copper cast figural lighter in a caricature of a short pudgy
baseball player, having a great animated facial expression and
wearing a pillbox cap, 4 3/4" tall x 3 3/8" wide x 3
5/8" deep, $525.00. Next was
a great panoramic
team photo of both teams that played in the 1922 Dixie
Championship, being Fort Worth Texas vs. Mobile Alabama, 40
3/4" wide x 10" tall, price unknown probably stashed by
collector. Next was a c1948 Cleveland
Indians pennant and apron, $675.00. Last for the Hunt armory,
a Mickey
Mantle baseball glove box, box only, $2,400.00.
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click
photos to enlarge
From
the booth of Bryan Dec |
Bryan
Dec
Next
we come to the booth of the prolific Bryan Dec from Lapeer
Michigan. Bryan shared his
booth with equally prolific Kirk Kovacs, putting them at power
booth level. First highlight from Bryan was a black and white trolly
car sign for Gillette Razors featuring Bill Donovan (Tigers),
Frank Chance (Cubs), John Kling (Cubs), Honus Wagner (Pirates) and
Hughie Jennings (Tigers) , 27 3/4" wide x 18" tall,
$4,500.00. Next, a 1907
American League Champions silk banner, with a photo of the
Chicago Cubs, 28 1/2" tall x 18
3/4" wide, $3,500.00. Next, a piece of sheet music
titled "The Red Stockings" featuring members of the 1869
Red Stockings, including Harry and George Wright, 14" tall x
10 3/8" wide, $2,750.00. Next up, a c1887 imperial sized
photo of the Detroit Base Ball Club, 20" wide x 16"
tall, $45,000.00 (came with pennant). Next was a photo of the 1920
Akron Professionals football team, titled "World Champs"
at top, and had names of players at bottom, 10 1/2" wide x 7
1/4" tall i.m. (inside mat) $3,500.00. Next was a c1938
"Rawhide" movie lobby card featuring Lou Gehrig wearing
a white cowboy hat, gun drawn, stooped down next to a wagon train,
14" wide x 11" tall, $550.00.  Next Bryan had a great
signed photo of Jackie Robinson standing with two Asian men in
suits, arm around one, 8 1/2" tall x 6 1/2" wide,
$2,200.00. Next was a photo of Tye Cobb, personalized to Tony
Lazzeri, 8 1/2" tall x 6 1/2" wide, $2,750.00. Next up,
an 8" x 10" signed photo of an older Jim Thorpe,
personalized to Max Patkin (1920-1999) Clown Prince of Baseball,
$2,150.00. Last Dec mention was a photo of Walter Johnson in
uniform standing with a bat with an unknown gentleman, 14"
tall x 11" wide, $750.00.
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click
photos to enlarge
From
the booth of Kirk Kovacs |
Kirk
Kovacs - Kovacs Vintage Baseball
Next
we come to the items of Kirk Kovacs of Kirk Kovacs Vintage
Baseball, from Curtice Ohio. Kirk had more great stuff than listed
here, these are just what I got in all the fast paced commotion.
For instance, I never got the details of that great fan
in his case.  First up, a c1860-ish, 8 3/4" tall x 2 3/4" wide
silk ribbon
with a Vignette of baseball equipment, with
the word Excelsior above and Brooklyn underneath. The top and
bottom were a little tattered, but overall, it was in very good
condition. The Excelsiors
and the Knickerbockers were probably two of the most high
profile cornerstone teams which propelled the popularity of
baseball. The Excelsiors
were esteemed as the Champions
from 1860-1869, making this ribbon a heady and very rare piece of
baseball's history, $2,100.00. Next up was a c1886 St. Louis
Browns "Champions" cigar box, with an exceptional team
photo on the inside of the lid, 8 3/4" wide x 4 1/2"
deep x 2 1/8" tall (closed), $3,900.00. Next up was a late
19th century shaving mug illustrated with a baseball under crossed
bats with rings at the top, personalized to Steve Goth, 3
11/16" tall, $500.00. Next was an 1894 Boston Base Ball Club
vs. College Picked Nine program
titled Boston's Tribute to the King of Catchers Charles W. Bennett,
10" tall x 7
1/4" wide, $2,800.00The Sporting News
- "The old catcher helped Detroit win the pennant and the World
Series in 1887. Bennett's arm was a primary factor in beating the St. Louis Browns
in the post-season games of that year. After Bennett had caught for 7 years for Detroit, this city dropped out of the National League and the veteran catcher went to Boston to finish
his playing days. He was forced out of the game in 1894 when he lost both of his legs in a railroad accident while on a hunting trip....
(baseballguru.com).
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click
photos to enlarge
From
the Kanuit, Griffith, Orban booth
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John
Kanuit, John Orban, and Jim Griffith
Next
we come to the booth of the National's fair haired child, John
Kanuit of Palos Verdes Estates CA. As many of you know, John has
consistently had the best booth at the National many years and is
one of the most prolific dealers of sports antiques in the world.
This year, as last, he teamed up with veteran Jim Griffith of
Novato CA. Jim has a good eye, particularly for bats
and leather helmets. You'll notice almost everything he sells is
in very nice condition, which contributes to the high quality
of the show.
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click
photos to enlarge
Incredible
c1880's Rowing
Trophy Offered
by John Orban
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Joining
John K. and Jim was John Orban of Cleveland Heights Ohio. John was back this
year for the first time since the 2004 National. John O. is a
career antiques dealer and has seen a lot of material over many
years. His parents were antiques dealers as well, so he grew
up in the business, and has an educated exceptional eye for great sports
pieces. A perfect example of his prowess was the ground shaking
c1880's rowing trophy he brought. Before the KGO booth had started
setting up, I mentioned to John O. I liked rowing stuff. He told
me about a rowing trophy he had and said it was incredible. I was
all ears, but he said it would take a while to get it out as it
was packed in with a lot of stuff. I walked around for 45 minutes
before He got it out......whoa, talk about killer. But it was
serious money, $3,500.00, and even as great as it was I held off
because of the price and condition. It wasn't perfect, was missing
some of the wreathing, and tarnished pretty good. Nevertheless it
was probably the best rowing trophy I'd ever seen. It had a
fantastic large oval shaped engraving of a single sculler, with
about 8" crossed oars on each side, it's right side missing
part of the wreathing. I think John said he got it at Brimfield.
And actually someone told me about John having it almost a year
before but I forgot about it till then. As I was looking at it
Darrel O'Mary was checking it out and commenting on it. He ended
up buying it. Had it been around later I'd have probably nose
dived an offer.
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What a great write up and an even greater write up about the 2007 National. You did a simply fantastic job. All of the pictures to look at are awesome. I even saw some folks I know.....such as John and Judy Burke speaking with Rich Klein....(who only was showing his backside, which could be a plus ).....Tik Sr. and his very lovely wife and others. I especially liked the gentleman wearing shorts and black dress shoes and no socks....very GQ looking......if anyone wants to stay inundated for a while check this site out....
-Leon Lucky, Lucas Texas
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Now
for the rest of the KGO tour starting with a c1930 Reach Official American League
trophy, having a figure of a catcher standing ready to make a
catch on top of a gigantic sliver plate baseball, with a black
bakelite base, 22 1/4" tall, $1,850.00. Next up, a
very nice "PITTSBURGH"
baseball jersey, circa 1915 collared pullover style. Turned
out John said it was a movie
prop, I'd have never known, $550.00. Next up, a c1900
football union suit pants and vest combo, excellent condition,
had it displayed with a long sleeved maroon striped jersey,
$3,500.00. These are getting tougher and tougher to find as year$
go by. Next, a large
sized pair of brown quilted football pants, (back)
$350.00. Next, a rare 12 1/2" tall German
bisque statue of a soccer player (Euro Football) wearing extra
decorative red and white striped cap and pants, priced right at
$475.00, first example I'd seen. Next, a c1930 Wilson pinstriped baseball
uniform with blue trim, with sox, $650.00. Next a very
striking red with white trimmed sports
sweater with sewn on letters spelling "WTN" on the
front, having a makers tag that said: Schmelzer Arms Co. Athletic
Sporting goods Kansas City, Mo., $475.00. Next up, a c1915 Grey
with blue striped, small
billed baseball cap, $425.00. Next was a very nice complete c1920
baseball uniform with green trim including sox, having the
letters NPD down the button placket, $425.00.
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click
photos to enlarge
From
the Kanuit, Griffith, Orban booth |
Bats
Next
up, a boat load of timber, baseball bats that is. They were nicely
displayed on the pegboard wall. At one point I counted 9
on the wall, and three
on the table. Here goes. First up for the bats was a 34"
Spalding Player Model, two black rings flanking logo in
center, large bold black ring above, $950.00. Next, a 33"
Spalding Wagon Tongue, $1,850.00. Next, a dark brown 32"
J.F. Hillerich & Son with ball knob, $2,200.00. NOTE:
The Hillerich company changed their name to "J.F. Hillerich
& Son" in 1897, then to “J.F. Hillerich & Son
Co.” in 1911 Next
up, a 32
3/4" Spalding, with name in Victorian style script, and a
small black and white round decal label, $475.00. Next up, a 33"
Spalding black tip, $1,450.00. Next, a 35"
Spalding ring bat, double black rings flanking bold black
center with Spalding logo, $2,400.
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