How old is this Rawlings glove?

[richard miller]

I'm trying to identify the age of this glove:
Rawlings; it has four fingers. The only things I can read are: Pat.#2311949, PML, place two middle fingers together (or something like that).
Thanks for your help. Richard

[vintagebrett]

Hi and Welcome!

The Rawlings PML Stan Musial Pro-Leaguer was made from 1953 until 1959 according to the Glove Source Book. It was the lowest line Stan Musial glove and retailed for between $5.95 and $7.45. Hope that helps!

[richard miller]

Vintagebrett,
Thank you for the rapid, informative response. Now I have another question: The glove is well worn but intact; can you estimate what its value is?

[BretMan]

Book values for this glove (source: Vintage Baseball Glove Pocket Price Guide) in varying conditions:

Very Good: $20
Excellent: $30
Near Mint: $40

Those prices are fairly in-line with what I expect as "top dollar" prices if sold on eBay.

While this is an old glove (and a cool one- all old gloves are cool!) it is not especially rare or valuable. The PML model gloves were small, kid-sized gloves, with vinyl trim and cheap materials. Further, they were mass-produced, sold by the millions and a good supply still exists today.

Contrast that with a Stan Musial-endorsed "Personal" model glove from the same era. Those gloves were full-sized, manufactured in far fewer numbers, used the best quality leather and materials, and were, in fact, the same gloves used by many of the professional players of the day.

Find one of those models and the book value jumps five-fold, to $100/$150/$400 for the same three conditions! (Though my best guess a currentt eBay prices might be roughly 1/2 those figures).

Your glove may not be a rare, pricey relic, but it is a good example of 1950's glove design that has managed to survive for half a century. And all old gloves are cool!

[richard miller]

Bretman,
Thanks again. I learned a lot.
Richard

[BretMan]

Here are a few examples, from eBay auctions happening right now.

- The first link is to an auction for a PML model glove. With a "Buy it Now" price of $24.95, this glove will likely go unsold:
PML Glove

-The next link is to a PMM model, which was slotted between the PML and the top-line gloves in quality and price. This one is in at least excellent condition, or a little better: PMM Glove

- And, another PMM model, this one in lesser condition but outselling the other one linked above: Another PMM

While none of these are the top-line models, they do illustrate how differnent gloves from the same era, maker and endorser and can bring greatly different prices.