Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

This is a rare one;

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOB-GIBSON-SPALDING ... dZViewItem

Wow!! $5000 for a glove based on a piece of paper stating that Gibson gave someone the glove. Even with the smiley face signature, it would seem the provinance is not strong enough to raise the price from $200 to $5000.

Well, let's see what we have here. Gieselmann was indeed the longtime Cardinal Head Trainer for all those years and he could have certainly have received the glove from Gibson. So the letter of provenance is not bad. Gibson was a Spalding endorser and I've seen photo matches with Gibson wearing Spaldings. The 42-2037 I do not find in the catalog book but it would be after 1970 with that number. The glove appears thru its image to be of professional quality and shows Gibson's personal model stamping which I also don't find in the 70-75 catalogs, only his 42- 3321 mid price store glove. So this helps.
The glove doesn't show that much use and maybe it was one of Bob's extras, may not have been played with much if at all by him. Players got two or three gloves from their endorsed company each year.
So this glove has a something going for it for me.

softball66: thanks for your thoughts. I have little experience in this area. The price of nearly $5000. seems way out of line. Maybe there are enough Bob Gibson and Cardinal fans that the price is not that far off.

I was a Tiger fan and the 68 series is still up there as the most exciting for me. The Cardinals had Gibson and he was very scary. The Tigers had McClean AND Lolich.

would you buy anything from this guy based on this one...? http://cgi.ebay.com/Jimmy-Rollins-Rookie-Game-Model-Phillies-Glove-MLB_W0QQitemZ140174254159QQihZ004QQcategoryZ50117QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

....his lame response to my inquiry

Dear mvalz,

sam model he used mya have been in his locker but does not show much if any wear so maybe he didint like it


- simplyawesome!

the "29" is provenance enough for me.........haha

might be the retail price of the glove

Gentlemen, as many of you know, this is an area of great trepidation. That's why the good authenticators have gone to a grading system for their letters of opinions on game-used or game-worn items because their normally is no great areas of sure certainty both with the item and the provenance documents.
I recently plucked off the game used forum a question on a Willie Stargell game used glove. Now the Heart of the Hide glove is distinctive with a model number I'd not seen "HOH-7 HOF" (H web, fastback etc. I guess). Only a very "small" problem. The glove was for a right hand thrower and "Pops" Stargell was a lefty thrower.
And this last post on Rollins glove. We're getting into suspension of disbelief. Another problem with the modern gamers is that now we have Easton and Nike and other new glove makers which spreads the field. It's much easier to check on Rawlings, Wilsons, Mizunos.
So much boils down to opinions from various "experts", and this has been true in the antique business for hundreds of years. Does this painting have the usual brush strokes and color of Rembrandt?
The best we can do is arm ourselves with as much information as possible and come to, hopefully, a decision if we're buying a game-used and game-worn product.
Jack, I know what you mean, we're all learning in this dubious area.

that should be "there normally is no great areas"... I usually don't make that mistake.
While delving through my old files, ran across this trivia question for you glovers:
What Hall of Fame pitcher's nephew became world reknown concert violinist and some consider him this country's finest violinist ever??

On game used note, I may be examining a Willie Mays personal GC12
with "24" markered inside the wrist strap (strange place). Unfortunately is has zero provenance.

I seem to remember reading a story about Albert Spalding's nephew / family member recently, being an accomplished violinist...?

Didn't just about every kid from the 60's write his number, or favorite players number on his glove...?

Years ago, back in 1956 I found an old Yogi Berra catcher's mitt under the Christmas tree. I was 6. It's a little thing with plactic binding. I'm not even sure who made it. Last time I was back to see my 88 year old Mom in Connecticut, I went down the basement and saw it sitting on my Dad's old workbench. I picked it up to try it on and generally check it out. I must have been intent on practicing my script back then. As a young kid I signed it in two places on the lighter golden tan colored back Larry "Yogi" Berra and Lawrence Peter Berra in another spot. I did't see the number eight on it but could easily see my awkward lefty efforts at script. No one will ever mistake those signatures for real Yogi signatures, but it does show just how prominent players signatures were back then with Topps giving us countless examples on their cards.