Local Searches

[softball66]

I hear all of the time about glove guys sort of giving up on their local flea markets, antique stores since eBay has become the dominant source of purchases. In many collectible areas, I follow the same story line though.
It's dried up in the past 5-7 years. This was a complaint at our local glove meeting last weekend.
For me it was an enjoyment of getting out and getting hands on, and seeing many other items from our past. Antique malls are closing down. Wonder if this is the general consensus on the glove forum? Your input?

[drasher81]

I don't even know if it is eBay that has taken a toll on the vintage glove market. I honestly think a decent amount of the gloves have been acquired by collectors of the past few years and the supply is simply starting to run out especially on the turn of the century items. Not long ago I can remember picking up 5-10 full webs or one inch webs on a local hunts basically every month during the summer. Now if I can turn up this many over the course of the entire summer via the flea market route I am a very happy glover.

[rosajr]

I believe it to be a combination of many things. Definitely Ebay has taken its toll, but I think that the increase and popularity of the hobby has a lot to do with it. Watching Ebay you see an increasing number of new members winning gloves. I alo think that along with everything else, people are purchasing gloves as an investment. I know this is not true for most glove hobbyists, just by reading the posts. As for me there is something that is hard to define when I put on an old glove. I agree that the market seems to be slowing with the number of items presenting themselves.

[vintagebrett]

Everything goes in cycles. Right now it might seem that things are hard to find at shows. I've had better luck the past two years than previous years so maybe that is a sign the pendulum is swinging back. It is much more fun going out to shows looking for things that going through eBay listings. Also, a lot of times I'd be willing to spend more on something I find at a show, can touch and feel, rather than something on eBay where I have to rely on the pictures.

Another thing I've noticed is that dealers who we used to get gloves from are either not in the business anymore or have moved onto something else. My dad and I are contemplating setting up at Brimfield in July just to get a pulse on the market and see if there are other people looking for quality gloves. I think a lot of newbie collectors rely on eBay as their only source and don't hit the markets.

[stockbuddy]

I see more newbie handles buying gloves on ebay too. Maybe more people are coming into the glove market. Just a thought on the old gloves but I would think ebay is bringing out gloves from attics, basements and closets as they see some rather hefty prices paid for the gloves. Likely, many of them would not have been viewed by our eyes in the last few years without ebay and auctions driving the price and then getting people to look for those old gloves to put on ebay. I would think, however, that the supply of the gloves, especially the early ones and unique ones will eventually dry up and then one might need to trade their car for a glove. LOL I am wondering if this glove market ever catches on internationally how that might also impact on the glove supply. Surely the number of the old gloves that are even close to decent shape are finite and getting bought up by more and more collectors. Do you think the Japanese might find the USA gloves a fascination??

Dave

[softball66]

All the posts have merit. Thanks for everyone's input. I'll use the ideas in my next glove column. I had not thought of the aspect that we might have "plumbed" the market, especially with the older gloves.
And Brett, you find more gloves and bats in one outing than I do all year it seems. By shows you attend, do you mean sports or antique collectible shows, or are these flea markets like Kane County? Just wondering?
I was birthday shopping for one of my glover friends Sunday at local antique show and ran across two buyable gloves: a Rawlings MC Mort Cooper, exc. condition but with big written in name on inside web. Asking price $50 and I got it for $40. The lady also had a VG+ Eddie Mathews EM model, also at $50. These two, out of a five glove selection.

[vintagebrett]

I go to antique shows, flea markets, sports collectible shows - anything where there might be something to be found. I'm also there at least 35 to 40 minutes before the show opens, securing a spot at the front of the line - I move fast through each show looking for leather and wood. I found it pays to be the first though the gate.

[crackofthebat]

In the northwest corner of Connecticut we used to a lot of small local flea markets on the weekends, but these have all gone out of business. Yes, the large shows like Brimfield, Stormville and Farmington still have baseball equipment, but most of it is well picked over by dealers who set up with a few items just to get on the field and grab all the good stuff before the general public is allowed in. I don't find as much stuff as Brett because he can move a lot faster than his dad!!!!!

[vintagebrett]

Another thing I was thinking about is the dealers. I was talking to a long time dealer this weekend, discussing my move, and he said he would miss me because no one else buys sports from him. His prices are a little inflated but once you establish a relationship, they drop. I find this true for a lot of dealers. From dealers I've spoken to, people here in the Midwest don't like to spend money at shows - they are always looking for a super bargain. I've heard that the market for higher end stuff is better on the coasts. This could have something to do with a lack of finds - dealers not bringing it because people don't want to pay. When I first started out on my own looking for gloves, I was very conservative in my approach and passed on a lot of things in retrospect I should have purchased. Now I'm a little more liberal and see that you do need to spend money to get nice things - bargains are great but not as common.

[Bleacher Bum]

Being in the midwest, I haven't found many flea markets or antique stores that sell gloves or bats. I would be willing to put forth a little extra if I found something decent. Maybe now that Brett is leaving, I can head 2 1/2 hours east to Chicago more often and pick up where he left off!!

Good luck with the move!!

Brad