Nice pick-up at a bargain price!
I've seen Bon Tober sporting goods items before, but have never been able to find much history about this company. The few facts I've been able to uncover, based on seeing their items for sale and through internet searches:
- They were based in Conneticut.
- Some of their items seem to date back to at least the 1930's and perhaps the 1920's.
- They apparently went out of business in the 1950's.
- They seem to have produced a lot of softball-specific gloves, balls and bats.
- Many of their items seem to be cheaply made (ie: smaller, vinyl trimmed and lined gloves).
- One interesting fact that probably raises more questions than it answers- I have seen some of their equipment that was "co-branded" (carried stampings from both companies) along with the sporting goods company McKinnon. McKinnon is another of those companies that little is known about, but there seems to have been some connection between the two.
I did find this photo from a Hunt's auction:
Bon Tober Glove
Too bad the stampings on the glove and label on the box aren't more easily seen. They might provide some clues. As an aside, I'm sceptical about the auction describing this glove as being from the 1910-1915 era. Unless there is some identifying date on the box or glove, so little seems to known about this company that I wonder how they pinned down a specific date (other than the general glove style). Many of the Bon Tober (and McKinnon) gloves I've seen seem to be of the inexpensive variety that recycled designs from previous decades (for example, using a one-inch sewn web on gloves sold in the 1930's, after the major glovemakers had moved on to laced-in, multiple tunnel webs).
And that's about it! Not much solid information to go on, but it's all I've been able to piece together.
