Vintage Baseball Glove Forum

I found this Bon Tober glove in an Antique Mall a few weeks back. The tag read "way old glove". The glove was in a box with other sports odds and ends. This is quite a rare find for me, Utah isn't the best area for glove hunting. I've heard of Bon Tober here and there in this forum, but I'm unfamiliar with this brand.

The ink on the pinky appears to be in fountain pen. I despise ink just as much as the next guy, but this gives a little character to the glove. The leather inside and out is very soft and nice with the exception of the pocket.

I would very much appreciate any background on Bon Tober, value of the glove, rarity, etc. I paid a cool $7.50

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.

From what I've found out in my minimal research on the company, they started in Rockville, CT, moved down the street to Manchester, CT and then finally moved to Springfield, MA before they stopped producing equipment. The Bon Tober items seem to be the earliest ones and for some reason the Bon was dropped. They seem to be most famous for producing baseballs and softballs. I'm going to hop into the library in Rockville one of these days and see what I can find out. Great find!

Thanks Guys for your information and knowledge. Very much appreciated.