To Clean or Not to Clean - That is the Question

[ebbets55]

Just an observation. I sold a Goldsmith catchers mitt on eBay a couple of weeks ago for $56. Of course, I didn't clean or condition it as I always thought that the buyer would rather do it themselves. I would. I feel I'm a better cleaner than everyone else and I'm sure everyone else feels the same way I do about their skills. In fact, I always thought that most people felt the same way, until now.

Anyway, the winning bidder bought it, cleaned it up and immediately relisted it and sold it for $106 a week later. I'm happy for him. That's great!

So it got me thinking. My new observation would be to shine something up for window dressing and I could expect to do better the next time around. I guess some people don't like to clean themselves and would rather have someone else do it for them. I guess I was turned off to all those gloves in the 90's that were soaking wet and greasy when I got them. That was a turn off and I always said I would rather do it myself. What are your guys' thoughts on this? Doesn't spending a lot of time working on a glove give you more satisfaction and a closer bond with the glove so to speak? Is it really worth $50 more not to have to put a coat of lanolin or vaseline on it yourselves? Was I screwing myself all these years with my flawed logic?

JD

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0255714013

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0248100969

[BretMan]

What a great question!

I guess the answer might depend on what your goals in selling are- just move the product or maximize your profit- and who your buyer might be- a glove hobbyist or someone who just wants a display piece.

You would think that many of the guys on this forum would prefer to work on the glove themselves. I know that I get a lot of enjoyment out of bringing a grungy old glove back to life and consider the restoration as a fun part of the hobby. I would likely go for the unrestored glove, at half the price, rather than the cleaned-up version at double the price.

Who knows who the final buyer was for this mitt. A casual baseball fan just looking for a cool display piece? A collector who's not really into doing restoration work and wants the best looking mitt he can find without the work?

If I'm selling a glove, I'm inclined to make it look as nice and presentable as possible. But I get the "bonding" thing you're talking about. Once I clean-up the glove, I usually don't want to sell it!

[jwoody]

I am retired and look foward to buy, clean and relace 3 finger gloves from the 1950's era..Than I will sell a couple to make room for different makes and models....

[MVALZ]

Same guy made 5X his money on one of mine too...I say shine 'em up

[Bubdoggy]

There's something therpeutic about "rehabbing" an old glove. I haven't done a lot of buying off of ebay, cleaning and then selling them again. Most of the ones I've sold were picked up in thrift stores. I gain a lot of personal satisfaction by seeing how much I can clean them up, relace them and, if possible, sell some to put together a "war chest" for what I really would like to have.

I tend to think the guys I've sold them to either see more potential in reworking them (because they are a LOT better at it than I am) or they love the glove for what they see. I try to make sure I'm up front with all the work done to one and all the downside left (ink, worn palms, etc).

I agree that most guys on this forum see the gloves as more than a commodity to be bought and sold.

[rmiller]

JD
My question is, if you had done the restoring work for that particular mitt, would you have wanted to part with it? Would you even have listed it? I couldn’t see parting with it, after doing that kind of work on a glove. Even if my plan was to restore, then list it, I’d reconsider after the work was done. I wouldn’t be able to let it go at that point.

[Rickybulldog]

Hard to say JD. Some gloves I get attached to after I clean them, others seem to just pass through the assembly line for me. As for your catcher mitt, my 2 cents now, I kinda like the dirty/dusty look to it rather than the cleaned/polished look. Some gloves/mitts on ebay look to greasy for me, I'm afraid to have a lit flame by gloves that have that look. Now, is it worth your time for the extra 50 bucks? I guess it's up to the seller and how valuable their time is. If I get a glove/mitt that I just want to get a quick sell or my money back then I don't do all the labor, but if I know there's a chance to earn more maybe I'll put forth the effort. To each his own I guess.

Great question though.

BTW, I don't think I'm the best cleaner. I think my wife likes it better when I don't clean the gloves and have them already touched up by you guys! Guess I'm getting old in my collecting! Haha!

[wjr953]

That's an easy question for me, since I'm not a collector. I clean them, condition them, re-lace if needed and re-sell them.

br

[vintagebrett]

I think that if you are trying to make a profit off a glove you need to make it look the best that you can. Conversely, I agree with Ricky that I liked the look of this particular mitt better unconditioned. I found that those earlier gloves with the light tan/whitish colored leather are the hardest to condition and it's best to leave them alone.

If you look at the gloves the seller has sold recently he has gotten some good money for some average gloves. So I guess quite a few buyers like to have their gloves fixed up and ready to go.

[Mike_2007]

I think the results speak for themselves! Shine'em up and take nice photos!

[ebbets55]

Great feedback guys. I appreciate it. I don't know what my motives were. Two things probably. First, in my quest to get down to the 600 mark, I sold 364 gloves in the last year and I didn't have the energy or time to clean anything so I guess it was part laziness. Secondly, I really believed that most people would rather clean their new purchases themselves and that there might be a little less action for a glove that was already done. That's where I was wrong I guess. For the record, I would rather buy a diamond in the rough than one that was already cleaned even if it takes me years to get to it.

I do believe the extra four and a half minutes it took to apply the conditioner is worth the $50. Then again, my motive has been to move gloves, not make huge profits, which is why my eBay ledger is way in the red. I'm not complaining. Just thinking how I should approach it next time around. Maybe I should call a 1910's mitt a 1900's mitt to generate more interest. Just kidding.

Thanks guys.

JD

[stockbuddy]

Hi Guys,

JD a very good question. You know me, I love the old timer gloves and certainly am inclined to do some cleaning on the old glove(or at least a wiping off with a dry cloth) when I get them. Sometimes I think people look for a dirty old glove, as on ebay, to see what treasured endorsement might be beneath the grime. Unearthing, that hidden signature or brand is part of the fun. But, I think a decently cleaned glove appeals to the eye and reflects the some of the gloves finer attributes. I personally like to clean the old gloves, at least a bit, and I do think that leads to a bonding during the rejuvenating process.

You might remember that one Doak glove, I took to the backyard. Now that was one cleaning job!!

You guys have a great labor day weekend.

Dave

[yankees23]

I would agree with Bubdoggy on this matter for the most part. I personally like to buy older gloves clean them up relace them and resell them if it is not the style or make of glove I collect, then I take the money I make and buy something I do like. I recentley bought an older ALL Star catchers mitt for my son and when I got home he said he wanted to stick to his Rawlings models. I then put it up and made $85 (the buyer was extatic to get the glove that he used in college) then went and bought another Rawlings pro preferred Pro-H glove I had wanted to pick up. I know if I ever come across any made in the USA Rawlings gloves at yard sales or flea markets etc. I will be able to make a couple of bucks. Last year I picked up an older Rawlings left handed catcher's mitt for $5 and was shocked it sold for $85 dollars and it was just a plain old store model. I do use all of my gloves other than my grandfathers Rawlings 3 finger glove. Sorry to ramble on but I just love to talk gloves and other than here most people think I am a little obsesed including my wife.