Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

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Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby BretMan » August 20th, 2015, 9:48 pm

This is from a Facebook group I belong to. Someone found this in a box of "baseball stuff" in an old barn.

How come I never find suff like this!

Looking for appraisal and opinions from the expert glovers on this board. What do you think?


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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby Mr. Mitt » August 20th, 2015, 10:56 pm

Hey, great find! Always love to see new gloves of that stature come into the hobby. That said, if I spend money for a tipped glove, the glove better damn well have tips! The eBay example for $7.5k was in much better condition, so this one's worth half that, tops. I'd put it in the $2.5k to $3k range.
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby Yanks23 » August 20th, 2015, 11:21 pm

I have to agree with Jerry here. Sure,it is a rare find, but the whole idea of owning a rare tipped would be to have the actual tips, not just one. For the "rarity" collectors, it would be great to own. But when you look at the Spalding that sold on eBay for $7800, this one isn't close. $3000, $3500 at most and that is being kind. Tell the seller to go back in that box to find the other tips. There could be an end of the rainbow type who must have it, but I'd be surprised if this one fetched much more than $3500 or so.
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby mikesglove » August 21st, 2015, 1:22 pm

It looks like the glove had two wrist straps at one time. The lower strap is now missing. You may want to have your friend check out any stitching remnants at the strap attachment point. If it is a double strap model, it is very rare. Too bad parts are missing but still a great find. I would restore it if it were mine. Are there any other double strap models out there? Below is a photo of a similar glove on the players left hand.

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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby mikesglove » August 22nd, 2015, 1:11 pm

One more thing. I don't believe the one feature of the tipped fingers on this glove can be isolated as determining value. There are other features to this glove that also determine its time period, rarity and ultimately its value. A search of Jim Daniels website http://www.baseballglovecollector.com shows most of the tipped finger models have a uniform padding in the palm and some even have the latter issue crescent pad. This particular glove has the earlier segmented padding. There is also the exceedingly rare double wrist strap feature I mentioned before. The glove is high quality and very well made. In my opinion, it is on the early end of the time line of the tipped finger models I have seen.
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby Mr. Mitt » August 22nd, 2015, 2:55 pm

I agree with all you've said, Mike, you're absolutely correct and your research is spot on as always. Rarity isn't the only variable to this valuation equation, however. A significant portion of demand, and ultimately value, is derived from condition. This WAS a tipped glove at one point, but no longer is. It also WAS a double strap glove too. If all these features were present and original (in addition to being in strong EX condition), there's no doubt in my mind it would be a $20k+ glove. In its present state, though, it certainly does not even approach what the very few complete tipped gloves have commanded.

Then there's the question of restoration. Yes, tips and a strap could be added. Will that increase demand and value? That remains to be seen and is up to the owner to decide. I, for one, do not believe that restoration of this piece would garner a significant difference in its price. Those who collect 19th century memorabilia prefer "original" condition over refurbishment
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby mikesglove » August 22nd, 2015, 3:27 pm

Jerry, I agree adding a strap and fastener plus new tips is a lot of restoration. One thing not mentioned is the manufacturer. At this point it is generic. The stitched padding pattern on the face is pretty distinctive however. JD's site has a lot of early catalog illustrations in addition to collectors photos. What would be your take if a brand could be determined from a catalog listing and the glove remain in as-is condition?
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby Mr. Mitt » August 22nd, 2015, 3:46 pm

I, and apparently some other bidders, knew the tipped I won on eBay was a Spalding before the auction ended. That, along with condition, was factored into the final price. So, if the current glove in question could be photo matched to a Spalding catalog, or Reach (to a lesser extent), that would certainly add to its value. But again, that one, in much better condition and known as a Spalding, set a benchmark. Yes, a double strap adds to a glove's appeal, but the missing parts certainly detract. The owner, if selling, simply needs to find a buyer who wants a glove with rare features, but doesn't mind that those features are no longer present.
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby Mr. Mitt » August 22nd, 2015, 4:20 pm

Now, don't get me wrong, the above glove is neat and valuable, but not as valuable as its nearest contemporaries, in my opinion. It all goes back to the age old debate of rarity versus condition. It's a personal collecting preference, and I've always tried to obtain both, whenever possible, in my collection. All else being equal, however, condition always trumps rarity in any collectible from vintage cars to vintage watches, vintage furniture to vintage baseball cards. Condition, condition, condition! That doesn't make rare pieces in tough shape worthless, it just means, more often than not, items in better condition bring in higher premiums.

I've been valuing the above glove based on prior sales of tipped gloves in superior condition, discounting the missing parts. If the market has changed since the last sale and demand has shifted significantly higher to make the current find marketedly more than the 3k or so I see it at, so be it. That only means that the other known tipped examples would all shift higher as well.
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby Number9 » August 25th, 2015, 1:20 pm

I'll need to go through my notes, but I'm pretty sure the pull tabs shown on the fingerless glove were either Spalding or Rawlings patent. My gut tells me it was Rawlings, and Spalding either used or licensed it later. Since both gloves worn by the catcher in the photo have dual straps that should be a matching pair from the same manufacturer.

Initially I was leaning towards D&M, but the color looks off (should be greenish) and the lack of full lining make me doubt that as a possibility.

I'm going to stick with Rawlings for now.
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Re: Old Barn Find- Fingertip!

Postby mikesglove » August 26th, 2015, 2:29 pm

William, this may be the patent you are looking for. The drawing shows a full thumb but the documents leave an option for a truncated thumb with pull tab. The inventor, John Blomstrom was a superindent of Henry Price Glove Co. of Rockford, Illinois. The glove factory was one of the largest operations in the U.S. Henry Price was also one of the backers of the Forest Citys baseball team and ball park in the 1860's. Albert Spalding was a star pitcher for the Forest Citys at the time. Through the 1880's into 1891, A.G. Spalding & Bros. contracted with the Henry Price Glove Co. to manufacture their gloves and mitts.
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