Innovative Glove & Mitt Designs

[mikesglove]

The turn of the century was a transition period as workman's gloves began incorporating webs. Some manufacturers used a pragmatic solution to add a web to an older design glove without a forefinger seam. Spalding was one such manufacturer. The glove was the model AX from 1902-04. The webbing was face sewn onto the forefinger and riveted in place. The thumb attachment of the web didn't pose this problem. There was a seam along the inner thumb to machine sew a web while the glove maker still had the glove inside out.


There were a few other examples at http://www.baseballglovecollector.com besides the one below. They all seemed to be Spalding.

[mikesglove]

An ultra rare 1922 Wilson model 652 glove with the innovative "Bill Doak" patent webbing
so familiar on Rawlings gloves. I couldn't find any Wilson brand examples on JD's site.

[mikesglove]

I found this illustration from a 1897 Victor catalog at http://www.baseballglovecollector.com
The glove is unique for the crescent pad extending up into the pinky finger stall. The little circle
at the heel is an eyelet for lacing the wrist opening. Seems to low for a button. At least that's my opinion.
Victor was one of the few manufactures that kept the straight thumb seam even on their better gloves.
The no. 12 was Victor's top glove.


I could only find one example on JD's site that matched. It was in the early glove section but
I believe it could be 19th century. Funny the web is cut as the ad suggested.

[ebbets55]

Moving to 19th Century. Love this Mike. Please keep 'em coming.

JD

[TigerFan]

I thought this Joe Cronin Goldsmith glove had a couple of interesting characteristics. First, I'd never seen this exact web design. Second, it has those "slots" on the knuckles of three of the fingers. It appears to be a "JC12" model but it's difficult to make out the numerals. I've seen a picture of a "JC" model in the 1941 Goldsmith catalog, but it didn't look like this.

[mikesglove]

I thought this Joe Cronin Goldsmith glove had a couple of interesting characteristics. First, I'd never seen this exact web design. Second, it has those "slots" on the knuckles of three of the fingers. It appears to be a "JC12" model but it's difficult to make out the numerals. I've seen a picture of a "JC" model in the 1941 Goldsmith catalog, but it didn't look like this.

Here you go. Can't remember where I found this circa 1942 ad. I owned a model like yours for a time. A truly unique glove!

[TigerFan]

I love it! Thank you!!!

[mikesglove]

This 1928 Spalding model TG has a unique split sewn web. there are holes along each section of webbing for a player to lace up to adjust the thumb/forefinger distance.

Below is an example. Spalding also made a four fingered version.

[mikesglove]

This Stall & Dean glove from the 1940's features a unique "double cupped finger" construction on the back of the finger stalls. It was really innovative and stood apart from other curved finger models of the day.

Nowadays most glove companies manufacturer that S&D type finger stall construction.
Rawlings

Wilson

[mikesglove]

Below is a Goldsmith "Professional Model" catchers mitt with "Finger Grip Model" boldly stamped at the bottom. This is a 1916-17 Pat. Pending mitt and has an interesting buckle web with metal eyelets. That was something unique to Goldsmith in the mid to late teens. This one was made for Edw.Tryon Sporting Goods and has the Tryon keystone logo and model number 40B near the pocket.



The finger grip pads are up inside the finger stalls and seem very effective at gaining leverage to manipulate the mitt. I love the olive leather back with the contrasting tan lacing, brown leather face and white on black Tryon tag.

The Goldsmith "Finger Grip" model below shows how the grip pads were made up in the finger stalls.

[mikesglove]

Here is a novel approach to constructing a one piece face glove. The gloves below were part of some exhibit. The back of the throwing glove to the left features a sewn in back panel along the thumb.

The photo below is from the Gary Cypress collection. It shows the thumb panel seams a lot better. Not sure of the manufacturer. The gloves look to be very high end.

[mikesglove]

Spalding experimented with different wrist strap designs on their mitts. In 1938, Val Picinich ordered a mitt below to his specifications. It was given model no. 221-90010. Apparently this extended number was used for the professional market rather than retail.

The back of the mitt has a really odd wrist strap design. The strap is notched and held in place by a leather retainer and a metal keeper. This design may have been a quick release feature of some sort.

Below are three mitts from the Picinich estate. All have the notched wrist strap and besides the model 221-90010 on the far left, there a two store models, one of them is model VP with an original Spalding box.

[mikesglove]

Another Spalding glove with an extended model number is this "Professional Model" 222-90018. It features a sewn strap web.

The illustration below from a 1933 Spalding catalog is the Babe Herman model with the same strap web.

[mikesglove]

Two models for one year only. Both gloves were top of the line and more than likely supremely rare today. They may have been introduced as a response to the ground breaking 1922 Rawlings Bill Doak patented laced web through grommets.
The first is a Spalding Pick Up model F5 on the left which was introduced in 1924 as a metal grommeted full sewn web glove with web lacing. the F5 on the right was changed in 1925 to more common sewn leather flaps with grommets and lace. I couldn't find a 1924 full web example unfortunately.


The second is an A.J. Reach. The Al Reach line of gloves, introduced in 1924, featured four models. One was the model ARL on the left which was also a grommeted full sewn web glove with web lacing. This model on the right was changed to sewn leather flaps with grommets and lace in 1925. No 1924 full web example found for this one either.

[mikesglove]

A one year only model from a 1941 Goldsmith catalog. It was their most expensive model and an odd one for sure. I couldn't find an example.