It's a tradition around these parts to periodically review the state of the baseball auction market, a task we approach with a combination of curiosity, envy, bemusement, and sheer stupefaction. (Disclosure: a couple of years ago I wrote a piece on Jefferson R. Burdick, the grandfather of all baseball card collectors, which you can find here.) What appeals most, of course, are the wonderful, museum quality artifacts we often find, like the 1915 Cracker Jack poster you see above, now up for bid on the REA website (minimum bid: $25,000). A few of the other items that caught our eye:
The item I most covet: a 1911 Turkey Red Christy Mathewson cabinet card.
Does anyone really need a Mr. Coffee signed by Joe D?
For the morbid, there's Thurman Munson's pilot license.
I really liked these old die-cuts.
Is there anything more beautiful than Victorian printing?
Who needs Ruth? I'll take Rembrandt.
I had fun reading this. Love the photos and great post!
Damn! I was sure I had the “smartest post of the morning” prize wrapped up.
That Mathewson card is gorgeous. Graded at a 60, too. That’s remarkable.
Cool pictures and great post.
thanks folks. i just added the link to the burdick piece, if anyone’s interested. his story is pretty amazing.