Women in the hobby
 

Just got to thinking the other day about the role of women in the hobby, specifically whether anyone has evidence - anecdotally or otherwise - of whether more women are collecting/buying/selling, etc. now as opposed to years ago. I ship to a fair number of female names through paypal, but I suspect the account is just registered to them, and the guys are the ones buying the cards.

My girlfriend is generally pretty supportive of the time I devote to this obsession, but is clueless when it comes to discussing anything baseball-card related. Sometimes I try to explain all the fun intricacies of the hobby, but alas, it is usually a lost cause.

Also, any women on this board who would like to share their thoughts/experiences?

Rob

She's travelling today, on the way to Atlanta.

My significant other was lukewarm with my 1950's and 60's collection, and extremely lukewarm with many of my vintage pieces. I guess if you don't like baseball, it is hard to fully appreciate a Ruth or Cobb vs a 1984 Strawberry. I have run into very few female collectors in my days. I'm going to try and get my son and daughter interested someday. I suspect many wives and girlfriends act like they don't like cards, but have some appreciation for nice cards.

If they can't wear it or spend it they seem to have little interest and that's fine with me.

I don't go to bars, I don't run around, I don't play golf or softball non-stop. My lovely wife is just fine with my ball card collecting.

Lack of female interest / participation is probably a gender-related issue. Like most guys aren't into needlepoint . . . I don't think. The many times I went to the Labor Day shows in San Fran., she was cool hitting the stores in Union Square.

I have been around the collecting/selling biz around 35 years now and have never come across a single female collector. Not to say there isn't any (I believe there is a regular female contributor to this board), I just have never met one. Now, I have come across quite a few knowlegable women in the hobby but they are usually sitting at a table at a show with their husband. My mom has been around the card business her entire adult life through working with and for my father(at least 45 years now) and she knows absolutely nothing about sports memorabilia. I don't know why women aren't collectors, most seem uninterested or confused by it.

Bingo.

My wife has been a quilter / knitter for years (decades). Go to the National Quilt show and you'll see the inverse of the National. Tons of women, a few men, virtually all of the men are straggling behind their wives somewhat zombie-like. That said, I've also made a quilt once in my life. Never do it again, but Ive crossed barriers.

My wife doesn't mind me collecting cards. She's actually turned into a pretty conservative grader. The day she starts collecting is the day I probably quit because I'm not going to have a bidding war over some card that we both like.

There are a few women that collect baseball cards. One that I remember is Vivian Barning. She and her husband Frank were (probably still are) avid collectors and hobbyist.

There was Julie Vognar but I think she sold off her collection a few years back. It was a nice collection.

Joann is the person
 

We are referring to

There have always been female collectors -- but they are few and far between in proportion to male collectors. Back when I was at Beckett, the highest percentage of women collectors were hockey collectors.

Regards
Rich

I remember Renata Galasso coming up in the 1970s and being a force in the hobby in the 1980s.

met a few at the national this yr for what its worth

Female collectors
 

We have a couple in OBC, one active and one inactive, who have been in the group for a number of years and are enthusiastic vintage collectors

John

Women in the hobby
 

If any of you out there(and I know there are many) Have the book Smithsonian Baseball One woman that comes to mind for me is Penny Marshall. Pennys collection is a very bizarre mix of some of the sports strangest relics! But as we all know one persons strange is anothers gold!:eek::eek:

Here are 4 of the gals that come to my mind, who are serious BB card collectors......

Joann Kline

Betty........who used to chime in on Net54, particularly on our T206 threads.

Kim Vida....a young gal from NJ (and close friend) that was a collector/dealer/show promoter
that ran BB card shows with guests Bobby Thomson and Gerry Dvorak (1953 Topps artist).

Vivian Barning....most of you are quite well aware of her amazing vintage BB card collection.


TED Z

Penny Marshall (Laverne of Laverne and Shirley fame) apparently has an impressive basketball collection.

I wonder if a stream of sexist comments like those on this thread turn off many potential women who would be interested.
JimB

I doubt if any of the gals mind.

Gals? Didn't you mean "babes?"



Fortunately, except for Joann, who has pretty thick skin, not too many females will read these idiotic comments. However, even if the comments don't do the trick, the general mindset is evident.

Judy Burk (Collectible Classics Auctions) is one of the nicest persons you could ever deal with.

Felicia L. had an awesome PSA graded collection ... but last I heard she was divesting of part of it to go into some other investments.

What about Julie Vognar? I know she sold off quite a bit, but had a great collection and used to be active on this board.

jon
 

I remember Julie well.
Bright and articulate with a love for aesthetics.
I think she left and joined Jay Behrens board many years back.

best,
barry

Julie sold her entire collection through REA a few years back. She was very knowledgeable and a good contributor here. I believe she is more or less out of the hobby now.
JimB

My dear friend Audre Gold
 

Who is no longer with us, was actually the driving force in AU Sports in Chicago. She was the BOSS of that store, no doubt about that

Rich