Earliest piece of baseball memorabilia - Pictures - Pre-1880 only, 18th Century Wins

[BigJJ]

Incredible items. Great card.
Love the rounders bat and that six peel lemon peel; unbelievable.
The rounders bat may be the earliest surviving bat of any sort in existence - now that my private offer was rejected, I will publically glorify the bat
This is my earliest bat - I believe it to be the earliest, or among the earliest, game-used bats (non-trophy, actually used) that survive to date, c. 1850-1860. Given its large size of 34 inches, heavy weight, and emblems, I believe it was used by a member of a professional club. It's post 1840 as it is thicker than town ball, and it is not a child's bat (as you may know, baseball was, with limited exception, a child and teen sport pre-1840). Wish I can find more on the "E" emblem and "SVS" initials; have done much research but have not been able to find anything. The bat had a vertical grain separation that was repaired by Cliff spectacularly.
Also has a knot in the barrell which I love - players of the era viewed a knot as a positive because of how hard knots are, believing they would hit the ball harder and further.
I would sell the bat, so please feel free to PM if interested - I will even give you an asking price and not make you come up with an offer!
I purchased the bat at the Atlantic City National in 2002; I was told it came out of a house on a large property/farm in upstate New York.

[jpop43]

Great thread...thanks for getting this one started as early equipment and memorabila remain our primary and most enjoyable area of interest.

Here are a few pieces of printed material/images in our collection that fit the pre-1880 criteria.

1. Although just a fairy tale drummed up by the Mills Commission, Abner Doubleday is still very much connected to the mythology of the game. Here is an original Matthew Brady portrait of the Civil War General.

2. Nice, studio posed CDV of a late 1860's-1870's era player.

3. Double paned tin type image of two ball players. One action pose and one seated.

4. Single paned tin type depicting two uniformed players.

5. Program for a day of sports that included Base Ball from Euclid Ohio in 1875

www.dugouttreasures.com