Question about Babe Ruth underwear box

[baseball tourist]

Add another white boxed version to the pile. This has no size stamping but the box has a similar look with perforations for folding, aged glue etc. It has an applied label.

[HBroll]

I also think there are 2 box sizes too. The 14" Ruth underwear mini-bat was supposedly found inside the larger box along with the underwear.

I believe Fusco auctioned a green/white version in one of their summer auctions. I am not sure what it sold for.

Not only is the green/white box missing "The Champion Nine" line at the bottom of the box, there is no square line surrounding the entire image. Very interesting.

[ctownboy]

Personally, I think all the Babe Ruth Underwear boxes with the white edges are fakes/reproductions. The graphics aren't as clear and crisp and just don't look right compared to the original boxes with the green edges.

Also, Antique Helper in Indianapolis sold one of these boxes in 2007 for $110 dollars. In that same auction was a number of fake items, i.e. Kaywoodie Babe Ruth sign, whiskey advertisement sign with Honus Wagner on it plus a few others.

If I remember correctly, all of these items came from the same consigner. Once I found that out, I refused to bid on the underwear box because if two of the items were fake, it was a good bet the underwear box was also.

David

[mjkm90]

I also believe they are reproductions. There is too much variation in the content of this lid in contrast to the originals, completely different construction, and the colors are off. It just looks off to me.

[ctownboy]

Yes, from what I have seen, the original box tops with the green sides have writing on the sides wheras the box tops with white sides are plain. Why? Did the company making the underwear decide it was more cost efficient for them to just have Ruth's face on the top and NOTHING on the sides of the lid?

David

[HBroll]

The more I looked at the box top, the more I am starting to think it might be a reproduction. I am 60% sure its a fake and 40% sure it might be real. Since the seller has a 7 day money back guarantee, I am sending it back for a refund.

I want to thank everybody who weighed in on this subject. Like one of the posters said, "If its not real, its a pretty good fake". Thanks again for your help.

Howard

[ctownboy]

I hope my opinions didn't influence you too much because I am CERTAINLY not an expert in printing or advertising matters and don't have nearly as much experience as a lot of people on this board, as far as fake/reproduction/fantasy items go. I just don't want you or someone else to possibly spend your money on a fake item. On the other hand, if this piece IS real, I don't want you to look back and kick yourself for returning it.

My main points are that 1) the Babe Ruth graphics on the top of the white sided boxes are not as sharp as on the green sided boxes. 2) the green sided boxes have advertising info on them and the white sided boxes don't. 3) A white sided box sold at an auction I went to and there were obviously fake sports related advertising items sold at the same auction and most likely consigned by the same person.

So, as with baseball cards, original versus fake, I have learned on these boards that picture clarity is one way to tell reproductions from real cards and teh clarity of the graphics on the white sided boxes don't look as goodas on the green sided boxes.

Good luck either way with the box,

David