Favorite ebay, flea market, or antique mall find

My favorite ebay item has to do with synchronicity (no, not the Police album). It had been about six months of burning my retnas looking at local library microfiche about the elusive career of Jimmy Claxton, when there it was on ebay; a "Scott Motors of Reno v. Round Mountain baseball ticket, August 4, 1935". Claxton was the pitcher for Scott Motors from 1933-35 (Scott Motors won 33 straight 1932-33), and his son Ed Claxton Sr. was a catcher for the Scott Motors Juniors in 1935. The ticket was $25.

I couldn't believe my luck, all that painstaking library research actually paid off. Had this ticket appeared on ebay a month earlier I would have had no idea about the connection to Claxton. It may not be a landfall find but damn, I EARNED that ticket.

[CarltonHendricks]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

My favorite ebay item has to do with synchronicity (no, not the Police album). It had been about six months of burning my retnas looking at local library microfiche about the elusive career of Jimmy Claxton, when there it was on ebay; a "Scott Motors of Reno v. Round Mountain baseball ticket, August 4, 1935". Claxton was the pitcher for Scott Motors from 1933-35 (Scott Motors won 33 straight 1932-33), and his son Ed Claxton Sr. was a catcher for the Scott Motors Juniors in 1935. The ticket was $25.

I couldn't believe my luck, all that painstaking library research actually paid off. Had this ticket appeared on ebay a month earlier I would have had no idea about the connection to Claxton. It may not be a landfall find but damn, I EARNED that ticket.

Way to go man...that's work'n it, I like the story...congrats. Let's see a photo. Newspaper microfilm is a strong research tool you can really pinpoint stuff with...all you need is time!

[Tomman1961]

I was born 8/16/1961. So the Life Magazine of that date is Mantle and Maris. Found it in Long Beach Island, NJ, in 2010. For $1. As well as some nice John F. Kennedy covers. Antique store in NJ had a 1954 Topps wrapper for $1 in 1985.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

My favorite ebay item has to do with synchronicity (no, not the Police album). It had been about six months of burning my retnas looking at local library microfiche about the elusive career of Jimmy Claxton, when there it was on ebay; a "Scott Motors of Reno v. Round Mountain baseball ticket, August 4, 1935". Claxton was the pitcher for Scott Motors from 1933-35 (Scott Motors won 33 straight 1932-33), and his son Ed Claxton Sr. was a catcher for the Scott Motors Juniors in 1935. The ticket was $25.

I couldn't believe my luck, all that painstaking library research actually paid off. Had this ticket appeared on ebay a month earlier I would have had no idea about the connection to Claxton. It may not be a landfall find but damn, I EARNED that ticket.

Congrats! Timing can be everything in this thing of ours...

[slidekellyslide]

I've found so many incredible deals over the years I can't even remember them all so I'll just go through my photobucket and scroll down the photos.

Picked up this Walter Hagen advertising sign for $75 at the local antique show


I rarely travel for auctions, but one that listed antique baseball equipment caught my eye so I got up early and made the 200 mile trip...I got everything pictured here for less than $50 total..including a Spalding Ring Bat


Antique show find - $50


Garage Sale Find -Stall And Dean Jim Delehanty Bat- $5


Local Antique show find - HUGE Portland Beavers Cabinet Photo - $400


Local Auction buy - 1929 A's Panorama - $200


All these bats came from the same garage sale I got the Delehanty bat at..they were $5 each...includes at TC40 Ty Cobb, Draper Maynard Major League Model, 19th Century Victor Sporting Goods Bat, and a Roberto Clemente store model bat.


These three Cameo pins were a local antique show pickup and apparently I sold the Sullivan too cheaply..I didn't do my homework...I started getting emails from people like Rob Lifson telling me that it was a never before seen Cameo pin..ah well. I only paid $250 for the lot of three pins and sold them for over $2,000 total.


TGI Friday's going out of business sale - $100


I got these 11 baseballs and the large framed composite photo at an antique shop in Fremont, Nebraska...all of the baseballs were team signed by the various minor league clubs that pitcher Vern Voegler played for in the 1930s...including a 1937 Brooklyn Dodgers ball that he must have gotten from a Spring Training invite...Can't recall what I paid for the lot...maybe $300?


I have a ton more items I could list, but I don't want to break Barry's computer so I'll leave it here.

[Kzoo]

It's usually tough to 'find' anything at most antique malls, but my Dad and I got lucky in Fort Myers, Florida in about 2005. I asked the guy working there if he had anything baseball related and he said, yes, but it's in the back room. He proceeded to bring out these seats from Crosley Field. They were in 2 sections for a total of 6 seats with figural ends on each end. The bad news was that someone apparently sandblasted the original paint off them at an earlier date, but there was some original orange paint hidden in crevices and cracks around the seat brackets (I've also seen the Crosley Field seats in green, but don't know at what time the paint color was changed?). Overall, the seats were solid. He said the original owner had lived in the Cincinnati area and had them shipped to Florida after retirement as evidenced by a moving company shipping tag attached. The price? $300. The cost to get them 20+ hours north to Michigan? The mall owner had a buddy driving the next week to northern Indiana who offered to bring them the extra hour north for only $100...........Matt

[scmavl]

Dan, that's a great collection. I love the '29 A's panorama.

[Runscott]

I can't believe I forgot about this one. I saw this on ebay and offered the seller $100. He took it. I had no idea that Willie Keeler was in the picture, only that it was a cabinet of an 1800's minor league team, so at the time a price of $100 was about fair.

When I opened the mailing envelope, I immediately recognized Keeler. I practically ran home to google the Bingos, and sure enough - there was Keeler's name.

I did not even have to hire a facial recognition expert!!!

[deebro041]

I did not even have to hire a facial recognition expert!!!
lol