Carlton World

[CarltonHendricks]

http://sportsantiques.com/viennabbbronze.htm
Twenty two years ago I saw one of these Vienna baseball bronzes that you can read about in the feature linked above. I couldn’t afford that one and I had been on the lookout for another ever since. Recently a collector I’ve known a while who only collects University of Pennsylvania items wanted three things from my collection and I traded them for this Vienna. I gave up my Leyendecker U. Penn football poster, a big porcelain U. Penn football lamp (the collector had a matching lamp so now he has a pair), and a 12” plaster figure of a U. Penn football player (which I most hated to give up of the three)…I gave it a lot of thought since it’s so worn. I consulted two collector friends who gave the thumbs up.

On the one hand yes it’s worn and beat up…but on the other hand…you’re 300% sure it’s original from the wear. And speaking of the wear…it would have to be the most mysterious statue I’ve ever dealt with. Reason being…how could it have gotten that worn…And the arm is cracked…hey It’s bronze...I don’t think I’ve ever heard of bronze cracking…and besides that how could it have gotten cracked downward the way it is…Bronze is extremely strong stuff…And then there’s the base…How in the world could the paint have gotten that much wear and yet the red marble base is essentially perfect!....puzzling and a mystery. To me it looks like it has been clanging around in a toy box full of toys for about three generations...Like there parents let them play with it as a toy...Another thing I'll mention is the catchers mask is missing. You'll see the featured one has the mask...They were so finely crafted you could remove them!

But being I already had three other Vienna sports bronzes it fit in perfectly with them…a billiards one…two joined boxers…and a group of three soccer players going for the ball…I found that soccer one at the Hillsborough Antiques show about 20 years ago and had to throw down some very serious money to get it…The lady was an experienced antiques dealer from the east coast and knew what she had!…Out of the zillions of Vienna bronzes produced during the late 19th century to the late 1930’s very few sports ones were made.

In all the years I’ve known of the one I did the feature on…I never stopped to think about the P on the batters cap…And there’s an H on the catchers, (cap worn backwards). I understand that under the bronze base of mine, the words “Harvard and Pennsylvania” is written. I hate to disturb it though so haven’t looked. To add more to the mystery...Because the other one I featured also had the same P on the cap...I would speculate that perhaps some well heeled parent of a Harvard or Penn student had them made special order...

Auction House Description:
Exceedingly scarce antique cast metal baseball player statue titled "Two Strikes" showing a batter and a catcher. Circa 1890s. Much of the original paint remains, including the letter P on the batter and the letter H on the catcher. When metal statue was removed from base the words "Harvard and Pennsylvania" were found written under the metal baseplate, indicating that the players depict a game between University of Pennsylvania Quakers and Harvard Crimson, both Ivy League schools. Good condition with original base plaque and minor damage to the bat. Measures 6 1/2" tall.

Another interesting tid-bit is one day I was thumbing thru a book on Victorian Interiors...and guess what I spotted in a c1905 photo...see at very bottom this post...

[batsballsbases]

Carlton,
As we know we are only care takers of these items and we are all getting older! At this point in life if it makes you happy (and I know it does) you have to go for it! Its a cool piece and it fits right into your collection! Looks like it made you happy and made your friend happy.. SOOOOO a nice win win! Enjoy it and as always great collection!

[Bill Rayburn]

WOW!!! Great piece, even though a lot of paint is missing the detail is fantastic. I especially like the "ring bat" the U Penn player is holding.

[murphusa]

anytime you can trade football for baseball I would do it. Great piece!

[bgar3]

Great piece. Love you got in trade also, the very best deal as both sides get something they wanted more.

[Scott Garner]

Beautiful piece, Carlton.
Congrats on finally being able to add it to your great collection!

[Hoy'sNoDummy]

I like the bronze, Carlton. If you like the Univ of Penn poster football image you might find one of these. Nov. 14 1908 Saturday Evening Post.

I immediately recognized your poster image

[CarltonHendricks]

Thanks Hoy...I'm guessing you are referring to the auto racer statue...not actually bronze but spelter...A friend in the Netherlands sent me a bunch of photos of Euro statues with the same pose...see below....

https://www.sportsantiques.com/PurdueNWBBPost.htm
Yeah that Saturday Evening Post cover was one of many that the artist Joseph Leyendecker did monthly for the SEP...including an occasional sports illustration...I had one that had the same kicker...for a high school...I did a story back in 2010 which addresses it...which seems to point to Leyendecker shrewdly getting his monies worth from his work by allowing that image to be used for a high school...link to story above...

[Hoy'sNoDummy]

Carlton - sorry, new to the forum and late to this thread... I was referring to the "Two Strikes" Vienna bronze you posted a couple of years ago.

Here are two other SEP illustrations, both baseball. The bunting batter looks poised for a broken finger or thumb! But I still love these.

Found a treasure trove of old SEPs magazines at a road side book store in WV last fall. These were the only sports covers (plus an automobile one I don't have displayed).

-Hoy

[CarltonHendricks]

Originally Posted by Hoy'sNoDummy

Carlton - sorry, new to the forum and late to this thread... I was referring to the "Two Strikes" Vienna bronze you posted a couple of years ago.

Here are two other SEP illustrations, both baseball. The bunting batter looks poised for a broken finger or thumb! But I still love these.

Found a treasure trove of old SEPs magazines at a road side book store in WV last fall. These were the only sports covers (plus an automobile one I don't have displayed).

-Hoy

https://sportsantiques.com/viennabbbronze.htm
Great covers...and framed up nice...thanks on the Vienna Two Strikes... above a link to a 2009 feature I did...where it all started...

[CarltonHendricks]

Just to show I'm not only about boats...here's a pickup from earlier this year...this hit the gotta have it level...only example I've ever seen...

[todeen]

Very cool. it reminds me of a family picture I have of my gr-gr-grandparents. I only have a copy, so it is not as clear as the original.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[CarltonHendricks]

Originally Posted by todeen

Very cool. it reminds me of a family picture I have of my gr-gr-grandparents. I only have a copy, so it is not as clear as the original.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

Hey thanks Tim...just saw this...now that's a family photo...looks like a pretty powerful bike...thanks for posting...

Jeff Kuhr...thank you sir...sounds great where do I sign...

[CarltonHendricks]

https://sportsantiques.com/1926_gar_...aperweight.htm
Please see link above to my latest story on a 1926 paperweight featuring a figural of Gar Wood’s Miss America V powerboat. The Miss America V won the Harmsworth trophy in 1926.

The feature covers many aspects of the paperweight including:
1. The life and times of the famous industrialist Gar Wood.
2. A timeline of the fateful 1926 Harmsworth race won by Miss America V.
3. A summary of Detroit industrial culture c1911
4. A summarized history of the Harmsworth race
5. Speculation scenarios of why there are only eight known examples of the paperweight.
6. A look at the 1926 cost to produce Miss America V, with an inflation conversion to what it would cost today.
7. The paperweights artistic importance and place among powerboat collectibles

As well the story features more than 40 photos.

Please enjoy…
Kindly -Carlton

[mrreality68]

Wow wow and wow.

The great and unique items keep a coming

Congrats and keep them coming

[ooo-ribay]

The paper weight and your research are amazing. Congrats on another great find!