Auction Item Details
Lot 77
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Lot Number: 77
Description: 1884 Live Oak Base Ball Club "Champions, Brooklyn Amateur League" silver trophy ball with original box. Presentational ball done in metal is engraved, "Presented by H.H. Kiffe to the Live Oak B.B. Club, Champions, Brooklyn Amateur Base Ball League, 1884." Simulated stitching is likewise etched into the surface. Kiffe was a prominent New York businessman who owned a sporting good store on Broadway in Manhattan. While professional teams were springing up in the 1880s, baseball remained largely a sport of amateurs and a great many leagues could be found throughout the Country. Brooklyn was home to a number of important teams at the time and they inspired many an amateur to pick up a bat and ball. The offered silver trophy ball is notable in that originates from this geographical hotbed of early baseball activity and while the Live Oaks referenced are not the more famous team of the same name (that club having originated from the Rochester, N.Y. area) they still represent one which was good enough to have warranted such a prestigious award. The ball comes with its' original presentation style box which is silk lined on the interior. The box has numerous flaws (including a missing top slat of wood, fraying to the lining which is loose in areas, some loss to exterior surface, etc.) but with the ball positioned inside it offers tremendous display value. Also found inside the box is a small silk ribbon (split in two) with largely faded gilt lettering that can not be deciphered. Ball has some light tarnish a surface wear to the silverplate and a few very minor dents: Ball EX, Box see descriptionEstimated Price Range: ($5,000-$10,000)
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