Lelands: A Look Back at Some of their Vintage Stuff

A couple of weeks back Lelands held their August auction of Baseball cards and memorabilia. I had previously featured a Campanella game-used bat and a vintage Honus Wagner owned pocket watch, but wanted to revisit the the auction and point out a few other nice vintage Baseball memorabilia items I thought were worth mentioning.

I thought this was one of the more outstanding vintage memorabilia items in their auction. This is a early 20th century silver Baseball figural music box that plays "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." The only other known example was found in the Wrigley Estate. It sold for $13,145.00.

(Auction Link)

I'm not much of a vintage Baseball glove collector, but I do appreciate the history and evolution of Baseball equipment. Here is a sample of one of the earliest gloves used in the game. This is a circa 1880's fingerless Baseball glove. Imagine playing the game with only this on the field. It sold for $12,548.00.

(Auction Link)

This is for the LA Baseball history buffs. This is a silver presentation Baseball and bat that was presented to former PCL manager of the Los Angeles Angels, Frank Chance, in 1916-1917.

The Ball – Professionally stamped on a side panel to cite: “Los Angeles…Champions…Pacific Coast League…1917…Frank L. Chance…Manager.” The entire commemoration is visible from a single vantage. Research has divulged that this piece was awarded in March, 1917 in celebration of the team’s winning the 1916 PCL pennant....

The Bat – “Frank L. Chance” is engraved on the barrel’s sweet spot, and situated at the “trademark” is the professionally stamped citation, “Chance Day…From…Los Angeles Fans…Nov 5 – 1916.” According to the Los Angeles Times from November 6, 1916, Chance Day "was a splendid testimonial to Johnny Powers, Frank Chance and the team and gave ample assurance that the Angels, after several years' absence from the limelight, have been enthroned in public favor." Both the L.A. Times and the San Francisco Chronicle reported on the "Chance Day" festivities. The day started with a race between Barney Oldfield and Kelly Powers and moved smoothly from one event to the next, including: a movie of a fake baseball game, a "high baritone" singer, a comic named Carl Sawyer who had once tried out for the Angels, and finally the "Angel-All-Star game" between the Los Angeles Angels and Major League All-Stars. Chance's team coaxed him into playing first base and he ended up scoring the winning run after ten innings. The final score was 3-2, Angels. The day was a "Howling Success."

The pair sold for $13,743.00.

(Auction Link)