What’s Selling on eBay: May 2019

by Deborah Abernethy and Mike McLeod
$3,246 (36 bids, 11 bidders); 1881 Princeton vs. Yale Football Championship Program, Walter Camp.
This rare antique “PRINCETON vs. YALE FOOT-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP” program is for a game played in New York on November 24th, 1881. This was one of the last Yale games played by Walter Camp, the man most responsible for the transition from this rugby-like game to the sport of football we know today. Walter Camp is known as the “Father of American Football.” As a Yale undergraduate and medical student from 1876 to 1881, he played halfback and served as team captain, equivalent to head coach at the time. This championship game turned out to be a tie at 0 to 0.
This wonderful early program has an Egyptian Revival cover and an ad for Tiffany & Co. on the inside. Pages 2 & 3 of the program have the names of the players as well as some local New York advertisements. The back of the four-page program has the name of the referee and the names of the judges written in pencil. The program measures 4 1/2 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches long. Very good condition!
(Photos courtesy of armoryantiques.)

DBA: While this seems like an anomaly, I could find others selling for similar amounts. Heritage Auctions sold 1875 and 1876 Harvard vs. Yale football programs for $3,800 hammer price in 2015. For those readers who have not purchased at auction, the hammer price has an amount added to it that the buyer pays and that at most auction houses is 22%, making these two programs selling for $4,636. These 19th century football programs are rare, and finding similar ones for value comparisons is extremely hard.
$1,725 (13 bids, 7 bidders): Fine Antique 1915 Panama California Exposition San Diego PPIE Cast Brass Lock.
Up for auction is an original 1915 Division of Works Lock from the San Diego Pan Pacific Exposition. The casting on this piece is crisp and clean with a very high grade. Measures 3 1/8 inches tall x 2 inches wide x 1 inches deep and weighs 12.2 oz. Lock works great and retains the original Sargent key. Is inscribed “CL” on the bottom which denotes its location on the grounds. Fresh out of a fine recent collection.
(Photos courtesy of yzmorris.)

DBA: The Panama California Exposition was held in San Diego, Calif., from January 1, 1915 to January 1, 1917. It was to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal, and San Diego was the first port of call for ships traveling to the north after traveling through the Panama Canal.
If I had to guess, this was purchased by someone who collects cast brass locks. I could find some higher values for other antique brass locks; souvenirs from the Panama California Exposition did not bring this kind of money.
$2,275 (30 bids, 13 bidders): Antique Cobalt Blue Deer/Elk Decorated Incised Stoneware Jug Burlington, VT.
This 3-gallon jug is in as-found condition, and it is in excellent condition for its age. It is as solid as the day it was made 100-plus years ago. It has typical wear from years of use and a few in-firing flaws which is all part of its charm, and it rings true when I tap it. This jug has been a prize in my collection for years, but it’s time to let it go to a new home as I fade off into retirement.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller gregwalsh.)

DBA: Most of these mid-19th century jugs sell for less than $750. This one is very nice, and the standing deer is unique, but this is a lot more money than most sell for. I did find a two- gallon jug by Ballard & Co. with the same deer form that sold for $275 at auction. The seller hit a homerun here.
$1,580 (59 bids, 15 bidders): Large 19th C, Antique, 1850, Mitchells Universal Atlas, 117 Maps, City Plans.
Published 1850 in Philadelphia by S. Augustus Mitchell, Jr., this atlas is titled “A New Universal Atlas Containing Maps of the various Empires, Kingdoms, States and Republics of the World. With a special map of each of the United States, Plans of Cities etc. Comprehended in seventy sheets and forming a series of One Hundred and Seventeen Maps, Plans and Sections.” With the help of the “List of Maps,” I went through this entire atlas, page by page, and I guarantee 100% that every colored lithograph map and city plan listed in this atlas are present and tightly bound. This large atlas measures 14 3/8 inches by 17 3/4 inches, and there is a large two-page map of the United States. Several maps are city plans (New York and Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, and New Orleans), and there are two world maps, one hemispheric and the other on Mercator’s Projection. The rest of the maps are all pertaining to other countries such as Prussia, Austria, Asia, Palestine, Oceanica, Africa, Chile, and many more.
Sometime in the past, this “New Universal Atlas” was professionally rebound with new leather binding and new white end papers. Some of the maps have acid-free paper strips added to the back edges for strength. Many of the first maps are water stained, but most of the maps are in very good original condition and still retain their strong colors. Opposite the title page is a large hand-colored frontispiece depicting the heights of the principal mountains and lengths of the principal rivers.
(Photos courtesy of eBay seller wwolst12)

DBA: If you use prices that rare book dealers are asking for this atlas, the buyer got a spectacular deal. Augustus Mitchell bought the rights to Henry Schenk Tanner’s “New Universal Atlas” from Carey and Hart who had published editions in 1843 and 1844. Mitchell’s First Edition of this work was first published in 1846. Mitchell made many changes to the way the book was published, changing the copperplates to lithograph. New maps were added every year. Mitchell published this atlas every year until 1850, when he sold the rights to Thomas, Cowperthwait & Company.
Rare book dealers have various editions (1846 to 1852) of this atlas priced from $4,000 to $10,000.

What’s Selling on eBay: May 2019