Find

[mjkm90]

Well, I made a nice find recently. I picked up a Hanna Batrite Gehrig. I was excited about the bat and curious about it's value. My initial guess was $2,000 for my $250 investment. A Gehrig Batrite (not game used by Gehrig) sold in REA's last auction for $10,000. That piece had the flying bat logo that we have all seen explode in value over the last two to four years. The version I picked up lacks that logo, but all other markings are consistent with Gehrig pro-models. I contacted Rob Lifson and emailed photos of my bat. This is where things get exciting . We spoke on the phone the next day. He informed me that based on a call and email to MEARS, the model I have is actually more likely to have been used by Gehrig than the flying bat version.
I have decided to feature my bat in the next REA auction. I love the bat, but the the lure of having the $$$ to purchase a Spalding trophy and/or a Honus Wagner or Joe Jackson decal bat is too strong for me. You see, I lack the discipline to save funds long enough to make that type of purchase. This is my first and best shot at making a big boy purchase...ha ha. I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch however. My bat may only bring $1,500...who knows. Anyway, I wanted to share the story with you all. I'll keep you posted.

[slidekellyslide]

Re: Find

Nice find Mike. Where did you find it at?

[mjkm90]

Re: Find

From a small antique dealer near me. He usually has some paper related to baseball, but rarely any equipment. Actually this is the only equipment I have ever purchased from him.

[slidekellyslide]

Re: Find

That's a signifigant bat even if it wasn't used by him just because of the Hanna/Gehrig court case.

[mjkm90]

Re: Find

Here is the link to REA's auction of another Gehrig Batrite.

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/site/bid/bidplace.asp?itemid=2980&getauctionid=10

[aaron1050]

Re: Find

Great find, Mike, but be wary of MEARS. I very much doubt Rob Lifson would accept questionable findings, but MEARS might take a "could have been used" by Gehrig as enough evidence that "in their opinion" it was (even if it's qualified with a low numerical ranking of certainty). Again, I doubt Lifson would allow flimsy evidence to justify describing the bat as a Gehrig gamer, but another less reputable auction house might very well.

Edit: Gotta jump back in here and add this now that I've gone to Mike's link. I kinda have to take back what I wrote above. MEARS can offer no other evidencve at all other than the bat looks like it might have been game used (by somebody at some time--maybe) then slap it with a not very re-assuring 5.5 rating (on a scale of 10) to give themselves an out if the authenticity of the bat is ever questioned and REA can list it as a Gehrig bat and get $10,000 for it.

This is the kind of thing that makes me doubt that what MEARS (and other authenticators such as Lampson and Grey Flannel) does is actually based on anything more than guessing (hence their high rate of mistakes).

[mjkm90]

Re: Find

I agree Aaron. What makes this bat exciting is that it is a pro model that is not different from a bat made and shipped to Gehrig. An H.B. game model made for Gehrig with no game use by him would be MANY tens of thousands of dollars, so a Batrite Gehrig is a bargain at the figures seen to date.

[slidekellyslide]

Re: Find

I will never understand the lure of paying huge amounts of money on something like game used bats and gloves that have no provenance with them. But hey, I still hope Mike gets a ton of money for this bat.

[aaron1050]

Re: Find

I agree Aaron. What makes this bat exciting is that it is a pro model that is not different from a bat made and shipped to Gehrig. An H.B. game model made for Gehrig with no game use by him would be MANY tens of thousands of dollars, so a Batrite Gehrig is a bargain at the figures seen to date.

Exactly, Mike. To me it's all in the lot's item description and title. If this bat is described as a "Gehrig (professional) model" as opposed to "Gehrig gamer" or "game used", and the bat is accurately described as exact in brand and specifications to those actually issued to Gehrig (and it's not a reproduction of course) but not necessarily used by Gehrig, then I think all is fair and it's up to the bidder to decide how much it's worth to them.

In any case, I think you've consigned to the best auction house out there and you'll end up with more than enough to afford one of your Spalding trophys with a few grand to spare.

Congrats!