This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/15/2008
For the past 80 years the still family-owned Hillerich & Bradsby Company went from making butter churns to producing more than seven million baseball bats a year. During the evolution of bats from the early wagon tongues to the sleek aluminum models of today, a brief chapter near the end of the first decade of the century saw the production of bats such as these, featuring highly ornate decals bearing the likeness of the biggest stars of the era. The state of preservation on these two Louisville Slugger label bats is exceptional. This full sized (34.5 inch) Napoleon Lajoie J.F. Hillerich & Sons Co. model 40 L features a vertically designed Lajoie label that is seldom seen. The label is more than 90% intact with a few small scratches and nicks, mostly around the areas of his hands and two about his face and head. The bat itself is well preserved with a near perfect blond finish and no significant structural flaws. A mounting hole appears on the knob. The Ty Cobb miniature (23 inch) bat features a colorful vertical "Georgia Peach" decal offering a full body batting pose of Cobb and his facsimile signature. The decal is about 95% intact with a few small nicks, several of which affect his head. The bat itself is in EX-MT to NM condition minimally.
5,000 USD - 7,000 USD