Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-06-24 11:00:00 2026-06-24 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/june-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-23574
Our June 2026 auction presents a focused and exceptional selection of historical photographs spanning the 1840s through the early twentieth century, with unusual depth in named subjects, rare formats, and documented provenance anchored by strong vernacular material that rewards close looking.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 548

Cabinet Card, R.B.A.C. Baseball Team, Red Bank NJ

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $5,000
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
Three unidentified players wearing matching "R.B.A.C." lettered baseball uniforms pose in a studio arrangement by A. H. White of Red Bank, New Jersey, with the mount's decorative back advertising his instantaneous process. The albumen print dates to the mid-to-late 1880s based on uniform style, equipment, and mount typography. The Red Bank Athletic Club fielded amateur baseball teams during this period, and this image represents a rare surviving photographic record of the organization.

The player seated at center on the ground holds a period wire catcher's mask across his lap, with four wooden bats fanned across the foreground alongside a fielder's glove and a flat cap resting in loose straw. The standing player at upper left has his arms crossed over his chest, while the seated player at right wears a small-billed cap and a loosely knotted cravat beneath his collar. All three wear dark stockings and lace-up leather boots visible below their knicker-style uniform trousers.

A painted studio backdrop with tree branches and tropical foliage is visible behind the group, a common decorative convention of the era. The mount's reverse features an ornate red and gold printed design incorporating an artist's palette, a camera on a tripod, and cattail grasses surrounding the studio imprint.

The reverse bears a penciled notation reading "1885" at the top edge.

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