Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Lot 547

Tintype, Boy in Star Sweater Holding Baseball Bat

Estimate: $200 - $400

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A CDV-size tintype presents an unidentified young boy seated in a ladder-back chair and holding what appears to be a baseball bat upright in his right hand. The ferrotype process and style of dress suggest a date in the 1880s. No photographer's imprint is visible.

The boy wears a light-colored knit sweater with a prominent five-pointed star motif centered on the chest and a ribbed turtleneck collar, paired with dark knee-length trousers and dark stockings with lace-up shoes. His left leg is crossed casually over his right knee, and he meets the camera with a direct, composed expression. A floral-patterned fabric backdrop hangs behind him, and straw or hay is visible on the ground beneath the chair.

The star-motif athletic sweater combined with the baseball bat strongly suggests an association with youth baseball, a sport that had gained widespread popular participation among American boys by the 1880s.

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