BaseBall glove

[NastyNate]

During my trip to PA I made sure I went out to the local garage sales and flea markets. I picked up a few things and will post other threads. This Glove however has been hard to find anything close to it. I know nothing about collectible sports items, but with a fair price of $2.00 I had to have it.
From what I have seen 1940's is my guess.
Trusport is on the label
"Phila PA" seems to be at the bottom of the label
Walter "BIFF" Berger on the glove side

Over all the glove is in ruff shape but I haven't personally seen any in better condition than this, and they were selling them for $150.00
SO some help finding some info would be great!!!

Also, should I use anything to "clean" it up?

I know the rule of thumb is to leave everything as is but the leather seems stiff...

[NastyNate]

Heres what I have found

Nothing with Walter "biff" Berger on it.

http://www.baseballglovecollector.com/gallery/index.php?album=trusport
http://www.sports-memorabilia-museum.com/baseball-history/1930s-al-simmons-trusport-glove.shtml
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROLLIE-HEMSLEY-TruSport-1930s-era-Baseball-Glove-MINT-/130385197468?pt=Vintage_Sports_Memorabilia

[Omega Entity]

For leather care, just your basic saddle oil is usually a good way to go. It should help clean it up a bit, as well as help restore some flexibility to the leather. It might take a couple of applications over a couple of days to get it to the flexibility you want - rub it in well on both inside and out, let it sit and absorb/dry for a day, and then repeat.

[fancypants]

Not to be contrary , but ....

Most of the folks that I know (O.K. , I only know 3) who do restoration work on baseball gloves recommend using plain ole pertoleum jelly , or modern 'scientifically formulated' compounds produced for gloves .

Compounds like neatsfoot oil & silicone will tend to make the pores in leather 'close up' over time , which is not a good thing .

Seems like pricings for gloves in similar condition/age as yours run around $25 to $45 bucks .

Below is an image from "antiquemystique.com" of a buckle-back Walter 'Biff' Berger fielders glove , in nice condition for $115 (made by Denkert) .

[Omega Entity]

My bad, then. I wasn't aware gloves use a special treatment.

[fancypants]

No worries there , Omega .
I didn't know about baseball glove treaments myself !

[syl]

Looks older than the 40's to me. You can refurbish that glove if you like and it may turn out really nice but the only way a glove like that would be valuable is if it could be somehow tied to a famous player. Otherwise you may have overpaid at 2 bucks.

[KC]

See if this site helps out....Vintage Baseball Glove Dating Guide
http://keymancollectibles.com/baseballgloves.htm

Just adding to the petroleum jelly bit....I heard that you soaked the glove in water first....then the petroleum jelly...Later I heard Murphy's Oil Soap works great!
I found a site that also stated that for antique/vintage gloves http://www.thesportsdoctor.com/break-in.html  
BUT I would check others first....

I truly like this forum....you might find it useful!
http://www.vintagebaseballgloveforum.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=9

[waywardangler]

Hmmm KC, that water soaking site is talking about breaking in new gloves.  I personally have never heard of soaking leather in water EXCEPT to break in new leather boots.  Put the boots on, stand in a pail of water, wear them all day until they are dry, and supposedly they have conformed to your feet and are broke in.  I have never tried it as I do not know how walking around in wet boots would feel for a whole day.

I would not soak an old leather glove in water.  That would just make it stiffer when it dries out.  I am not sure about the petroleum jelly or Murphy's either.  I would see what museums use to preserve their leather goods.  That would be available from an archival store and time tested safe, I would think.

[KC]

I agree wayward....that is why I said BUT I would check others first.

Checked with a friend (who used to be a trainer with TX Rangers) and he said lanolin!

So looked at a site that was ref'd to that talks about all kinds used....
http://www.thesportsdoctor.com/LeatherCleanCondition.html

[waywardangler]

Nice link KC.  I read some of it and it seems like there is all kinds of disagreement on what to use and what not to use.  I liked the lanolin part.  Goop (the one with lanolin not the citrus one) is recommended to clean old, grungy wood tools so it may also work with dirty leather.  I know neatsfoot oil was recommended for years and that is probably why so many old gloves look the way they look now when found.  On my leather boots I use Pecard shoe grease, rub it in, and then heat it up with a hair dryer to get it into the leather pores.  I do not believe I would use it on any antique leather product as it does darken the leather some.  I think Pecard does make an antique leather product also.