blue227
06-26-2007, 04:45 AM
Hi, I am a relative newbie to the world of game used/issued equipment and wanted to get some input from the other board members on a recent acquisition. Here's the situation:
I recently purchased a Mizuno glove from someone in Japan that I have come to believe was made for Ichiro during his U.S. rookie season by Mizuno's master glove-maker Nobuyoshi Tsubota (who has sometimes been referred to as "Yoshi Tsubota"). As background for those who aren't familiar with the name, the 70+ year old Tsubota personally hand makes the gloves for Ichiro and Matsui and was a recipient of Japan's Ministry of Labor's "Contemporary Master Craftsman" award for his contributions to the game of baseball.
I have my doubts that the glove was game used since Ichiro seems pretty attached to his equipment and doesn't seem the type to give away his personal glove. My guess is that the glove is a game issued specimen that was made for Ichiro by Tsubota but probably wasn't used in a game.
It wasn't until after I purchased the glove that I was able to do some research and could photo-match the glove's leather color (dark blue), logo patch color (gold), and embroidered script font and color (cursive; white) to an photo of Ichiro from on Getty Images' website that was taken during his rookie season.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa217/blue227/Ichiroglove1.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa217/blue227/GettyImage5160070725Apr2001.jpg
The inside of the glove was stamped with some Japanese kanji characters that I was recently able to confirm is the mark that Tsubota stamps on all the gloves he personally makes (see links below).
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa217/blue227/Ichiroglove2.jpg
http://www.kansai.gr.jp/culture_e/takumi_e/artisans_e/b10_e.html
Now that i've been able to gather all this information on the glove, I wanted to ask the board members for their thoughts on what to do next. I'm interested in getting a reputable third party to hopefully confirm and authenticate what I've been able to piece together or my own.
At some point down the road, I'd be interested in selling the glove and would like to get some input from the other BBS members on the best venue for doing so.
Also, i'd be curious to hear what others think the glove might fetch on the open market. I heard that Mill Creek Sports sold an Ichiro glove (that came directly from Ichiro and/or his agent) that they claimed was game used (but didn't look like it got much use from the pics i've seen) for $25,000. The MCS glove was autographed by Ichiro and came with a MCS certificate of authenticity -- two big pluses that helps credibility that my glove doesn't have.
Thanks in advance for your input.
I recently purchased a Mizuno glove from someone in Japan that I have come to believe was made for Ichiro during his U.S. rookie season by Mizuno's master glove-maker Nobuyoshi Tsubota (who has sometimes been referred to as "Yoshi Tsubota"). As background for those who aren't familiar with the name, the 70+ year old Tsubota personally hand makes the gloves for Ichiro and Matsui and was a recipient of Japan's Ministry of Labor's "Contemporary Master Craftsman" award for his contributions to the game of baseball.
I have my doubts that the glove was game used since Ichiro seems pretty attached to his equipment and doesn't seem the type to give away his personal glove. My guess is that the glove is a game issued specimen that was made for Ichiro by Tsubota but probably wasn't used in a game.
It wasn't until after I purchased the glove that I was able to do some research and could photo-match the glove's leather color (dark blue), logo patch color (gold), and embroidered script font and color (cursive; white) to an photo of Ichiro from on Getty Images' website that was taken during his rookie season.
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa217/blue227/Ichiroglove1.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa217/blue227/GettyImage5160070725Apr2001.jpg
The inside of the glove was stamped with some Japanese kanji characters that I was recently able to confirm is the mark that Tsubota stamps on all the gloves he personally makes (see links below).
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa217/blue227/Ichiroglove2.jpg
http://www.kansai.gr.jp/culture_e/takumi_e/artisans_e/b10_e.html
Now that i've been able to gather all this information on the glove, I wanted to ask the board members for their thoughts on what to do next. I'm interested in getting a reputable third party to hopefully confirm and authenticate what I've been able to piece together or my own.
At some point down the road, I'd be interested in selling the glove and would like to get some input from the other BBS members on the best venue for doing so.
Also, i'd be curious to hear what others think the glove might fetch on the open market. I heard that Mill Creek Sports sold an Ichiro glove (that came directly from Ichiro and/or his agent) that they claimed was game used (but didn't look like it got much use from the pics i've seen) for $25,000. The MCS glove was autographed by Ichiro and came with a MCS certificate of authenticity -- two big pluses that helps credibility that my glove doesn't have.
Thanks in advance for your input.