Harry Duker Baseball Archive, ca. 1908
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GUEST:
Well, I came with my parents, and we had received these boxes of photos of my great-great-grandfather Harry Duker. And they were passed down to me, and we wanted to see what they're worth and see what significance they have.
APPRAISER:
And the tickets were a surprise-- tell me about that-- for today.
GUEST:
They were my birthday present.
APPRAISER:
Which birthday is it for you?
GUEST:
It was my… 15th birthday.
APPRAISER:
So when did you know you were coming?
GUEST:
About a week ago.
APPRAISER:
Okay. And what has your family told you about your great-great-grandfather?
GUEST:
That he was a very influential man in Vancouver's history.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm. Yup.
GUEST:
And that he held a lot of different positions.
APPRAISER:
Yeah. Yeah, he came to Vancouver in 1907 from St. Louis, Missouri, with hopes of making the baseball team in Vancouver. He didn't make the baseball team, but he took over as the club secretary first, and then he took part in over 20 baseball clubs in the next 60 years.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
He was very influential in Vancouver baseball. At the time of the Northwestern League in 1907, when he first came, the league consisted of teams from British Columbia and Washington. And for that part of the country, the Northwestern League was where all the fans came to watch professional baseball. The top picture we have here is a picture of Aberdeen versus Vancouver, opening of the season 1907, and that's Recreation Field. And the picture down here with the date on the back of that one of 1907, that tells us that's most likely him traveling as the club secretary with the team.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
Also we have the yearbook here. Souvenir basketball club, the pennant winners 1908. We have different images. There's the Victoria Bees. A real photo team postcard. And then as well we have in here there's the Vancouver Beavers right there in the photo postcard. Our other photo we have up here is of an all-star team; Northwestern Leaguers.
GUEST:
How rare are these photos?
APPRAISER:
Most of these are the only ones we know that exist. That's how rare they are. Is there anything else they told you about your great-great-grandfather?
GUEST:
No.
APPRAISER:
He was very influential not only in baseball, but also in Native American culture. Very interesting man. This is a very early group of northwestern baseball history. About as early as you find.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
Our top photo here of the game opening day at Recreation Field, we'd put a value on that one of between $750 and $1,250.
GUEST:
Wow, that's...
APPRAISER:
On the all-star game photo, we put a value of between $400 and $600. The yearbook is special, that's a very rare piece. And on the yearbook we put a value on that one of between $1,000 and $1,200.
GUEST:
Wow. That’s… wow.
APPRAISER:
It's a wonderful collection of early northwestern baseball history. And this group as a collection, we put a value on it for between $4,000 to $6,000 at auction.
GUEST:
Okay. Thank you very much.
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