Displaying a baseball

Emibub

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Nov 2, 2001
Posts
9,246
Loc
Centennial, CO, USA
I have a customer who has a signed baseball, signed by whom, I do not know, let's just say "Babe Ruth" just for effect. She has a ball a trading card and a certificate of authenticity. I have priced out a Boxer frame etc for around $300. She balked at the price. I then have looked at Mounted Memories but they don't have anything that isn't cheapy looking, she wants this to be special. Plus she wants this to hang versus tabletop.

I have talked to Superior and they can create molded plastic frames for the card and certificate to include in the box with the ball. My customer doesn't just want a clear acrylic box.

My question is does anybody have any ideas for displaying this stuff without using Boxer frames? Or is there a cheaper alternative wood frame that will house a baseball? She is coming to see me tomorrow for measuring and she needs examples of what this acrylic box might look like. I don't have any examples other than the cheapy stuff from Mounted Memories. Does anybody out there have any pictures of examples of how a baseball and associated paraphernalia would look in a custome acrylic box? Or in a wood box?

I need ideas here, I don't have anything here to show her.

Thanks in advance for any possible help or ideas.
 
Look at the deep oaks (?) from LJ. They will price out about the same as the boxers, maybe! I have a plastic (mylar) case I ordered for someone who moved away. It was supposed to have something to hold it in place. I'm sure you can get those at sports stores.
 
Are you stacking the Boxers 1 or 2 deep? I've used a 1 3/4" black cap with 1 of the large Boxer and get a nice look and enough depth. Nurre Caxton has a deep shadowbox molding the will work with a small extender attached (we use a plain 3/4 x 1" piece of pine and stain it to match.) Sorry I'm at home or I'd get you the number.

Depending on size and other things in the box $300 doesn't sound outrageous.

Hope that helps
Tony
 
A customer just picked up a framed baseball yesterday. I looked at the Boxers, but used a similar (but not wrapped) shadowbox from Evald Moulding with an extension.

I don't have the order in front of me, but it was a little over $300 - maybe $325 or so.

To mount the ball - when I realized tulle wasn't going to do it - I cut a 2" round hole through both mats and secured it from the back by lacing through the laces with dental floss.

I was gratified, after I'd already done this, to see that suggestion from Vivian Kistler in one of my Decor books.
 
For pictures of acrylic boxes check the Gemini Moulding website for Showcase Acrylics.

Maybe Lois has a website for Superior, too.

(Has anybody heard from Lois lately?)

This is from Gemini/Showcase (sorry, no baseball pics)

sca004.gif


[ 02-06-2004, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Ron Eggers ]
 
G'day all,
Ok, I'll try to be as unbiased as possible here, and just inform you all that here in Australia, we have some new products that we released recently and can be very appropriate for Emibub's project.
We have been making deep convex glass for some time.
Here's a framed cricket ball, which is the same diameter as a base ball, under a deep 7" square convex glass. No shadow box or deep moulding required.

cballlowres.jpg


We make the glass is numerous sizes, so could make larger to take a signed card, plaque, etc.

Also we have finalised the profile for our sports ball clips, this pic of a cricket ball.
Again, the same size as a baseball so they clip straight in too.

ballclipcricketbaselowres.jpg


The clip simply screws to the backing, and the ball clips in securely.
We make these for tennis and golf balls too.
We have shipped quite a bit to the US in the past few years (mostly convex mirrors), and shipping is not too inhibitive to enable access to our products. Certainly these items are small and light to ship.
Please feel free to ask questions or e-mail me offline re these Emibub or others.
< End plug :D >
 
Les,

You neglected to plug your web site Tudor Glass.

The idea of custom formed convex glass is intriguing; however, I did not get any indication of the charges for such services on your web pages.

Could you give a rough approximation of the cost of molding, say, a 16 x 20 inch finished size with a 6 inch convex “exdentation” in it?

Can you mold any glass other than clear light?

... and how do you ship?
 
G'day Bill,
I figured folks can find my Profile web link ok, as you did, but thanks for the link in your reply.
We get great enjoyment creating this product (don't mention this to my customers please . . . ooops).
Deliberately leave pricing off the website, as everyone has access to this, we are developing an area within the site so appropriate businesses can get access to this.
Will send you a private message with pricing.
You are likely aware of Inline supply of ovals and circles into the US, if not let me know and I'll assist with info on this.
I like making squares and rectangles more so though, as framers get to make a frame.
Much more scope for creativity in design also.
We can make the 16 x 20 in ovals and rectangles, both have a flat lip to sit in the rebate.
4" depth is pretty much the usual depth for these, although I have made one nearly 10" deep in a rectangle!
They just start to look ugly past a certain depth, we then try to suggest other options to framers (glass display cases etc).
We bend and slump all kinds of glass, but for framers it can only be normal floated glass.
Have a piece of conservation (coated) Truevue at the shop, but I am sure when I get around to trial slumping it, the coating will burn off.
Anyway thanks for your reply and interest, will shoot you over a PM shortly.
 
Thanks, all very helpful reply's. My customer came in on Saturday and I got a much better sense of what she wanted when she actually brought the materials in. Unbeknownst to me the ball signed by "ol what's his name" is already in a plastic baseball display which sits on a little wooden pedestal. Boy it makes a big difference when they come in with the items instead of describing them to you.

Anyway, it isn't going to be as big or as deep as I first thought. Gonna have my brother build me an extension to make my frame about an inch deeper. Brought it in at around $250 and she seems happy.

Thanks again for all the ideas.
 
P. S. By the way Tony, I just have to say it creeps me out seeing your avatar.

102.jpg


That used to be my avatar. I got to know the guy pretty well, his name is Brice. He is not to be trusted, he looks good in a tux to be sure but he will clean you out if you turn your back on him for even a moment. He broke my heart so I find it very very sad to see him out and about again. But it won't last long, Time wounds all heels......

I figure it is my thread, I can frankenthread it if I want to....
 
Originally posted by Ron Eggers:
(Has anybody heard from Lois lately?)
I just talked to her to order a shadowbox, she told me she thought since she was "Royalty" and all that it would not look good to all her subjects to be mingling with the peasants. I told her I would pass it along......I also happen to know she isn't in a position to respond to this either.......


Just having a little fun.........

Also, the signature on the baseball and card is Warren Spahn. Anybody impressed?

[ 02-10-2004, 01:32 PM: Message edited by: Emibub ]
 
When I was a kid, I used to listen to Milwaukee Braves baseball on the transistor radio.

I'd fall asleep in bed with the earphone in my ear and wake up in the morning with a very sore ear, a dead battery in the radio and no idea how the game turned out.

That was before the Braves lit out for Atlanta and we were stuck with the Brewers.

So, yeh, I'm at least a little impressed.

He was the winningest left-hander in baseball history and died just a few months ago.

My mom threw out my Warren Spahn baseball cards, along with Hank Aaron and the rest of the boys.

Why do moms do that?
 
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