Maintenance Stop: Caring for 75 Year-Old Fielding Leather

Proactively managing a collection of artifacts that are decades old is necessary in maintaining and stabilizing pieces from decay and deterioration. Proper storage is required in order to prevent deterioration caused by environmental conditions; however, most collectors lack climate-controlled storage, the financial capacity for preservation and the required space to provide museum-grade protection for these treasures. Perhaps the baseball memorabilia most vulnerable to environmental harm are those made from animal hide such as baseballs and gloves.

Three WWII service gloves made by GoldSmith. These Elmer Riddle “DW” models each bear a stamp in the wrist strap indicating branch of service. The glove at the top is marked for the Army while the other two are Navy stamped (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The service branch stamps are visible on the wrist straps of all three Elmer Riddle model gloves (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The Chevrons and Diamonds Collection houses numerous gloves and mitts that either are associated with service teams or were used by service members during World War II. When each glove is acquired, its present condition is analyzed in order to determine immediate preservation steps and prepare for an ongoing plan.

Cleaning 75-year-old (and older) leather is not an undertaking for the faint of heart and must be done with the utmost care. Each glove must be analyzed for its condition and the approach to cleaning and conditioning must be uniquely tailored to mitigate damage to an age-compromised artifact. In some situations, leaving the glove as is may be the best option. Products used for the Chevrons and Diamonds collection are devoid of petroleum-based substances. Anecdotes describing the oiling of gloves (to include a wide array such as olive, vegetable and even motor oil) may have been applicable decades ago; however, time has proven that such substances should be avoided.  Our products of choice for cleaning include Horseman’s One Step (for basic cleaning), Fiebing’s Saddle Soap (for intermediate soiling) and Fast Orange Smooth (for heavy, stubborn grime accumulation). It is important to remember that following the application of the cleaning product, it must be lifted away with a dampened clean cloth, rinsing frequently as the cloth becomes soiled.

1943 GoldSmith “DW” Elmer Riddle model U.S.N. fielder’s glove (before):

The stamps are difficult to discern and the combined effect of the dirt and drying leaves the glove with a mottled appearance (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The License and patent numbers are a bit obscured due to the dryness of the leather (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Though some cracking is visible in the edging of the wrist strap and opening, the material is in good condition. The U.S.N. stamp is clearly visible on the back of the strap (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Before the initial cleaning, this GoldSmith Elmer Riddle model shows signs of being very dry and moderate soiling. Our cleaning and conditioning process will reinvigorate the leather after nearly eight decades of aging (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The webbing and lacing in the Elmer Riddle “DW” U.S.N. stamped glove is in good condition. The eyelets show some degree of verdigris but will improve with cleaning (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Many collectors forget to pay attention to the inside palm of their glove. This leather would get saturated with sweat and accumulate a lot of dirt with use. Cleaning and conditioning will breath new life into the hide (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

We have received gloves in many different states, ranging from dry rot, stiff and brittle and caked with filth up to clean, hardly used and pliable soft leather. The condition of each piece dictates the steps that we take prior to adding it to our collection for display or storage. The first glove in our collection remains the worst one we have seen. Covered with mold spots and horribly brittle, the U.S.N.-stamped GoldSmith piece lacked its webbing and the lacing was disintegrating inside the zip-seal bag that it arrived in. It smelled horrible and took weeks of airing out to mitigate the odor enough to handle it (see: A War Veteran Who Never Served). While we were able to reduce the impact of the damage and stabilize the deterioration, the glove could not be restored as the horsehide was too heavily damaged.

1943 GoldSmith “DW” Elmer Riddle model U.S.N. fielder’s glove (after treating):

Cleaned and conditioned, the glove is ready for display or to catch a few tosses on the diamond (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The webbing in this U.S.N. GoldSmith Elmer Riddle now looks as it did when the glove was new (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Now that the hide color is even and the surface is conditioned, the characters stand out (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

After cleaning, this glove is ready for (display) duty (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

As should be anticipated, the wrist strap darkened as it softened with the conditioner. Much of the soiling in the palm lifted as well (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Gripping a ball is easy, especially now that the leather is even more soft and supple. Bending the fingers is a cinch (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

 

Another piece that we acquired a little more than a year ago was an early 1940s Rawlings “MO” model Mickey Owen signature catcher’s mitt bearing the “U.S.” stamp, indicating its use in the armed forces. The condition at arrival was quite good, with the cowhide being soft and very pliable; however, it was very dry and in need of conditioning. One troublesome region on the mitt was a small area of water damage located in the palm. Black staining surrounded the portion of the hide that had tissue separation, with the surface of the hide having eroded away. While unsightly, the damage didn’t dramatically reduce the aesthetic qualities of the mitt. After a round of cleaning and conditioning, the mitt was stabilized (see: Vintage Leather: Catching a Rawlings Mickey Owen Signature Mitt).

The Mickey Owen mitt is once again vibrant and fresh. The palm stains aren’t quite as obvious after the preservation process (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Despite some wear on part of Owen’s signature, it is still discernible and includes some of the original silver foil (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The silver foil stamped Rawlings brand mark and the “MO” model are still visible despite nearly eight decades of wear and aging (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The back surfaces is almost like new as if Mickey Owen himself could don this mitt and receive some fastballs (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The U.S. and Mickey Owen signature stamps are in fair condition (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Rawlings “New-Grip Streamlined” feature (with the thumb loop) is stamped onto the exterior back of the thumb (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The wrist strap edging is a bit tired and so is the lacing (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The bottom lacing and sheepskin backing of the wrist strap are in excellent condition (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The only lacing on the Mickey Owen mitt that needed replacing was on the adjustable wrist strap which we replaced a few days after re-conditioning the surfaces (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

These two gloves are at opposite ends of the condition spectrum, each requiring an individual approach to preservation and stabilization. The water-damaged U.S.N. GoldSmith glove, once it was ready to be handled, required a delicate and deliberately methodical approach to re-hydration and removal of the soiling and some of the more severe mildew and mold. In addition to the initial treatment, the pre-existing water exposure necessitated multiple reapplications of the conditioner as the hide continued to absorb it. At present, the glove is far better and requires only an annual conditioning as the horsehide has become much more stable. In the year since we cleaned and conditioned the Mickey Owen mitt, the leather dried out once again, though not to the degree that it had when it arrived, though it was notable.

To re-treat the Owen mitt, we did a brief cleaning with Horseman’s One Step to remove dust and any debris that had settled onto the leather. With the surfaces being quite stable, a soft and damp terrycloth towel was used to apply the Horseman’s, with methodical attention focused from one small area to the next until the entire surface of the glove was addressed. The cleaning was followed by a generous application of Nokona Glove Conditioner applied directly, using a finger while gently massaging it into the hide and leaving the surface with a shiny, “wet” appearance until it was fully absorbed.

Our management plan includes scheduled intervals with reminders for visual inspection of each glove. While some gloves, such as the aforementioned U.S.N. Goldsmith glove, require quarterly inspection and the potential for subsequent treatments, most of our gloves are relegated to annual evaluation.

1945 MacGregor GoldSmith “DW” Joe Cronin signature model fielder’s glove:

In addition to the service gloves and mitts in our collection, we have a few pieces not marked as military gloves such as this GoldSmith MacGregor “DW” Joe Cronin signature model fielder’s glove (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

From all angles, the Cronin glove looks to be ready for on-field use (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Joe Cronin’s signature stamp is very pronounced and deeply set into the hide. Cleaning and conditioning the glove makes the stamp truly stand out (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The curling of the fingers could be the result of being folded into a uniform pocket or just improper storage. Conditioning the hide could allow the shape to return to normal over time (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Not unexpectely, the webbing laces are stretched thin and are a little sloppy. The two-tunnel web was introduced with the “DW” model in 1942 (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

The new MacGregor GoldSmith logo found its way onto the wrist strap button. (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

Goldsmith began adding “MacGregor” to their glove labels in 1944, effectively changing their name to MacGregor GoldSmith. Cronin’s last year in baseball was 1945 which would date this glove to 1944-45. This label was used into the early 1950s (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

As with our service gloves, we have our other leather pieces on the same cycle of evaluation and maintenance. Preserving the softness and pliability of old horsehide will ensure this glove’s survivability for decades to come (Chevrons and Diamonds Collection).

With the end of the first month of 2021, we have competed the reconditioning of three gloves and one mitt from our 10-piece service collection. (In addition, we also have several non-service, vintage gloves.) In the coming months, the remainder of the collection will be checked as part of the normal preservation cycle. The end of the year also prompted us to address any deficiencies in preservation supplies with necessary reordering. With ample cleaners and conditioners, we won’t miss any intervals and we will be able to tend to any additions to the collection as they arrive.

Glove Cleaners:

• Horseman’s One Step (for basic cleaning)
• Fiebing’s Saddle Soap (for intermediate soiling)
• Fast Orange Smooth (for heavy, stubborn grime accumulation)

Glove Conditioner:

• Nokona Glove Conditioner

Sea also these Chevrons and Diamonds related stories:

• An Intercontinental Wartime Veteran – S/SGT “Chick” McRoberts’ Rawlings “Bill Doak” Model Glove
• Catching Corpsman: The Search for a Ball-Playing WWII Pharmacist’s Mate
• Tools of the Trade: Wartime Equipment used by (Former) Professional Ballplayers
• 75 Years Later, WWII Navy Baseball is Still Giving
• Navy Wartime Leather: Extracting History From a Vintage Glove