On a lighter side, we have a collection of correspondence from baseball legend Babe Ruth to his butcher. Charles Weber, proprietor of Weber’s Market in Bronxville, was obviously a friend as well. Ruth sent letters, postcards, and other memorabilia to “Charley” or “Charlie,” from places where he vacationed, such as Mexico City, Acapulco, and Miami. In a 1946 letter, Ruth exclaims “I hope that all concerned live to be one hundred or more years old and then some that we can celebrate many more birthdays.” Unfortunately, Ruth got to celebrate only two more, dying in 1948 still 47 years shy of 100. $40,000.

The first printing of the Book of Mormon from Palmyra, New York, in 1830 is one of the most collectible of religious texts. However, excerpts from the Book of Mormon appeared a year earlier, a bootleg copy, so to speak, printed in The Reflector, a newspaper from Palmyra. Seems The Reflector was published from the same press on which the Book itself would be printed. Newspaper publisher and Justice of the Peace Abner Cole, printing under the alias “O. Dogberry,” stole a few excerpts and put them on the press. Cole’s project came to an end after a less than happy Joseph Smith appeared and put a stop to it. Cole would go on to respond unkindly to Smith in later editions of The Reflector. $175,000.

The 19th Century Shop may be found online at www.19thcenturyshop.com or may be reached by phone at 410-539-2586.