The finish is black — flat, chalky, worn through at the barrel's shoulder where the wood shows warm grain beneath. No maker's mark. No player name. No model number. Whatever was printed or burned here has long since surrendered to use and time.
The handle is wrapped in deteriorated tape, compressed and crumbling at the edges. The knob is solid, uncracked, substantial in the hand. The wood itself is sound.
Some bats carry a name. This one carries only its history — whatever that was, wherever it went, however many times it connected. It came out of a warehouse in Pittsburgh without explanation and it does not offer one now.
Hunter's Notes
The third bat from Steel City. The dark one. No signature, no centerbrand, nothing to look up. I picked it up because the set needed it — two named bats and one that refuses to be. That tension is the point. Lean them together and this one anchors the group the way a rest in music anchors the notes around it.
The Archive Record — JLM-260071
| Field |
Detail |
| Maker |
Unknown — no maker's mark |
| Object |
Black-lacquered wood baseball bat; unmarked; possibly fungo or practice bat; display object |
| Material |
Wood with black lacquer or ebonized finish; deteriorated tape wrap handle |
| Construction |
Lathe-turned wood; black lacquer or ebonized finish applied; deteriorated tape wrap handle |
| Era |
Mid-20th century (probable) | confidence: visual only |
| Country of Origin |
Unknown |
| Condition Tier |
Display |
| Condition |
Heavy wear; black finish chalky and flaking at barrel shoulder; tape deteriorating; knob solid and uncracked; wood structurally sound; no legible markings |
| Hunt Provenance |
Steel City warehouse sale, Pittsburgh, PA — June 2026 |
| Authentication |
Visual inspection only; black finish and construction consistent with mid-20th century; no maker identification possible |
| Comparable Sold |
$25–$45 (eBay, general vintage sports listings — June 2026) |
| JLM Price |
$38.00 |
| Food Safe |
No |
| Lead Risk |
Possible — vintage black lacquer paint may contain lead; not tested |
| Child Safe |
No |
Product Specs
| Dimensions |
Weight |
| 34"L |
2 lbs 2.3 oz |
