Carved and Painted Pine Figure of a Baseball Player, New York, 20th Century

a rare, diminutive figure of a baseball player with his left foot advanced in batting stance, wearing a peaked cap, handle bar mustache, blue and white jersey and trousers over blue and white shoes, the figure grasped a wood turned wood bat; mounted on a tapered  pedestal base; with several coats of in-use repaint. 

James Kronen, New York.

New York, American Folk Art Museum, The Image Business: Shop and Cigar Store Figures in America, November 8, 1997-January 11, 1998.

With several coats of in-use repaint.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

It is thought that the player depicted in this carving is Michael J. "King" Kelly, one of the most popular players of the 1880s.  Kelly had an illustrious career, playing for the Boston Reds, the Chicago White Stockings, the Boston Beaneaters and Cincinnati's Kelly's Killers, also known as the Cincinnati Reds. For a similar example of a baseball player signed by Robb see Frederick Fried, Artists in Wood, (New York: Bramhall House, 1970), p. 213, fig. 191.