Us Patent No. 287331 Mask for Base Ball Catchers by Ak Schaap October 23 1883 — A.K. Schaap's 1883 schematic shows a wire cage shaped to the human face in an age when catchers still crouched bare-handed behind the plate, every padded strap and forehead brace drawn with the gravity of a man designing armor for a sport that had only just decided its players were worth protecting.

About the Source

Bella Frye sources sports artifacts from American archives — the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for inventor's drawings, and from the great American tobacco-card and broadside traditions for vintage memorabilia: Allen & Ginter, T206, Cracker Jack, Boston Garter, the Negro League broadsides, and the early press photographs that documented baseball, football, golf, and the rest of the American sporting century.

Materials & Finish

Printed to order in our Pacific Northwest studio on premium 380gsm cotton canvas with archival pigment inks. Hand-finished and framed in our signature ornate frame with verdigris corner detail, available in three finishes:

• Ebony — deep black with carved ornate detailing; dramatic against light walls
• Verdigris — aged copper-green with antique patina; the signature Bella Frye look
• Bourbon — warm walnut tone with ornate relief; rich and historically grounded

Stretched canvas (frameless gallery wrap) is available for those who prefer a frameless presentation.

Where It Belongs

Game rooms, dens, sports bars, fan caves, home offices, and any space where the engineering and folklore of American sport earn wall presence. Pairs naturally with other documents from the Bella Frye Sports Memorabilia collection — patents, portraits, programs, and the artifacts of the great American game.

• Premium 380gsm cotton canvas, archival pigment inks
• Three frame finishes: Ebony, Verdigris, Bourbon
• Stretched canvas option available
• Hand-finished in our Pacific Northwest studio
• Arrives ready to hang
• Free shipping on every order, ships next business day