Vintage Bowling Bag Grading and Rating System
www.bowlingstyles.com
This is a work in progress. Last updated: 31 Dec. 2006. Version 1.1.
WHY I CREATED THIS PAGE
I created this page to establish some set of standards for grading the huge array of bowling bags that show up on eBay and craigslist. Often a seller's description and pictures don't tell the whole story. Eventually I may expand this site with pictures and historical information on bags and other items from America's most popular participant sport.
WHAT IS A ''VINTAGE'' BOWLING BAG?
Typically, I define a ''vintage'' bowling bag as one that was manufactured in the early 1980s or earlier. A vintage bag can usually be distinguished from a contemporary one by its materials. Bowling bags have been made from a wide array of materials, including vinyl, naugahyde, hard plastic, leather, metal, and more. Nowadays, most manufacturers use canvas, parachute rip-stop type material, or other lighter weight materials that look and feel ''contemporary.'' Typically, logos have a contemporary look, and any molded parts tend to be made of plastic rather than brass, aluminum, or other non-synthetic materials. This is generalizing broadly, though -- many 1940s and 1950s vintage bags were made of canvas, for instance -- so mostly the look and feel of a bag determine its ''vintage'' character or lack thereof.
RATING SYSTEM ON A SCALE OF TEN
10: Mint condition. This vintage bowling bag is brand new, never used, and may even still have original store or manufacturer tags.
9: Near mint. Little if any use is evident. There may be a stray scuff or two. The inside is clean and typically this bowling bag requires little if any cleaning to be ''mint condition.''
8: Very good condition. There are some signs of use, such as external scuffs or easily removed dirt from the interior. Metal crowns and handles are still in great shape, relatively clean, and show little if any use. No cracking to vinyl around handles, piping, or other decorative bits. If this is a soft bag, there may be mild evidence of sagging due to loss of the bag's original form, or to put it euphemistically, the bag has a bit of ''character.''
7: Good condition. This is a bag that would benefit from refurbishing due to dirty or scuffed areas. Not all dirty or scuffed areas may be refurbishable, however. Some scratching to the vinyl or hard plastic sides would be typical. There may be some scuffing or cracking to vinyl around handles, piping, or other decorative bits. If this is a soft bag, it has lost some of its original form in at least one corner or side.
6: Fair condition. Typically a bag like this is well used and will have some ''issues'' such as cracked, loose, or missing piping, smells or spills (powder or bowler's grip resin) that need cleaning, worn or dirty interior areas, and so forth. A soft bag in fair condition shows moderate or greater deformation of the bag's original shape due to wear.
BOWLING BAGS I BUY AND SELL
Typically I only sell bags that are ''8'' or better. See my store at username bowlingbay for details -- closed for now, but reopening in March 2007.
At this time, I am mostly selling off my collection, and the only bowling bags I am still interested in buying are vintage bags in quantity, that retain their original sales tags (''new deadstock'' or ''new with tags'') and are clean (free of mold, mildew smells, stains, scuffs, or breakage of any kind). If you have catalogs or other documents that can identify or date pre-1985 bowling items, I may be interested in those as well.
Please email ''info AT bowlingstyles.com'' with any questions.
--Bill, BowlingStyles DOT com and BowlingBay DOT com
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info AT BowlingStyles DOT com
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