Lot # 2987: Circa 1850-1860s Reward of Merit Certificate with Baseball Scene

Scarce "Reward of Merit" dating from circa 1850s. This certificate, which was issued to elementary school students by their teachers in acknowledgment of classroom achievement or good conduct, displays a pastoral vignette of boys playing a game with a bat and ball. The certificate (6-5/8 x 2-7/8 inches), which is printed on thick paper stock, features a large color illustration of boys playing an early form of baseball (bat resembles a cricket bat) and bears both the name of the student and teacher written in pencil along the base. In Fair condition overall.