Baseball dating from the early 1850s. This ball is a variation of the standard lemon-peel ball, which was the earliest baseball design. Lemon-peel balls are constructed of a single piece of leather, whereas the offered ball is constructed of four separate pieces of leather, with two of the pieces squared off at each end. The result is that either end features an "H" design to the stitching. The ball measures 8.5 inches in circumference and weighs 6.625 ounces. That circumference and weight both differ from the standard dimensions of a baseball as established by the National Association in the late 1850s (10.5 inches in circumference and 6.25 ounces), which suggests that it dates to a slightly earlier time period. The ball displays moderate-to-heavy wear, including abrasions and crazing, but the leather remains supple and the stitching is tight, with no tears. This is a fine example dating from the earliest days of our National Pastime.