CURRIER & IVES 'THE AMERICAN GAME OF BASEBALL' 1866 LITHO - HOW DO i TELL IF IT'S AN ORIGINAL?

I came across this in a stack of sports art I had (including another baseball litho pencil signed by Will Moses) - it's by Currier & Ives and originally printed in 1866.
Is there a way to tell if it's an original or if it's newer? I know sometimes the reprints are a different size - can anyone tell me the original's size?
Any info would be appreciated - it looks older and I think it would sell easy either way; but with a big difference in the asking price!
Thanks
PS - Mine measures 18" x 26" without the frame

 

It's a beauty if it is!

 

If you see dotted lines with a loop or magnifying glass it's not a original. No dots mean lithograph more valuable.

 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/834947
Here are the specs

 

looks like yours is smaller than the original

 

I measured it from the back, inside edge to inside edge - could it have been trimmed?
Is it worth opening it from the back to see it?

ps - Here is a close up - people in wagons, 2nd man standing from left - do their colors look like they may have been hand applied?

 

I don't know what to make of those striations.

Hasn't one of these been on the boards previously?

 

Hand colored

 

The enlargement doesn't look like a typical Currier and Ives lithograph texture that I've seen.

All correct sizes are in the link - image, paper size etc

Title is in wrong font too ...and that's the clincher. Not an original, looks like yours has some etched lines?

 

Just found another like yours, described as an aquatint(?) same style title, they say it's early 1900's, could be I suppose, needs further research but I think this is what you have.

http://www.smalltraditions.com/Early_1900s_The_American_National_Game_of_Base_Bal-LOT21389.aspx

EDIT: ok I found yours. it's from the 1930's ....
"1930s Sidney Z. Lucas Original"

"This classic scene was featured in an 1866 Currier & Ives print titled “The American National Game of Baseball”.
Presented is an original 1930s Sidney Z. Lucas “Aquatint” lithograph rendition of this early baseball event. This magnificent piece measures 24x18 and is framed and matted to overall dimensions of 31x25. Subtitled “Grand Match for the Championship at Elysian Fields Hoboken, NJ.”, this auspicious rendering is marked “copyright by Sidney Z. Lucas” at the lower right corner and “Engraved in Aquatint” at the lower left corner. The lower left in also marked with Lucas’ trademark “sLz” initials which are encircled. This fine example presents in like new condition with bold colors and sharp details. The chestnut brown frame shows typical light to moderate age appropriate signs of wear including mildly blunted corners and scattered scratches which in no way detract from the lithograph's noble visage.


http://jul12.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-bin/showitem.pl?lotno=371

If yours is lacking the Sidney Lucas/aquatint dialog, it may be an even later re-etched worn plate edition of the aquatint. Aquatint is somewhat limited in numbers printable due to plate wear. It's a common practice for publishers to sell off worn printing plates to other publishers who then reinforce the worn portions of the plate by re-etching the details that are worn.

 

From the Met's description:

ranks among the most celebrated of nineteenth-century pictures of a baseball game in progress

Would therefore not be surprising if it was extensively reproduced over the years. However, I see no dots & colors look hastily applied.

 

Thank you Blooey!!

 

I didn't even see this until I used a magnifying glass and looked where you said!



This is the other baseball print (by Will Moses) I found with it - they were behind a stack of art that I've started going through - without the thrift stores being closed I probably wouldn't have found these for another couple of years!
Thank you again Blooey - I thought the first one was older than the ones I found for sale online, but you made it possible for m to prove it when I sell it!