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This
auction will make any veteran collector stop and contemplate it's
size and quality. You can't help but wonder how it all came
together. If you're new to this world, somehow you've walked into
one of the best auctions of antique baseball display pieces there has ever been.
It's
possible you'll never see another auction this good. The only ones
I know of that surpassed it would be the one Robert Edward had a
year ago, in April 2005. That one was really something. It took
place right before I launched this site or I'd have
previewed it. I think it was made up of
things from the same primary consigner as this one. The other
auction that rivaled this would be the Halper auction.
THE
CONSIGNER
I've heard
talk that a particular collector consigned probably most the items.
However in the catalog, I don't read any reference to the
collector, or even mention of where it all came from. So I guess I
better not give a name. But I imagine a lot of insiders in the
hobby are aware of who's stuff this is. I mentioned the name to a
buddy and he said, it rings true now that you mentioned it, as he
recognized some of the items in the auction he had sold to the
collector. I
don't think I ever met the consigner / collector, but I heard of
him over the years. One dealer told me he hid this collector from
other dealers for years. He said he used to go early to all the
Portland Oregon Expo antiques shows, and buy up everything he knew
the collector would want. Then sell it all to him when he got
there. And that for years the other dealers never got to know the
collector, what he collected, or that he was a very serious
shooter.
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THE
QUANTITY
Three
quarters thru sorting out the best display pieces of this auction I actually
wondered if my pen might run out of ink.
The voracity is almost dumbfounding
there's so much. It's almost
like Rob and staff
must have employed
earth moving equipment to
sort it into piles. What's offered is
literally
a dispersement of national treasure. Many items that would be
considered top pieces in the usual sports auction, are
suddenly yawners in the mix. I don't recall any auction with as
many high quality "collection" groupings. It's as if Rob and his
staff had so much to move they finally just said, hey lets start lumping
this stuff together or we'll never finish!
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LOT
NO.5
1928
Sporting News Counter Display with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig! 12
inches tall by 8 1/2 inches wide: Choosing the
No. #1 piece was a tough call between this and Lot 15, the Hassan
triple fold sign. But Ruth and Gehrig together, the condition, and
that it's never been seen before and the only known example put it at No. #1.
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LOT
16
1912
T202 Hassan Triple Fold Advertising Display, 60"
x 40":
The
end pieces were among the cornerstones of the Halper collection.
Having the center part makes it one of the greatest antique baseball display
pieces extant.
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LOT 664
Circa 1850s
Knickerbocker
Belt:
This is
one of the most impressive pieces of memorabilia I've ever
seen. These are very rare! The look is incredible and the
condition is very good! When you're talking Knickerbockers you're
talking the very nucleus of baseball. You can't hardly get much
earlier in the history of the game. They
were New York city's first baseball team, starting in 1845. I
think only firemen and baseball players wore these kinds of belts.
There was a Knickerbocker Fire Engine Company, so there's a possibility
it was worn by a fireman. But in 1840-50 era fire departments had
baseball teams, so it very well could have been worn for both
fireman functions and as part of their baseball uniform.
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LOT 713
Nineteenth-Century Fingerless Baseball Glove with Matching Full-Finger Glove:
This
is a very advanced piece, and they rarely come up for sale. Any
fingerless glove is gold, but one with the matching workman's
glove like this is almost unheard of. I think these fingerless gloves
have the potential for meteoric escalation in value. I could see
these someday going in the million dollar range and beyond.
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LOT 760
1893
"Zimmer's Base Ball Game" Proof Game Board, 24" x 24"
framed: The
Zimmer is considered the pinnacle of baseball board games. The
first one I ever saw was in the story on Barry
Halper's collection,
in the April 1987 edition of Smithsonian
Magazine. Steve
Wolters of Sports
Investments has an example
in his collection, which I saw
last summer. It is one gorgeous game!
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LOT 990
Extraordinary Circa 1910 Reach Tin Advertising Display Sign,
13"
x 6": The
graduating dark blue top to the light blue bottom, the white
glove, the pillbox capped pitcher at the bottom winding up, and
the condition make this piece almost surreal. It's a little small
but still one of the nicest antique baseball signs I've ever seen.
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LOT
989
1912
Boston Garter Advertising Display Sign, 27 1/2" x 17 1/2" framed:
This
is one of the top antique baseball signs to own. Not only is it a
great looking sign, but it advertises the cards that came in the
boxes of the garters. Therefore the advanced card collectors, with
all their money, zero in on these. They're very rare even though
this is the fourth time one has been auctioned within the last
year. A year ago Robert Edward auctioned one of these for
$22,500.00 on May 1st 2005. That same one is being auctioned again
in Mastro Auctions April 2006 auction (as I write). Mile High Card
Company auctioned one on December 7th 2005 for $31,704.00. And now
this one. The one Mile High auctioned showed different cards than
this one, and the one in Mastro.
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LOT 991
click
photo 
c1913,
5 piece Reach Store Window Advertising Display: I
get the feeling the way this items is described in the catalog
doesn't do it justice. Viewing it on the website I didn't realize
each of the five parts are individually framed until I read it
deep in the copy. After reading the lengthy description carefully
and considering the size of the each part, the display took shape
in my mind. It was all originally designed to fit up against the
inside of the front window of a store facing out to the street.
The display was designed to be flanked by the large 52 inch tall
batter and 49 inch tall pitcher facing each other. And I suppose
with the 37 1/2 inch wide by 9 1/2 inch tall center piece at the
top. And I guess the two 10 inch round signs of the glove and
ball, and the hand and ball went under the center piece. This
isn't going to be for someone with a small apartment, and clearly
it's something for an advanced collector. But the good part is
it's outstanding looking in the catalog, and probably stunning in
person. Fortunately it's all framed and ready to display as soon
as you get it, and you don't have to worry about damaging it. It's
a lot to take in, so here's the dimensions again: BATTER
- 52 inch X 18 inch PITCHER
- 49 inch X 21 inch
CENTER
PIECE - 37 1/2
inch x 9 1/2 inch ROUND
ADVERTISING PIECES, ONE BALL, ONE GLOVE - each 10 inch
diameter
Catalog
Quote: "All of the panels have been individually mounted and framed to slightly larger dimensions."
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LOT
645 ,
1889 Spalding World Tour Display Photograph, 22
1/2" x 18 1/2" framed:
I'm
not a photo guy, but occasionally I spot one like this that's just
incredible. It's partly the size that makes it. The actual photo measures
14 inches tall by 10 1/2 inches wide. Framed with matting it's 22 1/2 inch
by 18 1/2 inch. That's quite imposing for any photograph, but especially
for one from the 1889 era. It's about as impressive as 19th century photos
get! This
is a very rare original photo. It was taken on a world tour trip organized
by baseball pioneer Albert Spalding. Robert Edward Auctions believes the
photo was removed from a tour album personally presented by Spalding to
one of the tour players.
Spalding was a star pitcher, sporting goods magnet, and White Sox
executive. This photo is a classic example of an outstanding, and
rare antique sports display piece that would impress the sox off of
anybody.
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LOT
1 , 1927 Alan Stephens Foster Original Saturday Evening Post Cover
Painting Safe On Base, 27" x 22" framed:
This
painting was done as an illustration for the cover of the May 28, 1927 edition of The Saturday Evening Post.
I really can't recall another great and grand illustration art
painting representing baseball, as nice as this in my many years
in the hobby. For the uninitiated I'll explain original vintage
illustration art is a big deal, with a big following of
collectors. And I think that's why we haven't seen formidable
pieces like this in the hobby. Not so much now, but for years,
particularly back in the 1920's and 30's there was a divisive
wedge between the fine art world and illustration art done for
commercial use. Illustration art was looked down on by some as
unworthy of recognition and appreciation.
But
that's silly, as anyone can see, illustration art is as enjoyable
as any art form. It should simply be recognized for what it is.
That is, commercial art, designed to attract. By it's very nature
illustration art has to be good art, or else magazines and posters
wouldn't accomplish their objective! Illustration art started
catching on around the late 1970's and early 80's.
Collectors discovered these works to be supercharged hybrids
of imagination and creativity, and they appreciate owning and
enjoying the original in their own personal space. Now we, the
sports collecting community, have a crack at owning something from
this art form. This is probably one of the best illustration art
baseball paintings you'll ever see. I don't think it's a coincidence
it's lot #1. return
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