Alexander Cartwright Jr, The Origin of the Baseball Diamond, and the Formation of the Knickerbockers

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

We will be posting a few interesting items and highlights on the REA blog as time permits and the auction gets closer.

Below is the preliminary catalog description for one of the most interesting items we have ever had the privilege to offer. It is a fascinating piece and one that may have great significance to the origin of the baseball diamond and the formation of the legendary Knickerbockers.

           

         

Extraordinary Alexander Cartwright Signed Book - The Epiphany for the Origin of the Baseball Diamond and for the Formation of the New York Knickerbockers

Offered here is what we consider to be one of the most significant Alexander Cartwright items in existence, and one that might also merit equal status with regard to the very origins of baseball: a 1834 edition of The Club, written by James Puckle and published by Chiswick Press, London. The historical importance of this book is based on a number of factors, the most salient of which are these: 1) To the best of our knowledge it features the only known full-name signature of Cartwright  signed “Alexander J. Cartwright Jr.”, as well as the being earliest. 2) It represents the only item extant that it is a virtual certainty was carried by Cartwright on his journey across the country from New York to California, and then on to Hawaii, where he finally settled and remained for the rest of his life (indicating its importance to Cartwright); 3) Lastly, and most important, the book, both in its content and design, may have been related to his inspiration to form the New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club and to design the baseball field in the manner that he did.

That the book belonged to Cartwright is evident upon opening it. Affixed to interior cover is Cartwright’s personal illustrated bookplate bearing his name, “A. J. Cartwright.” The fact that the book is his, and not his father’s, is firmly established by the boldly scripted black-ink inscription on the front flyleaf that reads “Alexander J. Cartwright Jr./1939/New York” (grading “10″). To the best of our knowledge this is the only “Alexander J. Cartwright Jr.” full-name Cartwright signature extant and, equally significant, the earliest example as well. With regard to the second point, the Cartwright signature here may also represent not only the earliest known example for Alexander Cartwright, but also the earliest signature example for any member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

From Cartwright’s inscription, we know that this book was in his possession in New York prior to his having formed the Knickerbockers in the early 1840s. That he carried it with him to Hawaii (or had his wife, Eliza, bring this along with other important personal items when she came to Hawaii via ship) is a reasonable assumption based upon a second inscription, scripted in blue ink on the third page of the book, which reads “Robert E. Van Dyke/from/Ruth Joy Cartwright Doyle/1966.” Obviously, this book was handed down by Cartwright to family members, who in turn passed it on to other relatives. Ruth Joy Cartwright Doyle was Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr.’s granddaughter. In turn, we know from genealogy records (which are included with the book) that Robert E. Van Dyke was Ruth Joy Cartwright Doyle’s nephew. Van Dyke was born in 1936, making him thirty years old when he received this family heirloom from his aunt. Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr., left New York in 1849 and headed west to claim his fortune during the California gold rush. Failing to strike it rich, he continued on to Hawaii, where he ultimately settled. Since he experienced terrible sea sickness en route to Hawaii, he never left the island and remained there until the time of his death in 1892. Presently, this book is the only one of Cartwright’s personal possessions at the time of his death that can be conclusively traced back to his residency in New York. That fact is extremely significant. In 1849 a travel across the country from New York to California was a considerable undertaking. The transcontinental railroad had yet to be built, making travel slow and arduous. As such, anyone making the trek would have to travel light, out of necessity. The fact that this small book was one of the items Cartwright felt compelled to bring with him meant that he had a strong emotional attachment to it. The reasons why, as we shall see, may involve the very origins of the game of baseball.

1839 has always been an important year in the history of baseball, but for all the wrong reasons. In 1908, the Mills Commission, which was formed by Albert Spalding to investigate the origins of baseball, arrived at the erroneous conclusion that baseball was “invented” in the year 1839 by Abner Doubleday, who drew the first “diamond” in a field in Cooperstown, New York. Although most  historians have since dispelled the “Doubleday myth”, the year continued to be the basis for celebrating baseball’s 100th and 150th anniversaries, respectively, in 1939 and 1969. However, 1839 might still prove to be a historic year, for it marked the time that a young nineteen-year old boy named Alexander Cartwright Jr., either received or purchased the offered copy of The Club, a book, that may have been the epiphany for the formation of the New York Knickerbockers and the origin of the baseball diamond.

The Club, which was first published in 1733, is a dialogue between a father and son, in which the son describes his visit to a friend’s club, called the Noah’s Ark.  Assembled at  The Noah’s Ark, were twenty-five typical personages, including an antiquary, buffoon, critic, quack, lawyer, news monger, rake, and usurer. The next morning the son offers his father a description of each of the club members. At the close of each personal sketch the father lectures on the habits of each personality-type described.  In its simplest interpretation, this book expounds upon the virtues of forming a club and the benefits of having the club membership made up of individuals from different walks of life and with different personalities.

While the notion of forming a club, as Cartwright would do a few years later when he founded the Knickerbockers, is central to the book’s thesis, even more influential to young Cartwright might have been what he saw every time he went to open the book. The brown leather boards featured on the 1834 edition of this book display elaborate gilt dentelles on both the front and reverse. What is striking is the design they make. The pattern is very similar to that of an elongated baseball diamond. In fact, today, anyone seeing the cover and reading the gilt-lettered title on the spine would almost certainly think this was a book relating to baseball. Is it possible that Cartwright’s idea of forming a club to meet regularly to play baseball, and his implementation of a “diamond” design for the playing field were both related to and inspired by this book? The coincidence is hard to discount. It is also significant to note that this particular edition of The Club is the only edition known with the gilt “diamond” cover. Other known editions include those with green, red, brown, or black covers, some of which have an alternate cover design, or no design at all. Had Cartwright received one of those other editions, would the future of baseball been different?

The New York Knickerbockers, the baseball club which Cartwright formed in the early 1840s, was made up of gentleman of various occupations and backgrounds. Many of the men in the club were also volunteer fireman, and it has been suggested that the Knickerbocker name was taken from the Knickerbocker Engine Company No. 12, to which Cartwright once belonged. In 1845, the Knickerbockers drew up a constitution and a set of formal rules by which the game of baseball would be played. It is generally agreed that it was Cartwright who formulated most of the rules, especially the use of a “diamond-shaped” field. As early as 1864 there was a published account of the history of the Knickerbockers which identified Cartwright as having suggested the idea of organizing a formal club. Both Peverelly’s 1866 Book of American Pastimes, along with Alfred Spink’s The National Game, published in 1910, include passages of a letter written in 1877 by Duncan Curry, the first president of the Knickerbockers. It gives an account of Cartwright suggesting the formal organization of the club, and includes additional information about Cartwright proposing rules. Curry writes in part (from The National Game):

Baseball is purely an American game and owes it’s origin to Mr. Alexander J. Cartwright, who also suggested the organization of a club to play his new game… I do remember the afternoon when Alex Cartwright came up to the ball field with a new scheme for playing ball…with his plans drawn up on paper. He had laid out a diamond shaped field with canvas bags filled with sand at the three points and an iron plate for home base. At the time none of us had any experience in that style of play as there were no rules for playing that game. We had to do the best we could….aided by Cartwright’s judgement…When we saw what a great game Cartwright had given us, and his suggestion of forming a club to play, it met with our approval, we set about to organize a club.

Further credit to Cartwright for the creation of the baseball “diamond” is provided by author Jay Martin in his book Live All You Can: Alexander Joy Cartwright and the Invention of Modern Baseball (Columbia University Press, New York, 2009). First he quotes Hall of Fame shortstop George Wright, who wrote “In the Spring of 1845, Mr. Alex J. Cartwright, who had become an enthusiast in the game, one day upon the field proposed a regular organization” of the Knickerbockers’ game. Cartwright wrote the rules down in a little five-inch by three-and-a-half-inch black book that he took from his stationery shop. On the cover in gold letters, he stamped “Knickerbockers.” Later, Martin discusses the dilemma Cartwright faced with regard to the design of the field when formulating his new rules:

But how was the field to be designed? The rectangular field of play in round­ers  had variable distances between home and first, first and second, second and third, and third and home, initially gave advantage to the runner and then to the fielders as the batter attempted to round third and make home. This was not symmetrical. Cartwright solved these two problems at once by making the field of play square, turning it ninety degrees to make a diamond, and demanding that “fair” balls must be hit forward within the extension of the lines of the diamond into the outfield. Years later, Cartwright reminded Charles Debost that the first diamond-shaped field was on “the pleasant field of Hoboken in New Jersey, the Elysian Fields, . . . where . . . most of the early games were played.

We fully acknowledge that, just as there is eternal debate between the merits of Creationism and that of  Evolution, there is and has always been great controversy regarding the origins of baseball, its rules, and the invention of the baseball diamond.  There are those that believe the foundation of the rules of  baseball (including the invention of the baseball diamond) was created or memorialized by a single individual (depending on whose theory is being promoted, by Alexander Cartwright Jr.,  Abner Doubleday, or others), and there are those who believe that the rules of baseball strictly evolved from other games, such as rounders and “town ball”, and no individual can take credit. We weren’t there, but perhaps there is some truth to both theories. Could all of the unique and extraordinary qualities of this book that once belonged to Alexander Cartwright Jr. just be a coincidence? Possibly. But that is a lot of coincidences to dismiss. It is also possible that this book was the inspiration for Alexander Cartwright’s contributions to the game, and as such is one of the most important items in existence relating to the true origins of baseball as we know it today.

This is certainly one of the most intriguing items we have ever handled on many counts, especially given its very possible link to the origins of the modern game of baseball. Certainly it is the finest Cartwright signed piece extant. While no one will ever know if this little book is to be credited with giving rise of our national pastime, its content, unique cover design, and the fact that it was one of the few items deemed important enough by Cartwright to take with him when he left New York, suggest that it was more than merely reading material. Also significant is that as late as 1966, it was still being handing down among family members, suggesting that its value and significance were much greater than simply that of an old book once owned by Cartwright. The book (4.25 x 6.5 inches) displays moderate wear to the covers and a number of interior pages display light foxing and/or a few areas of light age toning. The binding remains tight and firm. In Excellent condition overall. LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $5,000. Estimate (open).

Comment now » Read more February 7th, 2012

Babe Ruth’s Rookie Card, Babe Ruth’s Last Will and Testament, and 1923 Babe Ruth Bat - Possibly used to Hit the First Home Run in Yankee Stadium!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

            

We will be posting a few interesting items and highlights on the REA blog as time permits and the auction gets closer. Babe Ruth is always well represented in every REA auction.

This year’s auction includes Babe Ruth’s 1916 rookie card, his Last Will and Testament, and many items from the years in between.

But perhaps the most fascinating is a 1923 Babe Ruth Pro-Model Bat - Possibly Used to Hit the First Home Run in Yankee Stadium!

Below is the preliminary auction catalog description text. Your feedback is always appreciated!

Sincerely,

Robert Edward Auctions LLC

1923 Babe Ruth Pro-Model Bat - Possibly Used to Hit the First Home Run in Yankee Stadium!

Over the years Robert Edward Auctions has handled numerous Babe Ruth pro-model bats, including a number of the most significant examples in the hobby today; however, we have never seen one as intriguing or so potentially historic as that presented here. What makes this bat so special is the very real possibility that it might have been in Ruth’s hands on opening day in 1923, when the Yankees played the first game in the newly built Yankee Stadium on April 18th. If that possibility is acknowledged, and we feel it safely can be based upon all of the evidence we will present here, then logically it must follow, at the very least, that this bat might be one of only a handful Ruth could have used to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium on that historic day. While it is well beyond the limits of our research to either confirm or deny such a claim, the mere fact that even the slightest chance exists that this bat might have been used by Ruth to christen Yankee Stadium with its first home run makes it especially important.

The bat offered here is a Babe Ruth H&B 40K signature-model (predating model numbers) bat dating from the 1923-1925 labeling period. The bat, which is hand turned, measures 35 inches in length and weighs a massive 39.9 ounces. The “40K” denotes H&B’s patented line of “Kork-Grip” bats, which literally means that the handle was prepared at the factory with an applied cork grip. In the realm of Babe Ruth pro-model bats, the 40K is among the rarest of all models. According to H&B factory records for Ruth’s entire career, only ONE order of 40K bats can be found in the company’s shipping ledgers. What is significant is the date of that order: 4/10/23, exactly eight days prior to the Yankees’ home opener at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923. Unfortunately, there is no mention of either the size or weight of the 40K bats sent to Ruth or even how many. What is important to note is that this bat’s length and weight fall within the approved specifications for Ruth bats at the time. During the circa 1923 period, Ruth ordered long and heavy bats of 35 to 36 inches and approximately 40 ounces. This is the only 40K Ruth bat with brandings consistent with the 1923 order, and that is also to Ruth’s specifications that we have handled or seen. We know of two other examples of Ruth 40K bats that do not conform. The first dates from the 1925-1931 labeling period and therefore could not have been included in the order sent on 4/10/23. The second bat, which does date from the correct labeling period, measures 34 inches in length and weighs 36.5 ounces, which DOES NOT conform to the factory-listed lengths and weight previously noted. Therefore, the offered bat appears to be the only one of these three that could POSSIBLY have been part of that order on 4/10/23.

Of course, just because an order of 40K bats to Ruth on 4/10/23 can be found in the company ledgers doesn’t necessarily imply that he used a 40K bat during any of his plate appearances on opening day. However, we can state WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY that Ruth did indeed receive that recorded shipment of 40K bats, and that at least one of those 40K bats was in his hands prior to the game. We have found six different photos of Ruth holding a 40K Babe Ruth signature-model bat in his hands on April 18, 1923, all of which picture him posing with little Ray Kelly, the Yankees’ mascot, prior to the game. What is significant is that in each and every photo Ruth can be clearly seen holding a cork-grip bat (based upon the grain pattern it is not the same bat offered here). Equally important, our research has failed to find any other photos of Ruth from that day holding anything other than a 40K cork-grip bat. Again, the fact that we have pictures of Ruth holding a cork-grip bat on April 18, 1923, does not necessarily mean that he used one during the game, but it does necessarily allow for such a possibility. Certainly, the photographic evidence confirms the availability of 40K cork-grip bats to Ruth that day. Conversely, the definitive use of any other model bat by Ruth that day has yet to be confirmed in a similar manner. All known photos of Ruth holding a bat on  Opening Day in 1923, in which the style of bat can definitively be identified, show him holding a 40K corp-grip style bat.  The only evidence we have, albeit imperfect, of Ruth using a cork-grip bat at the plate on April 18, 1923, comes from the only film footage we have found of Ruth hitting the first home run at Yankee Stadium. Because of the distance it was shot from, when watching it in real speed, it is impossible to discern the presence of a cork grip on the handle. However, when we froze some of the frames showing Ruth dropping the bat as he runs to first, and again as the bat hits the dirt, it does appear that there is a subtle difference in color between the handle and barrel, suggesting that something has been applied to the handle. Of course, it is impossible to tell from the distant images with certainty what material was applied to the handle, if any; it could be tape as easily as cork.

A number of collectors are probably wondering by now if we have forgotten that the bat used by Babe Ruth to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium appeared in a high-profile sports auction in December 2004, where it sold for a record $1.265 million. The bat was signed by Ruth and was fully documented by various period newspaper reports at the time. We have not forgotten that bat. We have no doubt whatsoever that the bat offered in that auction was a Babe Ruth game used bat, and that it was signed by Babe Ruth, and that it was presented to that young boy in Los Angeles at the time. But, when one examines all of the available evidence, some of which has already been alluded to here, there is room for doubt with regard to its claim of being the bat used by Ruth to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium. A leap of faith is required that has been glossed over. To begin with, it was Christy Walsh, Ruth’s agent, who came up with the idea of a home-run contest between Los Angeles high school baseball players, with the prize being the bat used by Ruth to hit his first home run of the 1923 season. Of course, Ruth’s first home run occurred on the first day of the season and also happened to be the first home run ever hit at Yankee Stadium. As far as the contest went, Ruth’s only level of participation in it was, outside of hitting the actual home run, signing the bat and posing for pictures when he gave it to a special messenger, who then took it back to Los Angeles for presentation to the recipient. Everything else was handled by Walsh, whose main concern was publicity. Remember, the presentation of the bat to the young girl acting as the special messenger didn’t take place until May 7, 1923, a full three weeks after the date of the home run. While we have no way of knowing for sure, we are skeptical that the bat used by Ruth to hit the first home run on April 18th was immediately tagged and segregated as such, and then given to Walsh immediately afterwards to safeguard for three weeks. The bat presented by Ruth in that contest was an H&B 125 Babe Ruth signature-model bat. Ruth’s bat order just prior to the first game of the year was for 40K cork-grip bats. All of the available photos we have of Ruth on April 18, 1923, picture him holding cork-grip bats. In fact, there is no evidence whatsoever, outside of the information Walsh provided to the press, to support the claim that the bat presented to the original recipient was the bat used by Ruth to hit the first home run at Yankee Stadium. Is it possible that three weeks later Walsh just grabbed a Ruth bat from the dugout and had Ruth sign it? Would anyone have been surprised, or cared, if he did? No one cared when the Ruth balls Walsh arranged to have given as prizes by Sinclair Oil were not actually signed by Ruth (they were “ghost signed”). No one cared when a different Ruth bat we have seen that was decorated as a home run bat and given as a prize in the 1920s was not really signed by Ruth (it also was “ghost signed”). No one cared when Walsh arranged for all of Ruth’s syndicated newspaper columns (as well as those of all of the other celebrity members of the Christy Walsh Syndicate such as John McGraw, Walter Johnson, and Ty Cobb) to be “ghostwritten” by established sportswriters (including Ford Frick, Damon Runyon, and Gene Fowler). This was how Christy Walsh was. He took a few accepted liberties. He used a little poetic license. In short, he was a great promoter. Times were much different back then and no one was scrutinizing such claims or requiring letters of authenticity. Also interesting is that Ruth’s inscription on the bat makes no mention whatsoever of its special history. He simply personalizes the bat “To the Boy Homerun King of Los Angeles.” Lastly, to fully show that Walsh was coordinating the whole promotion, and that Ruth’s involvement was purely ceremonial in nature, we cite the telegram that accompanied the bat. At the time of the official presentation to the contest winner in Los Angeles, a telegram, dated 3:15 pm June 8, 1923, was purportedly sent by Ruth in New York congratulating him once again on winning the contest. The only problem is that Ruth could never have sent that telegram, unless Western Union had an office in right field at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees were in the middle of a game against the White Sox at the very time that telegram was sent; meaning Walsh sent it.

It should be fully understood that we are not claiming that the bat offered here was used by Ruth to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium. In similar manner, like nearly all other Ruth bats in the hobby, with the exception of a few documented examples, we cannot state with absolute certainty whether or not Ruth even used it in any game. All we can state are the facts. This bat has been authenticated by PSA/DNA and is accompanied by a letter from John Taube and Vince Malta. In the letter (which can be viewed in its entirety on our website), they describe the bat in the following terms: Hillerich & Bradsby model 40K George ‘Babe’ Ruth professional model bat shows evidence of heavy use with a handle crack that has been repaired. The original cork handle was no longer on the bat. The handle was taped and the handle tape was removed as part of the repair. Many ball marks and ball stitch impressions are visible on the right, left, and back barrel. Also visible on the barrel surface are various cuts and chippings.” Later in the comments section, they specifically talk about the bat’s use. “Judging by the visible use on the subject bat, and the condition of the handle prior to the repair, if the bat was part of the original order appearing on Ruth’s PBOR [Professional Bat Ordering Records], and was used by him, the bat saw additional use. Today, any Ruth characteristics cannot be determined. Three strong Ruth characteristics that we would hope to find would be the appearance of handle scoring, barrel scoring and a defined contact area on the left barrel above Ruth’s name. Numerous photographs from Ruth’s career depict Ruth as being a label down hitter resulting in a left barrel contact area. The subject bat displays heavy use on both sides of the barrel and handle scoring was not present prior to the repair of the crack. After a thorough examination of this George ‘Babe’ Ruth professional model bat, and its player use characteristics, it is our opinion the bat is authentic. The bat’s use by Ruth cannot be confirmed.”

As we began in our description, this is an extremely intriguing Ruth bat. It is undoubtedly a rare pro-model Ruth 40K bat, with 1923-1925 brandings, and the length and weight fall within the correct parameters for Ruth at the time. Ruth’s documented order of 40K bats a week before the first game of the season, combined with the photographic evidence, certainly lends itself to the possibility that Ruth used a cork-grip bat in that first game at Yankee Stadium. Could the offered bat be one of the 40K bats received by Ruth in the 4/10/23 shipment? (it is the only bat that has surfaced to date that conceivably could have come from that order.) Could the offered bat have been used by Ruth in the first game of the season, maybe even used to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium? The answer to both of those questions is yes, possibly, and just the mere fact that we can say possibly, makes this a very special Ruth bat indeed.  Reserve $10,000. Estimate (open).

Comment now » Read more January 31st, 2012

Introducing t206resource.com

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

REA is posting this notice as a public service to make collectors aware that a new resource website has just launched that will be of great interest to many vintage card collectors. The site is called t206resource.com and, as you can probably guess by the name, it is devoted exclusively to the T206 set.

The most popular vintage baseball card set of all time is well known for providing an almost limitless intrigue and fascination to collectors. Rare backs, Wagner, Plank, Magie, Doyle, proof cards, Ty Cobb Tobacco, checklisting the set by advertising reverses, the mystery of how the set was printed, exactly when cards were released, printing errors….and that’s just the beginning. With T206s, it never ends! This site attempts to collect, organize, and present all information about the T206 set in one place. While it is always going to be a work-in-progress, and additional information will continually be added, what has already been assembled and presented thus far is a remarkable achievement. This is an extremely scholarly project, and is the result of an enormous effort by collectors Jim Rivera and Tim Cathey, along with Art Martineau and Brian Weisner. These gentlemen, and the host of contributors that have assisted them, are due a huge “thank you” from the entire collecting world for their Herculean efforts, and their generosity in sharing their work for the benefit of all collectors. We can’t imagine all the work that went into this project. (Well, actually we can, which is why we’re so impressed!)

Here’s the link:

http://t206resource.com/

We hope you find t206resource.com helpful.

Sincerely,

Robert Edward Auctions LLC

www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com

Comment now » Read more December 20th, 2011

Dick Perez Original Hall of Fame Postcard Artworks - 2006 Negro League Inductees (17)

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                 

             

It is a great honor for Robert Edward Auctions to have been chosen by Dick Perez to offer his personal collection of original art in the spring 2012 sale. Presented will be 185 original Dick Perez artworks, featured in twenty-eight different lots. With the exception of five, all are the original paintings featured in the award-winning book The Immortals: An Art Collection of Baseball’s Best (Brilliant Graphics, Easton, Pennsylvania, 2010), and have not appeared in published form anywhere else. The Immortals, by Dick Perez, with text by William C. Kashatus, is a comprehensive career retrospective of Perez’s finest baseball works and features over 1,400 paintings, including numerous images of every member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Robert Edward Auctions gives thanks to Dick Perez, not just for the opportunity to oversee this special presentation, but for decades of creating the images which have come to symbolize the game for collectors and fans, over a period of time that now spans generations, and has enriched all of our lives. Robert Edward Auctions thanks Dick Perez for his immeasurable contributions to the rich tradition of art and its unique role in capturing the essence of the National Pastime. The images he has created have been enjoyed by millions, and are familiar to anyone who has ever had even a passing acquaintance with Major League baseball, as a visitor to the Hall of Fame, as a collector, or even as a casual fan. 

One highlight of this historic offering is the inclusion of thirty-five post Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcard artworks. Although the published Perez-Steele postcard series ended in 2001, Dick Perez has continued to create artworks (in the same style as that of the original postcard series) for each new Hall of Fame inductee. This offering features the artwork for every Hall of Fame member elected between the years 2006 and 2011. (Robert Edward Auctions previously sold the Hall of Fame artworks created for the seven inductees between the years 2002 and 2005.)

Below is the early catalog write-up for the seventeen original Dick Perez paintings pictured above. This is an incredible group of artworks and one that we thought collectors would enjoy seeing early.

Dick Perez Original Post Perez-Steele Hall of Fame Postcard Artworks - 2006 Negro League Inductees (17)

2006 was a historic year for the Baseball Hall of Fame as it welcomed a record eighteen new inductees, including the first woman ever elected: Effa Manley. The reason for the exceptionally large incoming class was the result of a decision made one year earlier in which the Hall’s board of directors approved a special election by the Committee on African-American Baseball to consider former Negro League players and executives who were worthy of induction, but were previously overlooked by earlier committees. When the final votes were counted, seventeen individuals, all of whom were deceased, had made the cut to right this enormous historical omission, and these seventeen pioneers were honored (along with Bruce Sutter) as members of the 2006 induction class.

Every year the official portraits of the newly elected Hall of Famers are created by Dick Perez, which, in the past, would then be published in the form of a Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcard. With the induction of seventeen Negro League players and executives, 2006 proved to be an unprecedented challenge. Offered here are the post Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcard artworks created by the legendary artist for each of the seventeen Negro League players and/or executives inducted by special initiative in 2006. These special artworks were first published by Dick Perez in his 2010 book The Immortals: An Art Collection of Baseball’s Best, but have not yet been published as postcards because all of the subjects were elected to the Hall after Perez-Steele Galleries’ last series update in 2001. Though Perez-Steele Galleries is no longer publishing, if the Hall of Fame postcard series is updated in the future, these are the images that will be used. These seventeen paintings alone would be worthy of a card set unto themselves.

Because of the exceptionally large 2006 induction class, the production of these paintings took a great deal of time and effort.  They are being offered together as this is how they were intended to be displayed and because of their extraordinary significance as a collection. This is certainly the largest offering of Perez-Steele Hall of Fame postcard artworks ever to appear at auction as a collection (with the exception of Tinker, Evers, and Chance being sold as a trio many years ago, we have never seen even two Dick Perez Hall of Fame postcard original artworks offered together), and also the most important. The seventeen individuals portrayed in this group represent some of the finest players in the history of the game, who, simply due to the color or their skin, were for decades denied the recognition they truly deserved by organized baseball. In that sense, these paintings, in addition to celebrating the careers of the pioneers elected in 2006, tell a story and provide imagery in tribute to all the Negro League stars who toiled in obscurity in years past. While we understand that these paintings might sell for more if offered individually, it was Mr. Perez’s hope that if offered as a collection, it might be more practical for a buyer to consider purchasing the entire collection of seventeen paintings with the intention of keeping it intact, to be displayed together as intended.  Each painting is done in watercolor on 100% cotton fiber arches WC paper and measures 13 x 18 inches.

The seventeen 2006 Negro League Hall of Fame inductees represented in this collection are: 1) Biz Mackey; 2) Pete Hill; 3) Frank Grant; 4) Andy Cooper; 5) Willard Brown; 6) Ray Brown; 7) Effa Manley; 8) Jose Mendez; 9) Alex Pompez; 10) Cum Posey; 11) Louis Santop; 12) Jud Wilson; 13) Mule Suttles; 14) L. L. Wilkinson; 15) Sol White; 16) Cristobal Torriente; and 17) Ben Taylor.

Comment now » Read more December 7th, 2011

Are All 2001 Barry Bonds Home Run Jerseys Fake?

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

Barry Bonds 2001 Game-Worn Home Run Jerseys Revisited:

Have all the authenticators been wrong? Are all the 2001 Barry Bonds “Home Run Jerseys” in the marketplace fake? So many auctions have sold so many of these jerseys and so many authenticators have “authenticated” them. Could they all be wrong?

We think that is the case.

We hope we are wrong. But we don’t think so.

Even though the jerseys have originated from Barry Bonds’ own company (”Barry Bonds Authenticated”, which, ironically, was created specifically to protect the public from buying fake Bonds items), the evidence simply does not support the claims that these jerseys were used by Bonds in the specific games as represented when sold (or ever worn by Bonds in any game), and does appear to support the conclusion that they are not game-worn jerseys at all.  We hope we’re wrong, but that’s what it looks like to us.

Below is an early auction preview write-up of a Barry Bonds “game-worn home run” jersey consigned to the Spring 2012 REA auction. When purchased by our consignor, this jersey was represented as the very jersey Bonds wore when hitting home run #543 of his career (and the 49^th of the season) on August 9, 2001 at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati.  

It is our hope that maybe by posting this catalog write-up early, we will be provided with additional information that will help us to provide the most accurate information possible for the final description for this lot.  

                                  

                  

    

2001 Barry Bonds Signed San Francisco Giants Jersey Represented As Game-Used While Hitting His 543rd Home Run (Authenticity In Question)

When is a Barry Bonds 2001 game-worn home run jersey not a Barry Bonds 2001 game-worn home run jersey? Probably when it is signed as such by Bonds and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Bonds’ own authentication company, “Barry Bonds Authenticated.” Confused yet? Don’t worry, you are not alone. While the Bonds steroid scandal continues to garner most of the national headlines, equally compelling is the controversy (that has received very little attention) regarding his game-used memorabilia, most notably those pieces dating from his record-breaking 2001 season. While we cannot possibly cover and discuss all of the issues regarding the sale of Bonds’ 2001 game-used equipment, we will relate many of the most important points and discoveries made, especially as it pertains to our offered piece: a 2001 Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants road jersey purportedly worn by Bonds when he hit his 49^th home run of the season, and the 543^rd home run of his career on August 9, 2001 at Cinergy Field in Cincinnati.

We should begin by stating that we do not believe that this jersey was ever worn in a game by Barry Bonds, let alone the game in which he hit his 543^rd career home run in 2001. While we know that that opinion is not a popular one among some sellers and authenticators, and that many collectors have expressed a different viewpoint, it is our opinion and it is based upon all of the evidence we have to date. In fairness, it must be noted that many of the 2001 Barry Bonds game-used home run jerseys circulating in the hobby today, including examples sold by Robert Edward Auctions in the past (with full disclosure provided by REA on all of the issues surrounding each piece), have received the highest grade possible by an independent third-party authentication company, a fact which has only fueled the controversy and led to even greater confusion among collectors.

To begin, we will describe the offered jersey and its documentation, followed by analysis of both, which will include all of the pertinent information we have learned through our research.  We are not authenticators, but we are armed with common sense. The grey knit jersey is lettered “San Francisco” across the front and features the name “Bonds” on the reverse. The number “25″ appears on the reverse directly below the name. All letters and numerals are appliquéd in black on orange tackle twill. A “Russell Athletic” label is located on the left front tail, directly below which is a white “2001 Barry Bonds Authenticated” label. A San Francisco Giants team patch adorns the left sleeve. The jersey has been signed and inscribed, presumably by Bonds, on the reverse in black Sharpie (grading “10″): “Barry Bonds/HR 543.” The Jersey is completely original, with no alterations, and displays light wear. (which would be expected if the jersey were only worn for one or two games). The jersey is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Barry Bonds Authenticated, dated “9/2/01.”

Taken at face value, the jersey, especially given the Bonds inscription and accompanying COA, appears to be a Bonds game-worn home run jersey from the 2001 season. Unfortunately, there are problems with the garment which have yet to be reconciled. Most of the issues with this jersey, and all other Bonds 2001 game-used jerseys marketed by Barry Bonds Authenticated, have been raised by members of the Game Used Universe Forum, and we encourage bidders to read more at this link (which includes many 2001 on-the-field Bonds images for comparison):

http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=21500   

In summary, the most compelling reason to dismiss this piece as something other than a 2001 Bonds game-used jersey is the absence of additional tagging, most notably a size tag. There are numerous photos available of Bonds on the field in 2001 (that are illustrated in the above link and elsewhere) with his shirt tail visible, and in every instance, one can clearly see a size tag, as well as additional customization tags located near the manufacturer’s labels. Furthermore, all other examples of 2001 San Francisco Giants jerseys (both home and away) belonging to different players, have size tags. Another major discrepancy is the Barry Bonds Authenticated label found on this jersey. Once again, all other available photos of Bonds on the field in 2001 with his shirt tail visible clearly show a different Barry Bonds Authenticated tag. In the tags seen on the photos, the year “2001″ is not present. It simply reads “Barry Bonds Authenticated,” which is different from the tag present on the offered jersey.

In addition to the empirical evidence, and what can only be described as a bizarre twist in the matter, Barry Bonds himself, through his business agent, has stated in writing to REA that all of the Barry Bonds “game-used” items marketed and sold through the business entity known as Barry Bonds Authenticated, are, in fact, not authentic. Of special note, Barry Bonds claims to still have all his 2001 game-worn jerseys. We believe him. Barry Bonds Authenticated was run by Steve Hoskins, who at one time was Bonds’ best friend. In 2003, Bonds and Hoskins had a falling out, the reasons of which have never been fully disclosed. It was shortly after the two had parted ways that Bonds began accusing Hoskins of selling memorabilia without his authorization and in some cases of forging Bonds’ signature on material. Hoskins countered by stating that Bonds was just trying to protect himself because he failed to declare any of the income he received from Barry Bonds Authenticated to the IRS. Whatever the truth was, the accusations did call into question some or all of the material sold by the Bonds camp under the Barry Bonds Authenticated name.

Robert Edward Auctions became directly involved in the “he said/she said” feud between Bonds and Hoskins in 2006. In May of that year, REA offered a Barry Bonds 2001 uniform ensemble (Lot 1071) that was comprised of a jersey, pants, hat, cleats, jacket, and wrist bands, all of which carried the special Barry Bonds patch and hologram label.

The items were purchased by our consignor from memorabilia dealer Brad Horne, who also provided a letter stating that all of the items were purchased directly from Steve Hoskins of Barry Bonds Authenticated.  Days before the auction closed, REA was contacted by Jeff Bernstein of Pro Access, a Miami-based company that was handling Bonds’ marketing business. In an email to REA president Robert Lifson, Bernstein informed our company that all of the Bonds items offered in the lot were not authentic:

I showed the auction that you are featuring to Barry again, and he is comfortable saying with 100% certainty that these items are fakes. He is in possession of all of [sic] 2001 game used uniforms, and we have this confirmed through the clubhouse equipment manager and the jersey supplier.

Bernstein also said that Bonds had been “totally shocked” to hear these items had been purchased from Mr. Hoskins. “In his entire relationship with Mr. Hoskins, he never authorized or allowed him to sell an entire uniform from any season, much less 2001.” All of the information was provided in an addendum to bidders, and while this naturally put a damper on the bidding, the uniform was appreciated for what it was, and sold with full disclosure of the authenticity issues, including the assertion by Barry Bonds himself that the uniform was not authentic, and that he is in possession of all of his 2001 game-used jerseys. Here is a link to a Wall Street Journal article entitled Barry Bonds’ Other Campaign: Slugger Says Bats, Jerseys Aren’t Authentic published May 19, 2006 that featured the uniform:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114800007721057332.html

Back to the jersey offered here: With all due respect to the desires of collectors that own these jerseys, the sellers who have sold them as authentic game-used jerseys, and the authenticators that have guaranteed this to be the case, the fact that the physical attributes of the offered jersey do not match up to known authentic examples leads us to one simple conclusion: this jersey was not worn by Bonds during the 2001 season, despite the provenance direct from Barry Bonds Authenticated, the notations on the jerseys itself, and statements to the contrary on the issued COA. We can’t explain how these jerseys could have been marketed as game-worn home run jerseys. We could not possibly know if Barry Bonds was personally involved in their sale, or if he is a victim (which seems very likely to us). If Bonds is telling the truth and does retain possession of all of his 2001 jerseys, than the fraud perpetrated by Steve Hoskins and Barry Bonds Authenticated is certainly one of the most notable ever perpetrated in the memorabilia world. As we have seen, the physical evidence certainly seems to support Bonds’ assertion. Unfortunately, countless examples of Bonds 2001 game-used jerseys, bats, hats, cleats, gloves, etc., have been sold, both publicly and privately, in the past eleven years, many for large sums of money. The cloud over many of these items appears well deserved and may never disperse. The 2001 “home run jerseys”, however, are in a league of their own in terms of significance and value. Despite our opinion that this 2001 jersey was never worn by Bonds, we are confident it still has great historic value, though it may sell for a fraction of what an authentic game-used jersey would command. It is our belief that these 2001 Bonds “fake” jerseys (if, indeed, they are not authentic as we believe) will always be appreciated for the fascinating historical significance they do have. They are a part of the puzzle of the much larger controversial story that was Bonds’ career.

Comment now » Read more November 10th, 2011

Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr. SABR Photo Identification Controversy Report

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                                   

Are these photos of the same person?  Are these both Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr?

The October-November SABR Pictorial History Committee Newsletter features a fascinating report calling into question the identification of Alexander Joy Cartwright, Jr (”The Father of Baseball”) in the iconic image that has long been universally accepted as being a circa 1846 photograph of the legendary Knickerbockers team. This is a remarkable, extremely detailed, and heavily illustrated document. It presents the case for both sides of the argument, including a response by the owner. At a glance, the report might seem a little intimidating. But a closer look (especially with all the illustrations) will reveal it to be very accessible. It is just carefully written because so much is at stake, and it is naturally interactive as you can evaluate the evidence of each side and decide for yourself. Is the identification correct? Or is the identification an error. Help solve the mystery! We highly recommend reading this report. We’ve never seen anything quite like it!

The report can be viewed at the link below: Once clicked, you must then click the “Download Now” button and the pdf of the SABR report will appear:

http://www.gamefront.com/files/20873948/Mysteryphoto_10_11_pdf

Comment now » Read more October 19th, 2011

1962 Mars Attacks Original Painting Auction Preview: The Ultimate Norm Saunders Artwork!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

                                      

                               original painting                       published card  #17              

 The original paintings to the 1962 Mars Attacks set are the most desirable of all nonsport card artworks. Every time we have had the privilege of offering an original Mars Attacks painting, we have thought it might be the last. There are only fifty-five cards in the 1962 Mars Attacks set, so theoretically there could be as many as fifty-five original artworks in existence, although only a handful are known to have survived. Over the years REA has offered ten Mars Attacks artworks including the original painting to the iconic card #1 which sold at REA in 2009 for a record $82,250:

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2009/1501.html

We have just received for auction a particularly extraordinary never-before-offered Mars Attacks painting. It is pictured below, along with the issued card. As can easily be seen, the original painting differs in a very significant way from the issued card. The painting pictures a man in the bed, while the issued card features a woman. This naturally led us to research the painting to hopefully understand why it is different (note: only the figure in the bed is different; this is the very painting that was used in the set, with the figure of the woman painted over and replaced by a figure of a man). The answer and information we found was so fascinating we thought it would be worth sharing as an early auction preview.   

Here the catalog writeup with the whole story:     

    

     

1962 Topps Mars Attacks Original Artwork for Card #17 - Beast And The Beauty - The Ultimate Norm Saunders Card Artwork!

Presented is the original painting to card #17 from the 1962 Topps “Mars Attacks” set, entitled Beast and the Beauty, created by artist Norm Saunders. The horrific scene pictures a Martian crashing through a window as it grabs a terrified man from his bed. Anyone familiar with the “Mars Attacks” set is probably shaking his head right now, because the artwork offered here is drastically different than that on the issued card, which pictures a woman, not a man, being menaced by the Martian. Fortunately, there is a very good explanation for the discrepancy between the image on the issued card and the artwork, which, as we shall document, is one of fourteen original “Mars Attacks” artworks later revised by Norm Saunders under the direction of Topps.The “Mars Attacks” set, with its violent subject matter and graphic scenes of men, women, and even pets being mercilessly slaughtered by the Martians, was somewhat controversial at the time. Topps obviously anticipated a negative reaction from parents and teachers, and this is the very reason Topps listed the name of a fictitious company, “Bubbles Inc., ” as the manufacturer of the series on the back of each card. Apparently, the controversy grew so great that Topps felt it had to “tone down” a few of the more gruesome scenes pictured on the cards, including those that saw humans being burned to death. To that end, artist Norm Saunders was recalled to touch up a number of the most offensive artworks. To date, fourteen original “Mars Attacks” artworks revised by Saunders have been identified. They are those used to produce card numbers 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, and 38. The known revisions range from removing blood, impalements, explicit gore, bodies on fire (both the living and the dead), etc., to, most intriguing of all, threatened women being repainted as men. (”Destroying a Dog” was also revised to show a soldier in place of the dog!)  Interestingly, Robert Edward Auctions sold the revised artwork for card #5 Washington in Flames, in our May 2006 sale; however, we did so unknowingly! We never noticed the slight difference between the artwork and the illustration on the issued card (Saunders removed the flames from one of the men being attacked) but obviously a few shrewd bidders did, because it sold for a much higher-than-expected sales price of $29,000. Only just recently has it became officially recognized as the fourteenth known revised “Mars Attacks” artwork.It should be noted that for many of the revised artworks the changes were slight, but for others, such as the offered card, they were major and drastically changed the content and emotional impact of the scene. What makes this particular artwork all the more significant is that the image of the man seen here is not a generic figure, but a self portrait of Norm Saunders himself! That information is derived from an interview with Norm Saunders’ son, David, that appeared in a 2009 article by Kurt Kuersteiner, titled “Norm Saunders: The Book & Cards!,” that appeared in The Wrapper. In the article, which is both a biography of Norm Saunders and a review of David Saunders’ new book, Norman Saunders (The Illustrated Press, 2009), Kuersteiner makes special note of the thirteen revised “Mars Attacks” artworks (at the time of the article only thirteen altered artworks were recognized):

Another issue this book resolves is that regarding the legitimacy of the 13 revised Mars Attacks cards. They were issued in 1984 by Steve Kiviat of Rosem Enterprises and were called Mars Attacks- The Unpublished Version. They show less violent versions of cards #3, 6, 8, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 29, 30, 32, 36, and 38. Chris Benjamin’s guide was uncertain if they were real, since their exact origin couldn’t be documented. But according to the new book, “Topps hired Saunders to paint amended versions of the most shocking cards. [He was] amused by the hypocrisy of selling amended ‘indecent’ cards under a fake company name.” (Topps changed their copyright notice to “Bubbles, Inc.” to dodge any controversy that the cards might cause.) To make certain David wasn’t relying on an unreliable third party for his card censorship story, I contacted him to ask if he had any personal knowledge that they were definitely real. His response: “My father did paint them. I saw him doing it and I remember the entire controversial process of producing a less offensive version of certain cards. The image of the girl in bed that is being attacked by a Martian breaking through her window, was repainted to show a guy in bed, but instead of just any guy, Norm thought it was fun to make the guy a self-portrait, so that guy in bed with a mustache is a self-portrait of the fifty-five year old Norman Saunders! All thirteen images in that ‘unpublished’ set were painted by Norman Saunders.” The book concludes that particular controversy with this: “In the end, the lure of potential profits was not as great as Topps’ fear of bad publicity for their more lucrative business of selling wholesome bubble gum and baseball cards, so the revised set was shelved and no additional printings were made.” It also shows some colorful close up photos of the original revisions. 

While it is not known for certain why Topps never issued the revised artworks, David Saunders’ conclusion is most likely correct. Topps’ baseball-card line was so profitable that there was no reason to jeopardize the company’s good name by continuing to print the set, revised or not. Economics probably factored into the decision as well. Because the reverse of each card featured a narrative of the scene pictured, and also listed the title of the next card in the series (which, as in the case of the offered artwork, would sometimes have to be changed as well), it was probably not economically feasible to redesign the whole set. They simply stopped printing the cards and the controversy went away.

What must be fully understood is that in each case, whenever Saunders made a revision, it was done on the original “Mars Attacks” artwork. Saunders did not create a new painting. He simply took his original artwork and painted over the piece in making his changes. That is easy to see on the offered piece. The woman in the original image had a large head of hair that the man does not have. Obviously, Saunders couldn’t make the man’s head as large as the woman’s, otherwise it would be disproportionate in size to the body. Instead he simply painted over the excess hair in brown to match the background of the headboard. That can be seen upon close inspection when viewing this artwork.

Any Mars Attacks original artwork is rare. Theoretically all of the other artworks exist, but few examples have ever come to the marketplace over the years. The images from the “Mars Attacks” set have been ingrained into the consciousness of our popular culture, and have had a lasting impact not only on the youth of the early 1960s, but on all generations since. Every painting in the set is a classic. The fact that this is one of only fourteen known revised artworks makes it especially desirable. 

The offered artwork is undoubtedly the most significant of the fourteen revised versions produced by Saunders, not only for the amount of revision work done, but for the fact that he painted himself in the scene. This is the ultimate Norm Saunders Mars Attacks original artwork, and an extraordinary  piece and one that would be a significant museum-quality highlight in any world-class Norm Saunders, Mars Attacks artwork, or  non-sport collection. The artwork (5.25 x 3.5 inches) has normal production-related remnants on the reverse, including the card number “17A,” and is otherwise in Near Mint to Mint condition. Reserve $5,000. Estimate (open).
 

Comment now » Read more October 19th, 2011

The Joe Pelaez Collection

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

         

……..T206 Doyle NY Nat’l…………………………….Joe Pelaez………………………………T206 Eddie Plank……

Joe Pelaez (1931-2010) was one of the hobby’s most colorful and passionate collectors. He was a true elder statesmen and ambassador of the field. His passing in 2010 was a great loss to his friends, family, and to the collecting world. His greatest prize without question was one of the very few authentic examples of the famous T206 “Slow Joe” Doyle, N.Y. Nat’l rarity. To Joe, the rare Doyle card, its discovery, understanding its great significance to the T206 set, and seeing con artists over the years trying to create fakes of this monumental T206 rarity, embodied all that was fascinating about the famous T206 set and vintage card collecting.

Joe loved to talk about cards and was always extremely generous with his great knowledge. He was a throwback to an earlier time, a hobbyist whose interest in card collecting had nothing to do with values. He just loved cards, was a true scholar, and immensely enjoyed the interaction with his fellow collectors. His extremely successful efforts to expose fake T206 Doyle and Magie error cards produced by criminals practically single-handedly (with assists by hobby legends such as Lew Lipset, Larry Frisch, Mark Macrae, and Bob Lemke) helped to eliminate the problem, educate collectors of the short-lived scam, and no doubt saved many from losing small fortunes to fraud. Joe was outspoken! He was always happy to engage in heated discussions about everything from hobby issues to politics. That was part of his charm! He was also a true patriot who very proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War.

It is an honor to have been chosen by the Pelaez family to handle the sale of The Joe Pelaez Collection.  Joe was well known for his emphasis on studying and collecting the famous T206 set and for having one of, if not the most complete collections of T209 Contentnea tobacco cards ever assembled (just a few short of a complete set of all known cards in the set). He also actively collected the T217 Mono Tobacco set and, in his later years no less, even embarked on the seemingly impossible task of collecting the 640-card T210 Old Mill Tobacco set. (He never finished the T210 project but did make a serious dent.)  For many years we have known that Joe had these sets, as his collecting was very focused on these particular areas. But when we picked up his collection we were surprised to find Joe had many additional cards that he had never mentioned to us. Not surprisingly, most were tobacco cards, including a set of T201 Mecca Double Folders and a beautiful set of T205 Gold Borders. He also had an impressive small collection of N172 Old Judge cards and a selection of Cuban cards from the 1920s to the 1940s which was not all that surprising to find as he was very proud of his Cuban heritage. We are still finding cards of Adolfo Luque, one of his favorite players, tucked away as we are sorting!

Of special note was the fact that Joe had not one but two sets of T206s. One was in fairly high grade, obviously upgraded over the years and simply a beautiful set. The other was, well, in pretty rough shape. Not that Joe was a condition fanatic (and as anyone who knew Joe could tell you, he had no use for grading companies; we can’t tell you how many broken grading cases we found as he “released” T210s from their plastic holders as when he picked them up, many happened to be graded). This second T206 set was his “pedestrian” set, assembled just for fun because he couldn’t get enough of a good thing.

Joe liked to share, and many collectors had the joy of sitting down at conventions in or near Joe’s home state of Virginia area (tobacco country!) and being amazed as Joe would actually bring his T206 Doyle, T206 set, and many other rarities out of a knapsack like a magician. For many advanced T206 collectors (and in his day at one time or another Joe knew them all), his was the only authentic rare Doyle card they would ever get to see in person. He loved to tell the story of how he bought this iconic card in Lew Lipset’s auction when it was offered in 1990 for the then “outrageous” sum of $19,000. He just had to have it; in his eyes it was better than a Wagner; and as he told the story he always added with self-depreciating humor that he was “out of his league!” At the time it was the second-highest price ever paid for a baseball card at auction, trailing only the then-record $25,011 realized several years earlier for a T206 Wagner (also sold at auction by Lew Lipset). Joe’s collection is not the largest or the most valuable ever handled by Robert Edward Auctions. In fact, it is relatively modest compared to many others. But this is a special collection, assembled by a collecting legend who left a big footprint in the world and the hobby. It is a special honor for us to present The Joe Pelaez Collection. And Joe, we know you are watching, and we hope you will forgive us for getting a few cards such as the T206 Doyle and T206 Plank graded. We thought that would be in the best interests of your family. But remember, they can always be broken out!

Comment now » Read more September 2nd, 2011

Beware: Deals Too Good To Be True

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

Below is a cut-and-paste of an email just received that we really don’t think needs any additional information to fully understand, but, in short, it is a follow up communication to a call we received asking for our guidance in assessing a potential purchase. The reason we are posting this is that there are so many scams out there that take so many different forms, we want to make sure to communicate that if someone is offering you 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie cards (two were “included” and even  pictured with low quality images in the “collection” discussed below), or autographs of the most marketable Hall of Famers (such as Christy Mathewson and Babe Ruth) for pennies on the dollar, think twice.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

We see this time and time again, almost on a daily basis, and it seems to be becoming even more prevalent.

This one had a happy ending for our customer. While identifying these fraudulent “deals” may seem obvious to many, others have not been so lucky. There are many victims. File this “collection” under one of the many “too good to be true” scams to avoid:

—–Original Message—–

From: [redacted for privacy of sender]

Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 2:50 AM

To: info@robertedwardauctions.com

Subject: Website Contact Form Inquiry

—————————————————————————–

WEBSITE CONTACT INQUIRY

—————————————————————————–

…..thanks for talking with me the other day about the Craigs List items. I called the guy \”Carlos\” in Connecticut, he was very nice and friendly…..when I mentioned the option ofusing a third party authenticator to verify the PSA slabbed cards as real, he immediately said….HEY HOLD ON I NEED TO CALL YOU BACK……never heard from him again!!   I called the next day just to see what he would say…\”Oh I sold those cards to a guy for 50 thousand cash!\”   I told him congratulations and sorry again about your uncle dying!!!    Another scam bites the dust.  Glad you are doing so well in your business and hope to consign more with you in the future…..

  

Comment now » Read more August 19th, 2011

1868-1871 Baseball Team Card Find Lands at REA!!!

Published by Robert Lifson on Tagged Uncategorized

       

         

           

   

      

         

         

                     

Find includes 1868 Brooklyn Atlantics and TWO 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings Team Cards

Universally recognized as among the most exciting and historically significant nineteenth-century baseball cards are those featuring prominent teams issued in the late 1860s and early 1870s. Dating from both the dawn of professional baseball and the dawn of baseball cards (many of which were issued by Peck & Snyder Sporting Goods), team CDVs and trade cards from this era are almost nonexistent and the few survivors almost always surface one at a time. In the world of circa-1870 baseball team cards, each card is of enormous historical significance and the discovery of every card is a “collecting miracle!”

When we received an email recently describing not one, or even two, but EIGHT circa-1870 baseball team cards, including the 1868 Brooklyn Atlantics and two featuring the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings (the first professional baseball team), we immediately recognized that if these cards were authentic this would be one of the largest and most exciting pre-1900 team card finds in the history of collecting. Images soon verified that the find was real. Within days the cards were in hand! The eight baseball team cards were just part of the collection, which included a total of approximately 130 circa 1870 CDVs. The other cards featured images of various subjects including politicians (such as 1868 Democratic presidential candidates Seymour-Blair, 1872 Democratic candidate Horace Greeley, and a card featuring the 1872 Republican presidential candidate  Ulysses Grant with running mate Henry Wilson), famous people (such as P.T. Barnum and Charles Stratton), boxers (such as Jem Mace), actresses, musical and literary figures, and generals.

All eight of the baseball cards are of remarkable historical significance. Included are newly discovered examples of: 1) 1868 “The Atlantic Nine” Peck & Snyder Advertising Trade Card (the earliest of all Peck & Snyder team cards, one of only several examples known, and one of the most important of all nineteenth-century baseball card rarities. The 1868 Atlantics defeated the Red Stockings in 1868, and also broke the Red Stockings’ winning streak in 1870. To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first example to ever come to auction); 2&3) 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings CDV (two examples of one of card collecting’s most important cards, one of particularly special note as it features an advertisement for Peck & Snyder Sporting Goods on the reverse); 4) 1870 New York Mutuals Peck & Snyder Advertising Trade Card; 5) 1870 Philadelphia Athletics BBC Team CDV with AJ Reach; 6) 1870 Forest City’s of Rockford CDV with Al Spalding; 7) 1870 Chicago White Stockings Peck & Snyder Advertising Trade Card; 8) 1871 Chicago White Stockings F. A. Pierce & Co. Advertising Trade Card.

Each of the eight baseball team cards will be offered individually. The balance of the collection featuring non-baseball subjects has also been consigned and will be offered as a single lot. Interestingly, these cards have been consigned by a family who are not baseball collectors at all, but are general hobbyists who (in their own words) just “spent a lot of time taking short trips checking out antique shops for personal enjoyment.” They bought these cards at an antique shop in Charlvoix, Michigan decades ago and they have been sitting in a wooden cigar box ever since! It is interesting to note that several of the baseball cards have paper labels affixed on the reverse that clearly indicate these cards were sold by commercial establishments in Chicago that long ago offered these cards for outright sale (for example: “E. Lovejoy 187 South Clark St, Chicago” who, as noted on one label, offered for sale photos of “Celebrities for the Album”).

Collecting CDV and trade card photos for mounting in albums was a very popular pastime in the 1860s and 1870s. As photographs of famous people and places from around the world were able to be produced economically, it was only natural for collectors to want to assemble collections of images of all types including photos of the most celebrated baseball teams of the era. Based on the cards and materials accompanying them (including notes referencing the cards dated 1873), it is very likely that this collection was originally assembled in the years between 1868 to 1873, with at least some cards purchased from vendors that specialized in offering CDVs and trade cards for sale to collectors (not unlike the sale of picture postcards by a postcard store in more modern times). In other words, it appears that examples of some of the rarest and earliest baseball cards ever issued (including some originally issued by Peck & Snyder) that are included in this collection were originally purchased in approximately 1870 at one of the earliest baseball card stores!

Sure, there’s a little speculation involved. But we think this is exactly what the affixed store labels on the backs of several of the baseball cards in the group suggest and we found this very interesting. There has long been debate among collectors about what is the earliest baseball card. This collection may spark new debate about what is the earliest card store! (We always thought it was Goodwin Goldfadden’s store in California which we believe dates back to at least the 1940s. Maybe not!) Either way, this is a remarkable nineteenth-century card find, and it is a pleasure to share this early auction preview.

The cards above will appear in REA’s Spring 2012 auction.

Copies of the 2011 REA full-color premium catalog are still available and are free of charge. To learn more about Robert Edward Auctions, receive a complimentary copy of the catalog or inquire about consignments, visit http://robertedwardauctions.com/. Robert Edward Auctions is currently assembling its next sale. For further information, contact Robert Edward Auctions, PO Box 7256, Watchung, NJ 07069 or call (908) 226-9900.     

Comment now » Read more August 2nd, 2011