LOT #82111 |
Sold on Apr 23, 2010 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
1911 Addie Joss Benefit Game Panoramic Photograph....
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold on Apr 23, 2010 for:
$15,535.00
Bid Source: Internet bidder
Get one of these:
Explore Available Items
Description
1911 Addie Joss Benefit Game Panoramic Photograph. Those who joined us for our October 2005 Signature auction were surely struck by the $90,000 price realized for Frank "Home Run" Baker's personal copy of this remarkable panoramic photograph. A quick check of the auction results database confirmed everyone's suspicions-it was indeed the highest price ever paid for an unsigned sports photo. And this makes perfect sense.Consider the factors that propel such a piece to the pinnacle of sports photography collection. First, of course, is the exceptional collection of talent captured on film. No fewer than nine Hall of Famers are pictured among the thirty-seven uniformed ballplayers: Cy Young (in his twenty-second and final season), Napoleon Lajoie, Walter Johnson, Bobby Wallace, Frank "Home Run" Baker, Sam Crawford, Tris Speaker, Eddie Collins, and Ty Cobb, who appears third from the right in borrowed Indians gear, his Tigers uniform still in his luggage which never made it off the train. And, of course, we cannot forget the great "Shoeless Joe" Jackson, essentially a rookie having played in only thirty games prior to this season. Each and every one of these legends, appearing in uniform in a period photograph, commands tremendous attention from collectors. But a congregation of Dead Ball gods such as this could only have happened on this single day, July 24, 1911, as the Cleveland Naps took on the best in the American League in what could justifiably be called the first All-Star Game. It was the tragic death from meningitis of Hall of Fame pitcher Addie Joss that brought the best in the game to League Park, the only time prior to the birth of the modern All-Star Game in 1933 that so many different Major League uniforms shared a single diamond.
Next, we must remember how very rare this photograph was, even in 1911. The technology used to print these very special images was particularly expensive, and the run was very limited as a result. Each of the players pictured would have received a copy, and then a very small assortment of executives and VIP's. That is all.
Finally, only a year from the centennial of this historic baseball event, just a tiny handful of the original small supply still exists. Vintage photography has so many enemies-water damage, tearing, creasing, Spring cleaning, you name it. The overwhelming majority of these prints have long ago found a final resting place in the landfill, leaving he who can boast of one in his collection in truly elite company. And no collector could possibly set himself further apart than with the ownership of this, undoubtedly one of the finest examples of a Joss panoramic photo on earth. The only condition issues worthy of note are represented by an irregularly shaped area of emulsion loss (approximately the size of a silver dollar) at upper left and an area of damp-staining at far right. Neither of these concerns infringe upon the player images, leaving the prime focus unencumbered by any distractions. Vintage tape on verso appears to be the result of an ancient and long-lost framing job, as there are no tears to repair nor a single crease to reinforce. We encourage serious bidders to examine our enlargeable images online which will present the most accurate assessment of condition. Dimensions are 8x40".
Auction Info
2010 April Signature Sports Memorabilia Auction #717 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
April, 2010
22nd-23rd
Thursday-Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 3
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 3,421
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
19.5% of the successful bid per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms