Lot 11. Circa 1900 Cabinet Photo of the Nebraska Indians Barnstorming Baseball Team. The Indians were among the great barnstorming teams of the early 1900s. Established in 1897 by Guy W. Green, a young lawyer and promoter, the team took on town teams across the country. The original team had 12 players, nine Native Americans and three white players. The Indians came primarily form Nebraska schools and the Omaha and Winnebago reservations. The team entertained fans while playing excellent baseball. Through 1914, they won 1,237 games, lost 336 and tied 11. The sepia photo, by Kern Bros. of New York, shows nine players in uniform with “NI” on their jerseys, three other players and a man in the center in a suit, presumed to be Green. The 4 ¼” x 6 ½” photo, including the mount, couldn’t be better. It is sharply focused with strong contrast. Nm photo on an ex mount that has some minor, light stains. The photo represents important chapters in baseball barnstorming and race relations.
Winning Bid $390.
Lot 12. Rare Early 1900s Baseball-Scene Ad for Allen & Ginter Perfection Cigarettes. Fabulous artwork on a 17 ¾” x 25 ¼” hard-board panel depicts the third base side of a baseball game as a vendor promotes Perfection Cigarettes. A Perfection pack toward the top of the scene indicates that the brand belonged to Allen & Ginter, which was owned by Liggett and Myers. Huge letters on the back say “Perfection Cigarettes 5 c.” It appears that there may be a right-hand panel to complement this one. Nevertheless, this scene stands alone, and displays beautifully with some scuffs, primarily along the edges and near the center fielder at the top. Wonderful display and a great conversation piece.
Winning Bid $121.
Lot 13. Incredibly Rare Pittsburgh Pirates 1925 Poster from the Pittsburgh Gazette Times. Only the second time in more than 30 years that we’ve seen this 19” x 28” poster, which recognizes the Pirates as National League 1925 Champs. These Pirates went on to become world champs by defeating Washington in a seven-game World Series. The poster, which probably hung in news stand, encourages readers to follow the Series in the Gazette Times, with special reports from Damon Runyon, Ring Lardner, Max Carey, the Pirates’ captain, John McGraw, Muddy Ruel and others. Near the center of the poster, Barney Dreyfuss, the Pirates’ president, is pictured with Carey and Bill McKechnie, the manager. Twenty-five other Pirates are pictured, including Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler. Carey was the series batting star. The poster has been folded twice, and there are tears along the folds, some of which are reinforced on the blank back with tape. There are some other tears along the edges, various creases, and chips and tack holes in the corners. It isn’t pristine, but it seldom turns up in any condition.
Winning Bid $198.
Lot 14. Rare Stangl Pottery Babe Ruth Bust by Noted Designer Dominick DeChristopher. Almost life-size, this limited-edition bust, #1 of only 50 produced, was intended for use as a hat stand. It commemorates Ruth’s first home run on May 6, 1915 at the Polo Grounds. There, Ruth connected with the first pitch off Yankee pitcher Jack Warhop and drove it into the right field grandstand. Neatly hand-lettered on the back of the bust is: “#1, May 6, 1915, New York, Warhop.” The bust is numbered 1 of 7,500. Only a few were actually produced, however, because the Stangl Company went out of business - for the second time. From the 1920s-70s, the company manufactured popular folk-art pottery. It folded in 1978 but was revived briefly in the early 1990s. DeChristopher had worked for the company in the 1960s-70s until health problems forced him into early retirement in 1975. He had designed many of the figural Avon cologne bottles. When Stangl started back up, DeChristopher worked on new designs from his home. This bust of Babe Ruth was his biggest project. He not only designed and sculpted the bust, but also hand-numbered and hand-glazed each one. Not long after completing the project, DeChristopher passed away, in October 1993. Of the 50 hat stand busts produced, 38 were actually sold. They were numbered 1 through 30 and 83 through 95. There apparently were two number 10s, 10 and 10B. Samples make up the remainder. The bust is nm-m with some very minor toning in Ruth’s hair. If that’s a concern, just cover it with a hat; after all, it is a hat stand! Take advantage of this opportunity to own a rare Ruth collectible, literally #1 of a kind!
Winning Bid $242.
Lot 25. Super Bowl XL Celebration Print Plus 6 “Terrible Towels.” The 16” x 20” nm-m “Giclee” print from artwork by Kristy Dubinsky depicts Hines Ward twirling a “Terrible Towel” with Jerome Bettis, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu and Bill Cowher in supporting roles. Ward was the 2005 Super Bowl MVP. Giclee prints are on canvas and have the appearance of original oil paintings. Myron Cope, the late and beloved Pittsburgh broadcaster, originated the Terrible Towel in 1975 prior to the first playoff game. The Steelers then went on to win their second straight Super Bowl, and the towel became an integral part of Steelers football. Six version’s of “Myron Cope’s Terrible Towel” are offered here, including a special version created in 2005 as Cope retired after 35 years as a Steelers broadcaster. One has the Steelers’ 75th anniversary logo (2007), one is from Super Bowl XL and one has the logo for each of the five Super Bowls won by the Steelers. The towels are 16” x 23” or slightly larger and average nm.
Winning Bid $50.
Lot 41. Pittsburgh Steelers Autographs, Super Bowl Programs, Bradshaw Record, Etc. The programs for Super Bowl XIII (1979 vs. Dallas) and XIV (1980 vs. the Rams) are vg+ to ex. A program for Nov. 15, 1970, vs. the Chiefs is ex. Autographs on 8” x 10” photos are by Franco Harris (personalized), Greg Lloyd, Justin Strzelczyk (died 2004) and Mike Tomczak. The signatures are 9s and 10s. Photos of Lynn Swann and Harris have facsimile autographs, and a photo of Jerome Bettis is unsigned. Terry Bradshaw sings country classics on the 1976 Mercury album “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” nm in an ex-m+ jacket. There are two other 33 1/3 rpm albums: “Super Steelers ’76” from Open Pantry and “Super Team XIII” from Second Federal Savings. Jack Fleming narrated both, with are nm in ex-m+ jackets. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $83.
Lot 47. 15 Pittsburgh Steelers Pennants Spanning 1979-2007. Nm collection of full-sized pennants that begins with a photo pennant of the Super Bowl XIII champs. These Steelers defeated Dallas, 35-31, for the team’s third Super Bowl triumph. Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Chuck Noll, Mel Blount, Mike Webster, Jack Ham, Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, L. C. Greenwood, Dwight White, John Stallworth and Lyn Swann are all in the photo. The others: 2. Super Bowl XIV pennant, Jan. 20, 1980. It pictures the Rose Bowl and identifies the Steelers as “AFC Champions.” Nm-m. 3. “One for the Thumb in 81” pennant with a large image of Joe Greene wearing four Super Bowl rings. Three tack holes; otherwise, ex. 4. Black-field pennant with “Steelers” and the team logo. Nm. 5. Ben Roethlisberger “2004 Rookie of the Year” pennant, nm-m. 6. Super Bowl XL pennant with the Steelers as the 2005 AFC Champions. 7. Super Bowl XL Champions pennant with images of Bettis, Roethlisberger, Polamalu, Porter, Parker, Ward, Farrior and Miller. 8. Super Bowl XL Five Time Champions pennant, nm-m. 9. Modern “Pittsburgh Steelers” pennant with a helmet with the team logo and the logo repeated separately, nm-m. 10. Hines Ward pennant, nm-m. 11. Super Bowl XL Champions “One for the Thumb” pennant. It shows a hand with four Super Bowl rings, nm-m. 12. 2007 Steelers “75th Season” pennant, nm-m. The final three full-sized pennant are connected with the Hall of Fame: 13. 1993 HoF induction pennant with Chuck Noll’s name on it with other enshrines. It has Raiders and Packers helmets. Vg+ to ex with two tack holes. 14. Generic HoF pennant, nm-m. 15. 2007 HoF Enshrinement & Game pennant with Steelers and Saints logos and the names of the six inductees, nm-m. BONUS - two smaller pennants: 16. 1960s, “Pittsburgh Steelers” with construction worker on an I beam, 5” x 12”, one pin hole, ex. 17. 4” x 9” “Pittsburgh” pennant with a generic football player, nm.
Winning Bid $92.
Lot 49. 1938 Steelers Home Schedule Broadside with Future Justice Whizzer White. Actually, the Pittsburgh pro football team was still known as the “Pirates” then, and they were one of the two worst teams in pro football. White was fresh out of the University of Colorado, where he finished second in the third year of the Heisman Award. White gave Pittsburgh fans something to cheer about in a 2-9 season. He led the NFL in rushing, outgaining runner-up Tuffy Leemans of the New York Giants by more than 100 yards. White was a Rhodes Scholar, and after the 1938 season, he left for Oxford. He returned to the U.S. to play for Detroit in 1940 and 1942 before entering the military. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy appointed White to the U.S. Supreme Court. The schedule and advertising poster are on 7 ¾” x 12” newsprint. It has four folds, a couple of holes that do not affect text or White’s photo and “1938” printed on in pencil. The name of a pharmacy where tickets could be purchased in 1938 is typed on. Living in the heart of Steelers country, we can tell you that any memorabilia associated with the teams of the 1930s-40s is very scarce. This is great item!
Winning Bid $225.
Lot 50. 1940s-50s Pittsburgh Steelers Pennant with Steel Mills in the Background. Ex to ex-m outstanding example of this full-sized pennant. The raised material on player’s pants and helmet show no signs of wear. The gold strip at the left shows some soiling and has several pin holes. The pennant has a small dab of paint on the first “S” in “Steelers,” a 1/8” chip along the top edge and some fraying at the tip. Interestingly, smoke is pouring from steel mills behind the player. Wonderful vintage pennant!
Winning Bid $138.
Lot 281. Jim Thorpe 1912 Postcard, 1932 Original Wire Photo. The pundits at ESPN selected Thorpe as the seventh best North American athlete of the 20th century. Somehow, seven guys, mostly one-sport wonders, beat him out. At the 1912 Olympics, Thorpe won the decathlon and the pentathlon. As a football player at the Carlisle Indian School, which played the nation’s top college teams, he scored 25 touchdowns and 198 points. He helped to establish the American Professional Football Association, which eventually became the NFL. In six years as a part-time major league outfielder, he batted .252. But at ESPN, at least, he wasn’t as good as the century’s “best,” a superb basketball player who simply struck out in baseball and competed only in basketball at the Olympics. The postcard, titled “Thorpe of Carlisle, PA., ‘The Greatest Athlete of All Times,’” shows Thorpe as a shot-putter for the Indians. It is p-f with clipped upper corners and soiling. The sepia wire photo from Acme Newspictures shows Thorpe in full Indian regalia with Josephine McKim, who won the bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the 1928 Olympics and gold in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay at the 1932 Olympics. Thorpe and McKim are participating in an “Air Cruise” to promote the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Ex 6” x 8” photo with caption attached. Great items representing the seventh best athlete of the 20th century.
Winning Bid $264.
Lot 282. Early 1980s Matt Cavanaugh New England Patriots Game-Used Sand-Knit Jersey. After quarterbacking the Pitt Panthers to a national championship in 1976, Cavanaugh had a 13-season NFL career, primarily as a backup. He did start eight games for the Patriots in 1981. After another season with the team, he served as a backup in San Francisco, Philadelphia and New York with the Giants. Cavanaugh is back at Pitt today as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator. This game-used jersey has Cavanaugh’s name on the back and “12” on the front and back. It has two tags on the tail: “Pro Action by Medalist Sand Knit” and “Medalist Sand-Knit Large.” Nm-m.
Winning Bid $245.
Lot 283. 1890s Folk Art of a Woman Football Booster (or Player?). The image of a football-toting female is engraved on wood. The artwork carries the double-entendre title of “A Match for Anyone.” Goal posts are in the background. The engraving is on an elliptical section of wood that is 9” across and 13” from top to bottom. Attractive vintage display.
Winning Bid $61.
Lot 284. Rare 19th Century Football Player CDV. Taken in New Hampshire, the 2” x 3 ½” photo shows a player wearing a union suit with reeded thigh pads and holding a four-strap helmet. The photo, which has a crease in the upper left corner and very light foxing, is sharp with excellent contrast. The mount is ex. Football CDVs are extremely rare.
Winning Bid $100.
Lot 286. Rare Circa 1905 Panorama of a Football Game at Harvard Stadium. This 10” x 35” black & white photograph captures the Harvard University football team in action in Cambridge, MA. Characteristic of the era, the football field is marked out in a grid. The contrast and focus of the photo are excellent. Otherwise, the panorama is a project in search of a restoration sponsor. It is in three pieces, and the largest section has several tears and creases, as well as chips at the top. The good news is that the photograph’s image area appears to be essentially completely present, which makes it a good prospect for professional restoration. The photo is by Pictorial News. It does not identify Harvard Stadium; however, almost the same photo was used on a Tuck postcard that does identify the stadium. The copy we found was mailed in 1907.
Minimum Bid $100.
