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12 Pre-1920 Baseball Illustrations by Leyendecker, Robinson, Kernan and Fisher.
Lot 315. 12 Pre-1920 Baseball Illustrations by Leyendecker, Robinson, Kernan and Fisher. Ten are on the covers of magazines, including Collier’s and The Saturday Evening Post. Most are 10” x 14” or larger unless otherwise noted. NOTE: Our descriptions and grades describe the overall page. In almost all cases, the artwork itself displays as ex or better. J. C. Leyendecker was one of the premier artists in the Golden Age of Illustration. In 1896, he defeated Maxfield Parrish in magazine cover competition conducted by Century Magazine. Subsequently, he became the Post’s top cover artist prior to the arrive of Norman Rockwell. His illustrations are on the cover of the May 15, 1909 Post, which shows a catcher in vintage gear (full vg+ issue, ½ tear a the top of the cover, minor edge tears), and the May 25, 1907 Collier’s, cover only, which shows a New York player catching the ball as an opponent slides into base (1” tear at top, border chip, small stain in lower border). Robert Robinson was a Leyendecker contemporary whose artwork appeared on 25 Post covers 1910-25. He is best known among baseball collectors for the 1912 PC766 set of four baseball cards. Artwork for two cards grace covers of complete Post issues for Oct. 1, 1910, and April 13, 1912. The first shows a catcher, mask removed, looking skyward; mailing label over “Post,” soling along the left edge and bottom that barely affects the image, vg+. The second shows a batter ready to bunt, mailing label touching his the top of his cap, 3” tear outside the image area and two smaller edge tears, age stains along the edges. The issue contains an article by Connie Mack. Postcard sets typically sell for $300 or more. The artwork on the Post covers is much more dramatic! Anton Fischer painted primarily marine scenes. His artwork of a player sliding into a base as a fielder awaits the ball is on the cover of the April 16, 1910 Post, full issue, mailing label, vg-ex. J. F. Kernan specialized in scenes of middle-class life. His artwork, titled “Showing ‘Em,” is on the cover of the Sunday Magazine of the Buffalo Courier, April 28, 1912. This scene shows a batter who has just connected with a pitch. Three other players look on. Very colorful, cover only, minor edge tears, ex. One illustration is by a woman artist – M. (Mary) L. Lane McMillan. She was among the first women to break into a field dominated by men. Her artwork is on the cover (only) of the June 18, 1918 Every Week. The scene captures boys using a bat to decide who picks first in choosing sides as three boys look on. Small corner chips, vg+ to ex. One illustration, on the Aug. 22, 1903 Tip Top Weekly, accompanies the Burt. L. Standish story “Frank Merriwell’s Quick Move.” Complete vg-ex with a couple of chips at the bottom that has a photo of the New York Giants inside the back cover. Mathewson, MGinnity, Bresnahan, McGraw and Taylor are in the photo. Other illustrations are are the covers (only) of the Sunday Magazine of the New-York Tribune, July 28, 1907, batter and catcher, tiny edge chip, otherwise ex, and Collier’s, Oct. 4, 1919, angry Cincinnati Reds batter yelling at an umpire, mailing label, edge tear, vg+ to ex. Two illustrations, which show boys playing ball, are black & white on 7” x 9” inside pages from unidentified publications. Premium collection of illustrations worthy of a premium bid.
Winning Bid $218.
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