Currier & Ives Lithograph – “The American National Game of Base Ball."
Lot 113. Currier & Ives Lithograph – “The American National Game of Base Ball." This undated print, almost 5.75” x 8.5” on 8.5” x 11.5” paper, is subtitled the “Grand Match for the Champion at the Elysian Fields, Hoboken, N.J” in 1865. The competitors in this game were the Mutual Club of Manhattan and the Atlantic Club of Brooklyn. Some sources report that almost 20,000 spectators attended this game. Meanwhile, at least one source asserts that the game is a myth; it never took place! Whatever the reality, the artwork is excellent. This print carries the notation: “Entered According to Act of Congress A.D. 1866” in the Southern District of New York. The print is nm; the page has some wear at the corners and a small edge crease. This work of art is among the most recognized and celebrated images of a 19th-century baseball game. Winning Bid $40.