RY Auctions issues an invitation to history and photography buffs with its forthcoming May event. Not only keen collectors, but anyone with an interest in sports, history, or entertainment is sure to find something to pique their curiosity in its extensive cache of over 900 unique items. These archives, pregnant with a century’s worth of monumental snapshots from the spheres of sports, news, and entertainment, are readying for public perusal.
The crowning jewel in this photographic trove is an iconic black and white image featuring baseball legends Satchel Paige and Bob Feller, dating back to a pivotal year – 1948. This 7 x 8 ¾” relic is not an ordinary photograph but an immemorial testament to Paige’s groundbreaking transition from the Negro Leagues into the world of Major League Baseball with Cleveland. The preserved photo was the inspiration behind Paige’s most coveted rookie card, produced by Leaf in 1949.
Reflecting further on Paige’s illustrious journey, the auction features another rare fragment—a Type I original image of this legend while strutting his genius for the Kansas City Monarchs.
The auction comprises far more than photographs of baseball titans. One can also feast their eyes on a century-old silver gelatin image of a youthful Jim Thorpe, aged just 23. This impactful shot was captured by George Grantham Bain, and its inclusion brings a further layer of historical intrigue to this auction collection.
Highlighting various other eras, the auction unearths previously unseen items like the 1905 PC782 Rotograph real photo postcard of Jack Chesbro, an eminent character in the early 20th-century baseball scene. Plus, there’s a photograph from 1934 of another baseball luminary, Carl Hubbell. This poignant image was utilized for his esteemed 1933-36 Diamond Stars baseball card.
If that’s not enough baseball for you, you’ll find more in the form of treasured moments featuring Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. These snapshots encapsulate notable instances from Ruth’s debut season with the Yankees in 1920 and a captivating episode during the 1928 World Series.
The collection isn’t all throwbacks, though. More modern enthusiasts will find items of interest, such as a 1972 photograph of Roberto Clemente making his 3000th career hit, and a priceless picture of Wilt Chamberlain immediately post his record-setting, 100th point in a game. If you were captivated by basketball’s golden era, you’d love the collection of iconic shots during Michael Jordan’s peak supremacy in the NBA, taken by photographers from the Windy City.
Beyond sports, the collection delivers an eclectic mix of singular and whimsical pieces, including a picture of Joe DiMaggio in the Yankees clubhouse or Ted Williams catching a ride on a Zebra. This quirky addition further solidifies the auction’s appeal to collectors looking for unique historical artifacts.
The labyrinthine collection offers a vast panoramic view of the people and events that shaped the 20th century. Remarkable due to the sheer diversity and depth of the items included, the auction is now live, with the gavel set to fall on the final day of bidding – May 11. Anticipation builds as bidders prepare to vie for pieces from this extraordinary assembly of irreplaceable historical gems.
