Max Schmeling Autographed photo. Value?

[Deertick]

Think it may go for a good price. Beautiful vintage auto. Any idea on the value? Is it better than his later (plentiful) signatures?
Thanks!

[JimStinson]

Thats a VINTAGE Max and a NICE one too. Might bring $350.00-$450.00.
Normal 8x10's signed later in life bring about $75.00 -$100 these days
__________________________
Vintage autographs for sale daily
stinsonsports.com

[Deertick]

Thanks, I was hoping that the overall availability wouldn't hurt the value of this beauty!

[Deertick]

Got it! Can anyone translate german to english?

[RichardSimon]

For translation help go to:

http://translation.babylon.com/german/to-english/#

[Deertick]

Ok, to be more specific. I can't read his writing. If I could, I would be able to translate.:(

[JimStinson]

Your friendship is much appreciated .....its in "old german"

[Deertick]

Thanks, Jim. Just like I thought "Best Friends Forever!"

[JimStinson]

I recieved a letter from Max once written in German, I could not understand a damn thing, I took it to my local university German teacher , and he could not translate it either. he explained to me that it was OLD German, whatver the heck that means.......different from todays German. He said that Max was inviting me to his house etc. etc. but he was not even sure. Max was so old at that point that I was afraid to buy an airline ticket 7 days away. I then called him on the phone and got the same invitation , the German professor asked me if I was an old friend of Max and I said I had never met him. He said the letter was wriiten as if to an old friend , so I chalked it up to pugilista dementia and stayed home

[Deertick]

so I chalked it up to pugilista dementia and stayed home

It is amazing that he lived to be 99! They didn't exactly have the caution we do now when it comes to head injuries. And by most reports, he was an intelligent and engaging fellow. So maybe it (familiarity) was just his way. You know, a "hugger".

[JimStinson]

Thats EXACTLY what I figured ! but was not going to travel 3,000 miles for a hug. I will tell you a funny story exacty as it was told to me ... an old friend of mine had a card of Max, you know the one where he is pictured with the swasita ??? well it was MINT and worth a few bucks and he wanted to have Max sign it so there was a heavyweight champs reunion in Las Vegas , and Max was there and Joe Louis etc. so he brought the card to Max Schmeling and asked him to sign it and Max examined the card and looked at the swastica and said "NO GOOD" and scratched it out with the pen and then signed the card and handed it back to the guy...lol

[travrosty]

his goal was 100, almost made it, he signed for at least 78 years, has to be a record in boxing. Other than Muhammad Ali, and maybe Jack Dempsey, he signed more than almost anybody. the newer signatures are very affordable still, the signatures from the early 30's and late 20's, (vintage) still bring a premium.

[Exhibitman]

Thats EXACTLY what I figured ! but was not going to travel 3,000 miles for a hug. I will tell you a funny story exacty as it was told to me ... an old friend of mine had a card of Max, you know the one where he is pictured with the swasita ??? well it was MINT and worth a few bucks and he wanted to have Max sign it so there was a heavyweight champs reunion in Las Vegas , and Max was there and Joe Louis etc. so he brought the card to Max Schmeling and asked him to sign it and Max examined the card and looked at the swastica and said "NO GOOD" and scratched it out with the pen and then signed the card and handed it back to the guy...lol

Now that would be an interesting card...

[southcrawler]

Hi there!

I normally just read all the fascinating and instructive information posted by the members of this great community (information that wouldn't be available anywhere else, I guess), but as a native speaker of German and a teacher I thought I would chime in and try to contribute some insight regarding the exact meaning of Schmeling's dedication to the lucky addressee of the photo. First, it isn't written in "old German" (which actually once existed and was in use until about 1940 - and which is definitely nearly impossible to decipher even for Germans born after the 1950s like me...). Max used "modern German" (= the Latin alphabet as we know and use it today) and the dedication which reads "zur freundlichen Erinnerung" can be literally (but also accurately?) translated with "for friendly memory/memories". So "freundlich" just means "friendly" in English, not "friend" or "friendship" and Max chose a quite formal wording for his dedication (which makes me doubt that Mr Valk was a close acquaintance or even a friend of his).

Thanks for reading this rather brash stuff and take care!:o

Dirk Holtschmidt

[toybulldog]

This translation stuff can be difficult. I have this 1929 Max Schmeling TLS in german.

http://www.fighttoys.com/Schmeling,Max%20TLS%201-25-29%20(d).JPG

When I send through the translation site, word for word, it seems to come up in broken english:

The german version:

den 25. Januar 1929.

Sehr geehrter Herr Woller !

Fuer Ihren Brief meinen besten dank.
Will gerne das Amt eines Ringrichters in Ihrem Streit uebernehmen, kann Ihnen aber als erstes schon verraten das Sie leider eine K.O. Niederlage erleiden werden.
Der entscheidende Schlag war eine rechte Hand. Ungefaehr 10 inches lang und fuer die meisten Zuschau er nicht zu sehen gewesen.
Anbei ein Photo von mir. In der Hoffnung, das Sie nicht gewettet haben, verbleibe ich an Sie und Ihren streitenden Freunden mit den besten Gruessen.

Ihr
Max Schmeling

Translates to:

The 25th of January 1929.

Dear Mr. Woller!

For your letter mean best thanks to. The office a ring judge in your dispute wants to receive gladly, however first already betray you can you that unfortunately a K. O. Defeat suffer become. The decisive blow was a right hand. To not to see approximately 10 inches long and for most Zuschau it been. Enclosed a photo of me. In the hope, that you did not bet, I remain at you and your fighting friends with the best greeting.

Your Max Schmeling

Certain words seem to translate differently in sentences than if you sent them through by themselves. Why wouldn't the word "Zuschau" translate in a sentence but will translate to "Watch" on its own? I suppose you do need an actual german speaking translator to decifer properly?

Incidently, the signed photo which accompanied this letter has a similar german inscription to the one posted. I actually won the signed photo some time ago in an online auction. When I removed it from the frame it came in I discovered the letter behind the photo in the frame. A lucky freebee!

http://www.fighttoys.com/Schmeling,Max%201929%20(c)%20SP.JPG

http://www.fighttoys.com/Schmeling,Max%201929%20(d)%20SP.JPG

Best,
Mark O.

[travrosty]

google translate is pretty good these days, it gave me this when i entered it in. click on link.





http://translate.google.com/#auto/en/Fuer%20Ihren%20Brief%20meinen%20besten%20dank.%0AW ill%20gerne%20das%20Amt%20eines%20Ringrichters%20i n%20Ihrem%20Streit%20uebernehmen%2C%20kann%20Ihnen %20aber%20als%20erstes%20schon%20verraten%20das%20 Sie%20leider%20eine%20K.O.%20Niederlage%20erleiden %20werden.%0ADer%20entscheidende%20Schlag%20war%20 eine%20rechte%20Hand.%20Ungefaehr%2010%20inches%20 lang%20und%20fuer%20die%20meisten%20Zuschau%20er%2 0nicht%20zu%20sehen%20gewesen.%0AAnbei%20ein%20Pho to%20von%20mir.%20In%20der%20Hoffnung%2C%20das%20S ie%20nicht%20gewettet%20haben%2C%20verbleibe%20ich %20an%20Sie%20und%20Ihren%20streitenden%20Freunden %20mit%20den%20besten%20Gruessen.

[travrosty]

Schmeling only made that line with a dot on either side next to his name the first couple of years he signed, about after 1930 you don't see that anymore.

[Deertick]

Hi there!

I normally just read all the fascinating and instructive information posted by the members of this great community (information that wouldn't be available anywhere else, I guess), but as a native speaker of German and a teacher I thought I would chime in and try to contribute some insight regarding the exact meaning of Schmeling's dedication to the lucky addressee of the photo. First, it isn't written in "old German" (which actually once existed and was in use until about 1940 - and which is definitely nearly impossible to decipher even for Germans born after the 1950s like me...). Max used "modern German" (= the Latin alphabet as we know and use it today) and the dedication which reads "zur freundlichen Erinnerung" can be literally (but also accurately?) translated with "for friendly memory/memories". So "freundlich" just means "friendly" in English, not "friend" or "friendship" and Max chose a quite formal wording for his dedication (which makes me doubt that Mr Valk was a close acquaintance or even a friend of his).

Thanks for reading this rather brash stuff and take care!:o

Dirk Holtschmidt

This is why I love this site! Thanks for taking the time to answer this thread for your first post, Dirk.

Max has moved on to a worthy home, where he will be well loved.

[toybulldog]

google translate is pretty good these days, it gave me this when i entered it in. click on link.





http://translate.google.com/#auto/en/Fuer%20Ihren%20Brief%20meinen%20besten%20dank.%0AW ill%20gerne%20das%20Amt%20eines%20Ringrichters%20i n%20Ihrem%20Streit%20uebernehmen%2C%20kann%20Ihnen %20aber%20als%20erstes%20schon%20verraten%20das%20 Sie%20leider%20eine%20K.O.%20Niederlage%20erleiden %20werden.%0ADer%20entscheidende%20Schlag%20war%20 eine%20rechte%20Hand.%20Ungefaehr%2010%20inches%20 lang%20und%20fuer%20die%20meisten%20Zuschau%20er%2 0nicht%20zu%20sehen%20gewesen.%0AAnbei%20ein%20Pho to%20von%20mir.%20In%20der%20Hoffnung%2C%20das%20S ie%20nicht%20gewettet%20haben%2C%20verbleibe%20ich %20an%20Sie%20und%20Ihren%20streitenden%20Freunden %20mit%20den%20besten%20Gruessen.

Thanks, not 100% but definitely much better:

25 January 1929.

Dear Mr. Woller!

For your letter to my best thanks. Will gladly take over the duties of a judge in the ring your dispute, you can already tell you first, unfortunately, a KO Will suffer defeat. The decisive blow was a right hand. About 10 inches long and for most viewers it was not visible. We have attached a picture of me. In the hope that you do not bet, I remain in you and your friends competing with the best regards.

her max Schmeling

I used:
http://www.freetranslation.com/

Perhaps some are better than others for certain languages? I'll save the google link.

Mark O.

[southcrawler]

Many thanks for the kind words, Jim - I really appreciate that!:)

Regarding to toybulldog's photo/letter it is quite obvious that 1) the dedication on that one is nearly identical to the one on Jim's beautiful exemplar (the only differences being that "freundlichen" was abbreviated to "freundl." and Max added "gewidmet von" which only means "dedicated by"). 2) Much to my surprise, I have to admit that the quality of google's translation service has actually significantly improved within the past five years - the translation they have offered is indeed muuuuch more accurate than the other one which is...well, let's say "choppy" in order to avoid any kind of verbal slander towards the guys who programmed it...

Nevertheless, I guess a more accurate and correct translation wouldn't do any harm:

"Dear Mr Woller!

Thanks a lot for your kind letter.
I am gladly willing to accept the charge of referee in your dispute, but have to tell you in advance that you will have to suffer a knock-out defeat. The crucial punch was a right-handed one, about ten inches long [it appears as if he is referring to a cut that had ended a fight (of his?)] and invisible for the majority of the audience.
Enclosed you will find a photo of me.
Hoping you haven't bet [on the boxer who had lost the fight] I wish all the best to you and your discordant friends.

Yours sincerely

Max Schmeling"

Would be really interesting to unravel the mystery surrounding the fight both - Max and the person asking him for his advice - are referring to. First I thought it could have been a defeat of Schmeling himself, but as far as I know, he hadn't lost for almost a year in January 1929, so maybe it's more plausible to assume that the fight in question was one of his victories?

Dirk

[toybulldog]

Many thanks for the kind words, Jim - I really appreciate that!:)

Regarding to toybulldog's photo/letter it is quite obvious that 1) the dedication on that one is nearly identical to the one on Jim's beautiful exemplar (the only differences being that "freundlichen" was abbreviated to "freundl." and Max added "gewidmet von" which only means "dedicated by"). 2) Much to my surprise, I have to admit that the quality of google's translation service has actually significantly improved within the past five years - the translation they have offered is indeed muuuuch more accurate than the other one which is...well, let's say "choppy" in order to avoid any kind of verbal slander towards the guys who programmed it...

Nevertheless, I guess a more accurate and correct translation wouldn't do any harm:

"Dear Mr Woller!

Thanks a lot for your kind letter.
I am gladly willing to accept the charge of referee in your dispute, but have to tell you in advance that you will have to suffer a knock-out defeat. The crucial punch was a right-handed one, about ten inches long [it appears as if he is referring to a cut that had ended a fight (of his?)] and invisible for the majority of the audience.
Enclosed you will find a photo of me.
Hoping you haven't bet [on the boxer who had lost the fight] I wish all the best to you and your discordant friends.

Yours sincerely

Max Schmeling"

Would be really interesting to unravel the mystery surrounding the fight both - Max and the person asking him for his advice - are referring to. First I thought it could have been a defeat of Schmeling himself, but as far as I know, he hadn't lost for almost a year in January 1929, so maybe it's more plausible to assume that the fight in question was one of his victories?

Dirk

Dirk,
Thanks, this is most helpful. My best take is that perhaps Schmeling is referring to his bout just four days prior to this dated letter. Schmeling fought Austrian born Pietro Corri on January 21, 1929 at the Laurel Garden Arena in Newark, NJ knocking Corri out in 1:10 of the first round. It appears the person Schmeling has sent the letter to is having a dispute with a friend as to how the knockout of Corri occured. The recipient of the letter has written Schmeling prior asking him to be the referee in the dispute and has given both his and his friend's version of how the knockout occured. Schmeling is telling the recipient of the letter that his version is wrong and that he is going to suffer a knockout defeat in the dispute. Schmeling goes on to mention that the punch that caused the knockout was a short ten inch right-handed blow hence was hard to see by the majority of the audience. Schmeling then tells the recipient he has included the signed photo and hopes that he did not place a bet on his version of the dispute wishing best to him and his disagreeable friend/s.

With Schmeling's opponent sporting a 4-21-2 record at the time of this bout I could see him getting knocked out by a short ten-inch punch early in the first round. Most likely there for the modest payday rather than an actual expectation of winning. Also with Schmeling not really gaining any recognition or having any kind of a following until his very next bout against Johnny Risko, I can understand the quick response just four days later. All speculation of course but makes sense to me.

Best,
Mark O.