Open For Bidding - Love of the Game Auctions

[Al C.risafulli]

Hi everyone:

Just a quick note to let you all know that the Summer, 2015 LOTG auction is live and open for bidding.

This is easily our biggest and best auction yet. Highlights of the auction includes:

• A newly-discovered Lou Gehrig game-used bat
• A near-complete T206 set with 337 beauties graded by SGC
• An M101 Famous & Barr Babe Ruth
• A spectacular group of N173 Cabinets including the nicest King Kelly I've ever seen
• A beautiful T5 Pinkerton Wagner
• A 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson
• The only Moonlight Graham signed postcard from his playing days that I'm aware of
• A ton of tough card types
• Another ton of tough autographs

Auction catalogs are mailing to all active bidders and consignors on Thursday. Additionally, I'll have catalogs at the National, booth 1069/1168

The auction closes on Saturday, August 8.

Please visit www.loveofthegameauctions.com if you're so inclined, and best of luck to everyone!

-Al

[CW]

Good luck to all involved!

[Bicem]

solid offerings.

[ethicsprof]

great offerings,al, ole buddy.
It will be great fun to have your second LOTG catalog in hand!
For now, it's time to bid!

all the best,
barry

[Steve D]

Damn, I thought being first bidder on a card meant I automatically won it! :p

I put in bids on nine items, and have already been outbid on eight of 'em! :(

;)
Steve

[JustinD]

Hi Al,

There were a couple things I was interested in, however your registration page keeps giving an error.

Might be something you need to look into as I am unable to register.

I may just call later and see is there is a human way around it.

Thanks,
Justin

[Howe’s Hunter]

for complete descriptions. ;)

[MVSNYC]

Wow, Good Luck!

Some great T206 rare backs as well!

[bobfreedman]

Hi Al,

There were a couple things I was interested in, however your registration page keeps giving an error.

Might be something you need to look into as I am unable to register.

I may just call later and see is there is a human way around it.

Thanks,
Justin

Justin, please feel free to contact me to help you register at bob@simpleauctionsite.com . That obviously goes for anyone else as well.

Bob Freedman

[autograf]

Great stuff.....outbid notices are flying........

[Paul S]

Damn, I thought being first bidder on a card meant I automatically won it! :p

I put in bids on nine items, and have already been outbid on eight of 'em! :(

;)
Steve

Don't worry, Steve. The 0th time's a charm;)

[edjs]

Some nice stuff, you trying to get me divorced?

[timn1]

Al, you have outdone yourself with this group - awesome stuff! And thanks for the kind words about our work on M101/Mendelsohn. See you in Rosemont-

Tim

[darwinbulldog]

This.

[JustinD]

Thanks Bob!

I attempted again this morning from my work computer and just had the confirmation returned as approved and am ready to go.

Thank you for the quick response!

[MVSNYC]

For those who haven't noticed...the Gehrig Bat has now been photo matched, the side by side comparison is incredible. Bravo Al. Helluva Bat.

[atx840]

For those who haven't noticed...the Gehrig Bat has now been photo matched, the side by side comparison is incredible. Bravo Al. Helluva Bat.


That's awesome, nicely done Al!

[Bicem]

Incredible, how did you find that pic???

[Al C.risafulli]

Incredible, how did you find that pic???

Thanks, guys. The auction has definitely been fun, and the photo match was a thrill.

Gehrig used primarily Louisville Sluggers throughout his career, except for the period between 1929 and 1931, when he's on record as having used Batrite and Spalding bats. For the purposes of the print catalog, I wanted to find a photo of Gehrig with the kind of Batrite bat with the "bat wings" logo in the centerbrand. You'd think that would be easy, but I looked for a LONG time with no results - everything I found was either a LVS bat, or a bat of indeterminate manufacture.

On the LAST possible day before the catalog went to print, I found a photo of Gehrig with Babe Ruth and Bob Shawkey that was taken at Comiskey Park. It's hysterical, because in hindsight the photo was hiding in plain sight - it was part of the Chicago Daily News photo archive, hosted by the Chicago History Museum. Looking in Chicago was about the last place I would have thought to find a Yankee photo.

Anyway, Gehrig was sitting there, holding this bat, and the photo couldn't have been more perfect. The "bat wings" logo was obvious, and when I blew the photo up, I could tell it was the same model. I reached out to the Chicago History Museum and acquired the rights to use the photo, and they were so helpful - ultimately, they sent me a 1200 DPI scan of the negative, and when I blew THAT up, the similarities were pretty startling. I brought the bat back to John Taube last week for an examination and comparison to the picture, and he agreed.

Anyway, I love doing this kind of research and solving these puzzles, so it's been a great ride.

The bat will be in my booth at the National - anyone who would like to get their picture taken with it, please come by my booth (1069). I'll post your picture on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and the person who gets the most "likes" will get a $500 credit to use in the summer auction.

You could, umm, bring your consignments by, too. :)

-Al

[Wildfireschulte]

Great work - can't wait to see it this week.

[CW]

Pretty amazing!

https://lotgauctions.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/gehrig.jpg

[Bicem]

Oh, hey Forbes...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidseideman/2015/07/27/major-discovery-offers-first-definitive-photographic-proof-of-lou-gehrig-game-bat/

[Leon]

Great auction, Al. I just had time to go through it. Nice job and good luck!!

[ullmandds]

just got my catalog...beautiful, Al!

[Brian Weisner]

Hey Al,
Great detective work... Amazing Bat and a Fantastic looking auction.
See you in Chicago.

Be well Brian

[pawpawdiv9]

Just got mine today..gotta give Kreindler a big thumbs up +1

[wonkaticket]

Great auction Al congrats! That Kelly N173 is amazing!

[ethicsprof]

I received my catalog and it's a real beauty. Can't put it down.
I especially loved the background on the bat and your detective work which was absolutely amazing.
congrats, Al. I'm still ahead on a handful of cards so fingers crossed for you and for me!
all the best, ole buddy

Barry

[detroitbaseball]

I received my LOTG auction catalog yesterday..... awesome stuff.

Great job on the Gehrig bat photo research.

[bn2cardz]

Should be a fun final night of bidding. There are some great hard to find (or even one of a kind) items.

[Bliggity]

Wow...the Gehrig bat just jumped from $124K to $212K.

Well that escalated quickly.