Facial Recognition
 

After the debacle with the Joe Wood fob (I gave the guy his money back and let him keep the fob) I thought I would run this by you'all. A guy sent in the photo below. I cropped it so you could see the details but the actual photo is a 4" by 5" photo on a thick mount. He indicated he bought 20 + years ago as being from the Wagner Estate. After rolling my eyes I checked out the image an thought it had a chance. What do you think? If it is him it would have to date to the mid 1890s

Hi Doug:

This photo was discussed in some detail several years ago on the old Net54. The overall consensus was that it was not Wagner. Maybe a check of Archives will pull up the thread.

Steve Murray

Thanks Steve.....
 

...I will look for the thread!

My biggest problem is it "feels" more like early 1900s and since he started in 1897 with Louisville regardless of who it looks like it would be 10 years off.

Thanks again,
Doug

steve
 

good memory.
i remember it,too, particularly because I thought the guy behind the catcher's mask looked a bit too much like the Anthony Hopkin's Hannibal.
No wagner IMHO.
all the best with the detective work, doug

barry

Perhaps you could date it from the farm equipment in the pic? If anybody knows that stuff...if that tractor or bush hog or whatever wasn't made until 1907 or so...then there ya go...just a thought.

My rule is, unless you're certain, don't say it is a person.

My opinion is it's not Wagner, but that's just my opinion.

I would say not Honus
 

The hands look too small for Honus...he had massively meaty hands...I think the E135 and related issues showcase them.

Brian

Wrists and arms are way out of whack for Wagner. Unless he was using steroids at the turn of the century, no way is this Honus. ;)

Not even close-nose and chin are wrong

Doug's photo could be clearer - but as best as can be seen, the ear shapes are different - not Wagner.

As I recall when the photo was originally discussed, I thought the photo itself was too modern for the subject. The photo appears original and antique, but perhaps is from the 1910s-20s rather than the 1890s. Duly note that I'm going by my memory (which perhaps can play tricks) and don't see the whole photo here. I'd want to see the mount to give a better opinion of date.

None the less, I don't think the guy shown here looks like Wagner. Though there is a resemblance.

Doug,

Does this discussion help ?

http://www.network54.com/Forum/15365...Honus+Wagner+-

Alan

Well, I guess the consignor's not giving up until he finds an auction house that will sell this as Honus wagner. :(

Vintage Photo
 

My consignor bought it as a walk in to his store for $200. He actually has 48 hours to return it so it may be going back and the journey will continue to find someone who things its Wagner.

Thanks for your help.

All the best,
Doug

It is an original old baseball photo, so has some financial value even if it isn't Wagner. $200 seems high to me, but far from outlandish.

Wait a second...
 

That may not be Wagner, but I think the man behind the mask is Shoeless Joe Jackson!!!

No, it's definitely Michael Jordan. Or Ranzino Smith. Either one.