Honus Wagner 1890's Tintype
 

Antiques Roadshow from July 2012- Just saw this myself, I don't believe anyone posted anything on it.

http://video.pbs.org/video/2256996961

That's a spectacular image, unquestionably him, and IMO worth a whole lot more than 2-3K.

thats what i was thinking...

--mike

+1

A non collector friend of mine showed me this video yesterday. He asked what I thought of the valuation. I said I thought it could fetch 10k in the right auction. Still surprised "experts" can't pronounce his name though.

I know. At least the owner of the tin type said it correctly :)

19th century tintypes of Hall of Famers, or even known MLB players, are super duper rare. In fact, I can't recall off the top of my head another specific example of a HOFER.

That is beautiful. Looks like he sold it for $1,150....ouch.

"Hey Honus, you mind if sprinkles gets in on this?"

http://i.imgur.com/uWiKz.jpg

How do they find the experts for ARS? There are a some people on here that would probably do a much better job.

As it involves appraisal too, they're usually dealers or people from auction houses. They tend to use well known and reputable people. As baseball cards or photos don't appear often, it's not as if they're going to use full time a baseball card expert.

Great Wagner item, I believe that there is a Harry Wright photo out there somewhere........

Clearly, he's not in baseball uniform wielding a bat which would have made it more financially valuable, but it's a quaint image. I like it. And the little dog adds to it.

It's also among the earliest photos known of Wagner.

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't think its cool. Those Wagner postcards of him on the back of a train didn't sell too well. I don't know why this would bring so much money at auction.

+2 awesome piece!!

c.1890 hand-colored full-plate tintype of George Davis

Corey- I was thinking of the Davis when this thread started. Other than the Davis, this Wagner, and one or two Wrights, I can't recall any other tintypes of HOFers.

When I did my article about known photographic images of Wright, Henry Chadwick, and Alexander Cartwright in issue #7 of VCBC (that's the tough one to find), I was surprised by how few tintypes were out there. Regarding Cartwright, there are three daguerreotypes, at least one ambrotype, a CdV and numerous albumen photos, but I never found a single tintype. And there are no known tintypes of Chadwick either.

Now that it has been posted, I do remember seeing that G. Davis in an old auction catalogue,

I agree. And I also agree that the Wagner is a beautiful image and would fetch considerably more than 2-3k.

$10k+

see next post

[QUOTE=bobbvc;1069624]
Where /When did this sell for $1,150... ouch ??

[QUOTE=bobbvc;1069624]Here ya go.


http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/l...bjectID=236396

It was a while ago, plus selling at Christies may not have been the wisest of choices.

Thanks Jake. Something doesn't add up though. That sale took place in 1997 and the guy in the ARS video says that photo has been in his family over 100 years. With no image on the Christie's site, are we sure we're talking about the same tintype?

That was the first tintype I've ever seen of Wagner, there could certainly be more, but up until this point it's the only I have seen or can find online. The description sort of matches the photo, a 19th century tintype, Honus and a Friend dressed in suits. If it said and dog it would be definite. If anyone has another Wagner tintype I would love to see it.:)

Not that I believe anything I see on TV, but I also don't see that guy in the video paying $1,150 in 1997 and trying to pass it off as a family heirloom 15 years later. I could be wrong but I'm guessing the Christie's tintype is a different version of the ARS one or a different pose altogether.

It was a greatest hits clip from antiques roadshow. The show took place in 1997 Rehashing it.

Ok, Lets vote on it. Who here doesn't believe that many of the things seen on ARS are not staged. Not sure the story would be as good if the guy came up and said " I bought this in a auction several years ago for $1150. Did I get a good buy?"

As jaybird said this was from 1997, he likely listed it shortly after with the valuation ARS provided him

http://i.imgur.com/tohcY.png

OK- that makes sense, didn't realize it was a "greatest hits" episode of ARS. Actually, didn't realize that show was on in 1997. Just saw the July 2012 upload date. In any case, Christie's was a poor choice for that sale, at least in hindsight.

Would love to find a tin type of any Detroit player from this era. Ty Cobb??

Joe

There are only two, or did I miss one?

Great piece! The price may not have been that bad in 1997. It is certainly worth a lot more today.
JimB

Cute.:)

Mark- there is another dag of Cartwright, but the original has never been found. This copy was given to me by Anne Cartwright in the 1990's. It depicts Alexander with his two daughters, Kate Lee Cartwright and Mary Groesbeck. The approximate date is 1852.

It's a truly wonderful image. Among daguerreotype collectors, images with well dressed children always command a premium. When they are the children of a famous American, all the more so. I think this is a truly transcendent photograph, and hope that some day the original will surface.

A cropped version of that image appears in the Nucciarone bio of Cartwright. The dag is probably gone, but you never know.

My question is how did they make the photo of the dag, unless they had the dag? They didn't make a copy and then throw out the original.

The photo of the dag could have been made in the 19th century.