The finest original Deadball Era color image I have seen yet! 1914 World Tour Sphinx

[T206Jim]

Here is a 1914 lantern slide depicting the World Tourists in February 1914 in front of the Sphinx in Egypt. The New York Giants and Chicago White Sox, each with a few other MLers in tow, played each other in a series of games across the globe. This image was taken before their game at the Pyramids.

Sphinx - Players ID.jpg

The players are all in their Tour uniforms with American flag insignia prominently displayed. Crawford, Weaver and Donlin are festooned in fezes. It is a pre-rookie image of Faber, he was lent to NY during the Tour by Chicago. NY tried to purchase him prior to the regular season, but Chicago fortuitously declined.

Sphinx 3.jpg

The lantern slides were hand-tinted and the artist did a superb job! This is the best, and one of the few, original Deadball Era color images I have seen. The images you see here were taken by me with a digital camera with a backlight. I haven't had access to a scanner that can make a clear digital copy, any advice? Here is Weaver under magnification to give you a better idea of the the true clarity of the image.

Weaver.jpg

The three man crew you see to right were part of Jack Gleasor's Moving Picture Crew as identified by the NYT. Evidently there was film of the tour, here is an article describing it. Wouldn't it be amazing if that film was to ever surface!

clipping_23815340.jpg

I hope you enjoy this image as much as I do! And again if anyone has advice on how to get a clear scan please let me know.

[BruceinGa]

Awesome!!!

[NotVader]

INCREDible.

Thank You for sharing this one it is an inspiring piece !

[baseball tourist]

Wow! Very cool. Would like to purchase a print if that is ever a possibility.

[JollyRoger]

Wow! That's really nice. Thanks for sharing.

[OLDBILL]

The Epson Perfection V550 photo scanner does a great high resolution job with 35 mm slides (as well as documents) and can be imported through Photoshop, etc. I assume your lantern slide is smaller than 8.5" x 11"?

[T206Jim]

Thanks guys, the entire slide is 3 x 4 and the image 2 x 2.75. The problem with the scanner is I will need to find one that has the attachment for transparencies which should cure my issue.

If anyone has an early color photographic slide, rather than hand colored, please email me photos of it illuminated and "dark" for comparison purposes.

jamesschapman@hotmail.com