Hake's Auction Pick-Ups
 

How did everyone do in Hake's this time around? As usual, some very strong prices realized on key Latin & Negro League material.

I was fortunate enough to pick up the 1930's Winter League team photo w/Satchel Paige & Lazaro Salazar. Further research after the fact, thanks to the efforts of Cesar Lopez, one of the most knowledgable Latin & Negro Baseball experts out there, uncovered that this photo was actually an early season version of the 1937 Ciudad Trujillo team that ultimately went on to win the championship that season in the Dominican Republic. Later in the season, Josh Gibson & Cool Papa Bell joined the team making it one of the all-time powerhouses in Latin Baseball history.

Richard Merkin must have spent alot of time in Cuba, Mexico & Latin America scouring those countries for the amount of baseball material he amassed. Hake's has been selling his collection for a few years now!

Did anyone on the board pick up the 1953 Venezuelan card album with the Luis Aparicio pre-rookie?

I guess nobody on the board picked up anything, amazing given the high prices that everything went for...........

The prices realized shows someone was bidding. For me, there wasn't anything I had to have, and I sort of forgot about it as I was away that night. They need to send out a few more reminder emails to their database of collectors, imo.

They just needed more t206's.

Jeff, it would have helped. The Merkin stuff has gotten pretty thin unless they are holding back on us.

The only Merkin items Hake's is running thin on are ones featuring HOF players but how many of us can drop 12k on a pic like the Sol White photo every 4 months or so?
Richard Merkin, like a few I know, was ahead of the game. You can go back and look at some of the old Hunt and Leland auctions from the late 90's and early 2000's and see where he got these priceless photos.
As far as his Cuban/Latin cards, a few years ago I came into contact with a Hispanic man who told me that Merkin used him as his connection to finding most of his cards from Latin America.
Now, I can't say whether or not Merkin actually went down to the Caribbean in search of some of this stuff but I can say he had some nice help along the way of compiling one of the finest collections around.

So okay, to make Phil happy :D I will post what I was able to pick up from the latest auction which wasn't much but was happy to cross two off my want list:

Dick Lundy--Should be in the Hall. My top priority going into the auction. Image is one the better ones I've seen, most found are very light and faded.
Attachment 93065

New Britain Perfectos--Needed to fill the Padron void in my collection.
Attachment 93066

Armando Marsans--had to pick this one up since it was so cheap, love the Segundas!
Attachment 93067

Steve

By the way, Phil, great photo, congrats!!

I wish it was me, but I was out of the hunt after $4k...what a cool item though! Interesting that the album is titled "Caramelo Deportivo" despite being a Venezuelan issue, not Cuban. The auction says that this translates to "Sports Candy". Anybody have any more info on this obscure issue?

And who picked it up??

I must've overpaid for this because I got it for the opener

http://www.hakes.com/product_images/...87/001_big.jpg
http://www.hakes.com/product_images/...87/002_big.jpg

Nice job, Steve. I really like the Lundy as well and a much better deal than the last time around.