Heritage auction - claimed Mathewson Jersey

[RichardSimon]

With a bid of $120,000 Heritage wants more than intelligent analysis to take it down. It would cost them a chunk of change to do the right thing.

[perezfan]

Just to play "Devil's Advocate"....

Is it possible the jersey could've shrunk via multiple washings and drying, after the photo of Matty was taken? Also it looks like the sleeves are not fully elongated in the modern photo. I see some bunching up that (if pulled or straightened) should elongate the sleeves.

That said, it does seem quite a stretch, given the circumstantial evidence they present. How can they attribute this jersey specifically to Matty (vs. some other random Giants player?) Apparently there is no name embroidered in the tail, or other positive identifier. Unless I missed some key piece of evidence in Heritage's description, the attribution to Matty is weak at best.

[D. Bergin]

Excerpted from the letter written when the jersey was sold to one of the hobby's leading collectors:

"In the early 1900's Christy Mathewson used to return to Factoryville in the off season and bring to the children his old uniforms and equipment. Christy gave to my husband a New York Giants uniform on one of his first return trips. My husband kept this uniform as well as other equipment in our attic, where it has been for the last 90 years."




Mr. Halper I presume?????

[yanks12025]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Just to play "Devil's Advocate"....

Is it possible the jersey could've shrunk via multiple washings and drying, after the photo of Matty was taken? Also it looks like the sleeves are not fully elongated in the modern photo. I see some bunching up that (if pulled or straightened) should elongate the sleeves.

That said, it does seem quite a stretch, given the circumstantial evidence they present. How can they attribute this jersey specifically to Matty (vs. some other random Giants player?) Apparently there is no name embroidered in the tail, or other positive identifier. Unless I missed some key piece of evidence in Heritage's description, the attribution to Matty is weak at best.

Sleeve could have been trimmed down years after game use.. But who knows

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Just to play "Devil's Advocate"....

Is it possible the jersey could've shrunk via multiple washings and drying, after the photo of Matty was taken? Also it looks like the sleeves are not fully elongated in the modern photo. I see some bunching up that (if pulled or straightened) should elongate the sleeves.

That said, it does seem quite a stretch, given the circumstantial evidence they present. How can they attribute this jersey specifically to Matty (vs. some other random Giants player?) Apparently there is no name embroidered in the tail, or other positive identifier. Unless I missed some key piece of evidence in Heritage's description, the attribution to Matty is weak at best.

The sleeve in he modern photo appears to be nearly fully elongated along the bottom seam - that is all that matters as that is all that is being compared in the two photos. The bunching at the top of the sleeve has no effect on that.

As for shrinkage - how would you explain the large increase in width of the auction jersey compared to the one in the Conlon photo?

[perezfan]

The jersey is going to measure wider when laid flat, vs. around a human body or mannequin. The depth of a body or mannequin will cause the width (on a one dimensional surface like a photo) to appear shorter.

I doubt that accounts for the full difference in this case, but could conceivable explain such a discrepancy.

As for the sleeves, I don't think they were shortened. The end-of-sleeve button holes appear to be perfectly placed as original, and HA would've (should've) had to disclose that. So I'm also in the camp that this is not the same jersey as pictured.

[Shoeless Moe]

so what would a 1900's Giants Jersey, player unknown, be valued at?

Obviously not 120,000+, but any guesstimates?

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by Shoeless Moe

so what would a 1900's Giants Jersey, player unknown, be valued at?

Obviously not 120,000+, but any guesstimates?

Wild guess would be $30,000-50,000. Just a guess though.

Tom C

[ruth-gehrig]

Attached are the MEARS letters I asked Heritage for. It amazes me that many auction houses fail to post the letters that back up the claims. Read into that or what the letters say, or don't say, what you want