Let's See Some Awesome Boxing Cards!

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by G1911

Good to know, I haven’t seen that image before. I like this full painting better. I know some sparring and exhibitions were done with gloves in this time, but not “official” (semi-official? Wasn’t exactly organized) fights as I understand it.

No, not official. They were basically an excuse to get a bunch of money in the room, and let the fancies rub shoulders with the boxing celebrities. Lots of shadow boxing and punch pulling. More a display of technical skill, rather then the real brutishness they saved for the actual bouts.

If you do a search for "Interior Of The Fives Court" on Google, you could probably find some better images, of both vintage examples and reprints. This was the first one I could actually grab a link for.

I had a large vintage example years ago. A beautiful piece up close. Even vintage examples of these type of prints, don't really sell for much when they pop up occasionally at auction houses. Probably less then the price of a PSA 3 T218 Jack Johnson.

[D. Bergin]

Actually found the example I had in my files. There is a key that exists that lists the various boxing celebrities purportedly in the crowd.

[Exhibitman]

Here's a copper plate etching of Randall from an 1840 edition of Boxiana by Pierce Egan.



Jack The Prime Irish Lad was 23 when the original drawing was made.