Sam Thompson value

[joed25]

The seller is asking $75,000. Does that seem like a crazy price for this? I’m sorry I don’t have more details about the history.

[Webster]

Is there any information/writing/labeling/trademarks on the back?

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by joed25

The seller is asking $75,000. Does that seem like a crazy price for this? I’m sorry I don’t have more details about the history.

Without provenance that seems like a very high ask.

[mrreality68]

It is an amazing piece.
The price may or may not be alot.
For that potential price you need alot more information as others mentioned especially the Providence.

[EddieP]

Originally Posted by joed25

The seller is asking $75,000. Does that seem like a crazy price for this? I’m sorry I don’t have more details about the history.

This is just my opinion:

Unknown artist, unknown provenance, and alot of work needed to restore it . $75,000 is way too much.
For all you know, he could have bought it at a yard sale, had someone paint the Dauvray Cup Medal on it and then claim it’s a portrait of some obscure Hall of Famer. Also even if you know the artist and the provenance at that price , it would behoove you to find someone who could examine the painting in person and give you an appraisal.

There’s a museum in Detroit with a sizeable baseball card collection. You may want to contact them and ask if they know anything about this painting and/or know anyone who can appraise this for you.

If you think you can do this by yourself, Here’s some advice (and you can take it worth a grain of salt): Think of all the bad eggs in our hobby. Multiply that number by 2000 and it’ll still underestimate the amount of fraudsters in the art world.

[FrankWakefield]

+1 what Eddie said.

Do you have a closeup photo of the pin in his shirt directly under his tie? I ask to see about the detail in which the pin is painted. After looking at the images, it occurred to me that the medal pinned to the jacket is subliminally prominent, as is the detail on it. If someone was going to forge such a painting, then putting something in the painting tying it to that Detroit team would key to getting a baseball collector interested. Without similar detail on the pin, then I'd infer that the 'extra detail' on the medal was intentional, a collector would be wanting to see that.

It reminds me of paintings found in courthouses depicting judges and such. after his playing days Thompson was a US Marshal, and he served as a bailiff in the federal courts there in Detroit. The painting could have been done in the early 1900s just as easily as thinking it was from 1887 or 1888. Are there similar paintings somewhere of other players from that team? It could have been painted later from a photo...

Asking about that portrait here was a good first step, but I think you need several more steps and obtain solid provenance before buying that. And it partly depends on how dear $75k is to you, how fanatical you are about Detroit baseball, and how driven you are in collecting stuff of 19th century Hall of Fame players. I wish you well with your research.

[joed25]

Here is a photo of the back. I really appreciate everyone who took time to respond to my questions. You guys are the greatest!

[Keith H. Thompson]

This portrait of Sam Thompson has no family history to my knowledge and research, but it looks authentic to me, and I put the date anytime after 1888 when the Dauvray Cup Medals were distributed. As an aside, I will mention that my family donated Sam's actual Dauvray Cup Medal to the HOF in 1974. As a boy, I remember seeing in it in its original blue silken case on my mother's sewing machine. It was kept in Sam's gold lined, solid silver trophy awarded to him by the Philadelphia fans for winning a contest for "the most valuable" player. This trophy was on prominent display at the HOF the last time I was there, and the medal has been seen on traveling exhibition.

I believe the case may be made that the portrait under consideration in this thread was inspired by and almost certainly commissioned by Aunt Ida, either while they were "engaged" or shortly after their marriage in 1888. Ida Mareska came from a socially prominent family in Detroit. Sam came from a rural upbringing, and (in my opinion) the idea of sitting for a portrait in formal attire in his Dauvray Cup Medal would not have been original with him.

My great interest in this portrait is that it may be the only original interpretation by any contemporary of Sam's eye and hair color. I personally feel that it is not a very good likeness. My first thought was -- "that's Uncle Cy!"

[joed25]

Thank you Keith! Amazing info.

[joed25]

I am going to post it on eBay for him with a high price and a best offer option and see if there is any interest.