(BASEBALL) Representatives of Professional Base Ball in Amer

Sale 2344 - Lot 35

Price Realized: $ 5,120

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 3,000 - $ 4,000

(BASEBALL.) Representatives of Professional Base Ball in America. Lithograph, 21 1/2 x 26 1/2 inches; backed with linen, faint dampstaining, moderate wear including creases, short tears, marginal chipping, and tack holes. New York: Root & Tinker, 1884

Set Alert for Similar Items

Additional Details

One of the most attractive baseball prints of the 19th century, a promotional piece commissioned by P. Lorillard & Co. of Jersey City, NJ to promote their Climax Red Tin Tag Plug Tobacco. In the foreground are vignettes of 12 active players (most notably Buck Ewing, Tim Keefe, Dan Brouthers, and Cap Anson) and 4 executives including Al Spalding and Harry Wright. In the background is a charmingly naive depiction of a game; the poor catcher is about to get brained, and we're not sure what draws the attention of the first baseman. At least three variants were issued. This one has a small "Climax Grade" insignia in the lower left margin and on the bat bag in the lower right part of the image. None have been traced in OCLC or in any mainstream auction houses, though they have occasionally appeared in sports auctions.