Masterpieces and Uncommon Commons XXVIII
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
7/30/2010
The iconic name of Christy Mathewson easily sits on the tip of every cardboard enthusiast’s tongue, with his most valuable and eclectic collectibles highly sought after by every advanced hobbyist. The “Big Six” as he was commonly called is undoubtedly one of the greatest pitchers that ever toed the rubber. His 373 wins is still tied with Grover Alexander as the most lifetime National League victories, with this incredible figure including four 30 win seasons including three consecutive seasons of 30 or more from 1903 thru 1905. It just happened to be in 1905 when Mathewson stole the attention of the entire baseball community when he hurled an unprecedented 3 consecutive shutouts against Connie Mack’s mighty Philadelphia Athletics, leading the Giants to their first modern day World Championship. For all of Matty’s achievements including leading the league in strikeouts and E.R.A. for five different seasons, he will always be best remembered for his incredible 1905 World Series feat that has never been equaled. As a final testament to his legacy, Mathewson was included as one of the five 1936 Hall of Fame charter members where his legacy will echo for eternity. No wonder elite collectors seek his rarest mementos with NONE scarcer than this incredible 1912 “Helmar L1 Leather” depicting a fine illustration of the majestic right hander.
The “L1 Leathers were issued in 1912 by the Helmar Tobacco Co. and are considered among the scarcest and valuable artifacts currently existing in the hobby. Horsehide shaped leathers measuring approximately 9-7/8” x 11-1/2” and portraying black sketched baseball images were issued as a premium with the company’s Turkish Trophies cigarette brand. The available players numbered 25, with the images EXACTLY the same as the poses utilized on the popular S81 silks also released that season. Both the L1 Leather and S81 silk images also resembled the distinguished Turkey Red (T3) cards, with 5 of their subjects omitted from the T3 set including: Grover Alexander, Rube Marquard, Marty O’Toole, Rube Benton and Russ Ford. To obtain these obscure collectibles, 50 Helmar coupons needed to be exchanges for a single “L1 Leather”. The actual complete checklist numbered 100 with the 75 additional subjects including actresses, generals, Indian chiefs, etc.).
The 25 baseball players include 16 Hall of Famers with only Ty Cobb more prestigious and valuable than the legendary Christy Mathewson (as was the case with other tobacco products, Honus Wagner was excluded from this issue). Yet, while Cobb typically gathers the highest price tag, many hobby experts agree that the Mathewson L1 Leather just might be the rarest of the 25 subjects! The iconic Mathewson “hands at chest” black sketched image so widely recognized on his T3 Turkey Red has miraculously retained a majority of its original bold pristine state. Many of the images affixed to “L1 Leathers” are extremely worn and/or faded, yet Matty’s jet black print contrast and crystal clear focus has defied all odds and bested “father time”! Attributing to the virtually impossible bold black sketching is the fact that this offering was placed in a scrapbook, evident by the reverse side glue and paper residue. Obviously, the avoidance of any potential elements (fading due to sunlight, handling, etc.), has managed to sustain Mathewson’s superior image. While the back side was victimized by the aforementioned scrapbook removal, a majority of elite enthusiasts would concur that a pristine like obverse side central image was well worth the sacrifice of an imperfect blank back. Additional front side attributes include fine edging, minimal soiling/surface wear, absolutely no pinholes (a common blemish with L1 Leathers), and a fully legible checklist#133 printed near the bottom edge. Seldom does the opportunity come along to own any Helmar Leather, let alone one that represents, arguably, one of the game’s top five immortals. This breathtaking offering basically provides every conceivable desirable aspect of the collecting world including: (1) unparalleled rarity, (3) fine aesthetics, and (3) representation of one of baseball’s incomparable legends. No “Christian Gentleman” keepsake could possibly equal the utmost paucity level of this extraordinary museum worthy antiquity that merits a final resting place in the finest “World Class” collection!
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