The check was endorsed on the back by Gehrig. Also, a Babe Ruth signed card brings $14,375.
LYNBROOK, N.Y. – A paycheck from 1930 issued to New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig, endorsed on the back by him (“Henry Louis Gehrig”) and signed on the front by team officials Jacob Ruppert and George Barrow, sold for $22,600 at an auction packed with nearly 700 lots of sports memorabilia, comics, comic art and animation held Sept. 30th by Philip Weiss Auctions.
Babe Ruth, Gehrig’s teammate, also made an appearance at the auction. A 1929 Ruth baseball card – Kashin R-316 – signed by the Bambino with a strong fountain pen autograph, was a hit for $14,375. By the time the final gavel fell after more than eight hours of selling, the auction had tallied about $400,000. The Gehrig signed check was the top lot, exceeding its estimate.
“As always, the cream rose to the top in this auction, with most items selling strong for the most part,” said Philip Weiss of Philip Weiss Auctions. “We had lively bidding both in the room, with around 75 people, and online, where approximately 800 registered internet bidders participated via Proxibid.com and Invaluable.com. Phone and left bids were also active. It was a great sale.”
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 13 percent buyer’s premium.
Staying with baseball, a rare 1914 card for Ben Eagan (catcher for Baltimore in the International League) scored $5,750, while a 19th century tobacco card scrapbook album with a complete and rare 10-card N28 Allen & Ginter set affixed to the pages brought $10,175. The 325+-card trove included a second series Morrell, 15 Old Judge cards, Boxers, Sportsmen and non-sports cards.
Original artwork for Peanuts daily comic strips are a staple at many Philip Weiss Auctions, and this sale was no exception. Four of the strips were sold as individual lots and realized a combined $75,000. One, dated Sept. 23, 1972, featured Peppermint Patty and Snoopy in a football-themed daily. Another daily, dated June 17, 1960, showed Linus and Lucy discussing security issues.
The third, dated Jan. 2 3, 1971, had Snoopy sending Woodstock off to Worm School, while the fourth, from May 2, 1958, depicted Charlie and Linus playing “Cowboys and Indians” (Linus called them “Liberals and Conservatives”). Also, an original production cel from the Disney film Cinderella (1955) on a hand-prepared background, showing Cinderella’s coach, earned $3,680.
A rare and original poster from the 1954 Grand Prix Bern auto race in Switzerland, signed by the winning driver Juan Manuel Fangio and designed by artist Carlo Demand, roared off for $4,675. The 36 inch by 50 inch poster appeared to be linen backed and came with a rare original program from the race, the last motor race ever held in Switzerland, after crash debris killed 83 spectators.
Original 8-page comic story art for Shazam #9 (Jan. 1974), by C.C. Beck, titled Worms of the World Unite, with a copy of the actual comic, with each page signed by Beck, went for $3,745. Also, a Lord of the Rings – Hobbit lot consisting of three huge production cel images showing a Mounted Ringwraith, with matching drawings adhered to the backs of the cels, rose to $2,160.
Philip Weiss Auctions has two major auctions planned for November. On Tuesday, Nov. 4th, the firm will hold a sale featuring toys, trains, toy soldiers, die-casts and more. The toy trains will include Lionel, Marklin, Bing and MTH. Toy soldiers will feature Britains, Mignot, Ducal and Dimestore. Die-cast cars will include boxed Dinkys, Corgis, Matchbox, Tootsie Toys and Minic.
Tin litho and pressed steel vehicles will feature Wyandotte, Strauss, Marx and Moko. Battery-op toys will include a Machine Man Robot, ALPS Door Robot and others. Comic character toys will feature a Roy Rogers “Trigger” coin-op mechanical horse and a “Nellybelle” pressed steel pedal car. Also sold will be a Victorian cottage still bank and an American tin monument bank.
Then, on Sunday, Nov. 23rd, the firm will hold an auction featuring stamps, coins, postcards, books and ephemera. Watch the website as auction day approaches: www.WeissAuctions.com.
Philip Weiss Auctions is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (516) 594-0731; or, you can send an e-mail to Philip Weiss at [email protected]. For more information about Philip Weiss Auctions and the upcoming auctions slated for November, please visit www.WeissAuctions.com.
