Vintage Baseball Card Finds Part of SCP Sale

Sotheby's/SCP Auctions gained national attention with the sale of Barry Bonds' record-tying and record-breaking home run balls last year, but the company's latest auction leans more to the vintage side.

According to Dan Imler, Managing Director, the sale includes a high percentage of property that is "fresh" to the marketplace. "It is always exciting to present collectors with quality cards and memorabilia that are new to the marketplace, or from 'old collections' that have kept the material out of recent circulation," Imler said. "Many of the graded cards in this sale were only recently graded under our direction, and some of the most prominent memorabilia pieces in this sale will be seen by collectors for the first time."

Highlighting the fresh card offerings is a large selection of T206s, including singles and lots yielded from a complete T206 set from the well-known Allan Schwartz Collection. Other notable pre-war cards include a group of 1911 T3 Turkey Red Cabinet Cards offered as singles and lots, a High Grade 1912 S81 Silk #108 Christy Mathewson, a 1914 Cracker Jack #30 Ty Cobb SGC 60 EX, and a 1894 N302 Mayo Football PSA Graded Partial Set (24/36).

A run of complete sets, lots and singles from the post-war era is headlined by a mid-grade 1952 Topps Baseball Complete Set. An additional offering of graded singles from Topps inaugural issue is led by a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA Graded 7 NM. A selection of other Topps and Bowman complete sets from all sports include 1951 Bowman Baseball, 1948 Bowman Basketball and 1952 Bowman Small Football. Collectors of Topps Test Issues and Oddball will have their first opportunity to bid on a previously unseen group of Proof Cards from issues such as 1969 Super, 1970-73 Candy Lids, and 1974 Deckle.

At the forefront of the memorabilia category is a selection of game used bats from some of baseball's most prolific sluggers. Topping the list is a 1921 Babe Ruth H&B Game Bat (PSA/DNA Graded GU7) from The Bill Nowlin Bat Collection formerly displayed at The Ted Williams Museum and Hitter's Hall of Fame. The rerst of the Nowlin collection will be offered in Sotheby's/SCP Auctions April, 2008 Live Auction. Other significant bats in the January 15-30th Internet Auction include the following;

• Ty Cobb 1917-21 H&B Game Used Bat (PSA/DNA Graded GU 8)
• Circa 1938-39 Jimmie Foxx H&B Game Used Bat (PSA/DNA Graded GU7.5)
• Circa 1950s Ted Williams H&B Professional Model Game Bat
• Circa 1965-68 Willie Mays Game Used Bat (PSA/DNA Graded GU9)
• Circa 1965-66 Mickey Mantle H&B Game Used Bat (MEARS Graded A7)
• Harmon Killebrew Circa 1960 H&B Game Used Bat (PSA/DNA Graded GU9)
• Barry Bonds Bat Used During Historic 2007 Season Between Home Runs 754 & 755 (With Video Documentation)

More Memorabilia Highlights Include:

• 1862 Proclamation Signed By Abraham Lincoln
• 1902 Cincinnati Red Sterling Silver Season Pass
• Tris Speaker's 1920 Pair of Platinum And Diamond Cuff Links
• Christy Mathewson 1923 Signed Contract as President of Boston Braves
• High-Grade Babe Ruth Single Signed Baseball
• 1934 US Tour of Japan Team Signed Baseball
• Circa 1920's Babe Ruth Autographed Louisville Slugger 125 Model Bat
• Babe Ruth Double Signed Baseball PSA/DNA Graded 7.5 NM+
• Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig Signed Baseball
• 1955 World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers Team Signed Baseball
• Roberto Clemente Single Signed Baseball
• 1969 Curt Flood Rawlings Gold Glove Award
• 1999 New York Yankees Full-Size World Series Trophy
• Barry Bonds Home Run Ball #754 - Hit July 27, 2007
• Complete Run of 41 Full Unused Super Bowl Tickets (I-XLII)
• 1986-87 Larry Bird Boston Celtics Road Game Jersey (MEARS Graded A10)

Another noteworthy component of the sale is items from the personal collection of former Detroit Tigers pitcher Tommy Bridges, including his 1934 Detroit Tigers World Series Ring, Bridges' Game Bat Signed by The 1934 World Champion Detroit Tigers, and a Babe Ruth signed photograph to Tommy Bridges.

Each of the 900-plus items will be featured in Sotheby's/SCP Auctions full color catalog as well as on the SCP Auctions website . The auction will be open to registered bidders on January 15thth with the conclusion of bidding for lots 1-496 to take place on January 29th and lots 497-925 on January 30th.