A fresh-to-the-hobby collection of 37 19th century baseball cards has sold for a combined $431,000. Originating in a Long Island estate, the group of N173 Old Judge Cabinet cards from 1888 sold through Weiss Auctions as part of a 500-lot sale that included cards and other collectibles.
The crown jewel of the “North Fork Find” was a possibly unique cabinet card photo image of New York Giants captain Buck Ewing wearing civilian clothes. With buyer’s premium, the card realized $109,250, a record for an 1888 N173 Old Judge cabinet card. Also sold were cards for Cincinnati Hall of Fame second baseman John McPhee ($66,125) and Washington catcher and legendary Hall of Fame manager Connie Mack ($48,300).
Other items in the auction included a complete, graded set of 1933 Goudey Sports Kings for $12,600. The set featured some of the greatest names in 1930s-era sports including Babe Ruth, Gene Sarazen, Max Baer, Ty Cobb, Bobby Jones, Carl Hubbell, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Knute Rockne and others.
A pair of circa 1888 G & B Gum baseball cards, one of them for Hall of Famer Roger Connor, both rare higher-grade cards, hammered as one lot for $8,050.
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