Believed to be the first and only signed version of its kind in existence, the famous Lou Gehrig 1939 final farewell photograph generated 41 bids and ultimately sold for a whopping $108,169 in Lelands.com’s winter auction. Considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, Gehrig signed few autographs after being diagnosed with ALS, hence this signature is very, very rare. Gehrig’s 224th home run ball from 1931 sold for $21,400.
Lelands.com’s winter auction, which closed Saturday, contained 1177 lots of sports memorabilia, pop culture and Americana memorabilia and vintage photographs.
Other notable sports highlights include a 1959 Harmon Killebrew Washington Senators Game-Worn Jersey (one of only three known to exist) which sold for $37,504; Jorge Velasquez’ saddle that was used for Alydar, and Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Pleasant Colony Wins, $35,850; and a rare Joshua Gibson baseball card that fetched $32,101.
Vivien Leigh was the big draw of Lelands.com’s Americana auction. Her signed biographical sheet from the extensive archive of Theatre World/Screen World generated 30 bids with a price realized of $2,675. Marlon Brando’s biographical sheet was also a big draw, generating 29 bids and selling for $3,560.
Additional Auction Items of Note and Prices Realized:
BASEBALL
1971 Frank Robinson 500th Career Homerun Bat: $19,245
Elston Howard Game Used Mitt: $20,852
1934 Tour of Japan Team Signed Diary: $30,200
1934 Tour of Japan Photographic Album: $12,080
Mel Ott Single Signed Baseball: $25,849
Urban Shocker Single Signed Baseball: $12,615
Keith Hernandez 1986 New York Mets World Series Trophy: $12,807
Daryl Strawberry New York Yankees World Series Trophy: $10,313
1914 Detroit Tigers Panoramic Photograph featuring Ty Cobb-TWICE!: $8,748
Late 1930s Charlie Gehringer Game Used Bat: $7,308
Late 1930s Mickey Cochrane Game Used Bat: $9,727
1933 Babe Ruth and Duke Kahanamoku Signed Photograph: $8,039
1956 Daryl Spencer NY Giants Game Worn Jersey: $4,991
1998 Roy Halladay Signed Game Worn Rookie Jersey: $6,473
Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris Signed Baseball: $6,818
Shibe Park Turnstile: $3,322
1947-48 Chesterfield Cardboard Advertising Display: $4,991
Leo Durocher Brooklyn Dodgers Cole Weather Jacket: $4,019
1946-49 Bobby Doerr Game Used Bat: $2,652
1984-85 Cal Ripken Jr. Game Used Bat: $3,531
Three Tickets to Christy Mathewson’s Final Major League Game/Win: $5,773
Budweiser Beer Giant Leather Baseball Glove Chair: $2,495
Last Game at Forbes Field Full Ticket: $1,031
Mr. and Mrs Rabbit Warstler 1934 Tour of Japan Kimonos (2): $3,493
Brooklyn Dodgers Pendant Collection: $3,654
1897 Boston Royal Rooters Souvenir Pin: $2,411
1909 Philadelphia Carmel Cards: $7,569
Chipper Jones Siler Slugger Award: $3,654
St. Louis Browns Game Worn Cap Collection: $6,040
Dizzy Dean’s Last St. Louis Cardinals Game Worn Cap: $8,843
1923 Oscar Roettger New York Yankees Game Worn Cap: $9,478
Baby Ruth Stadium Vendors Uniform Top and Concession Box: $4,699
1927 Bustin’ Babes and Larrupin Lou’s Photograph: $7,121
BASKETBALL
Topps Basketball Cards Collection: $17,496
Darvin Ham’s 2004 Detroit Piston’s World Championship Ring: $20,627
Harlem Globetrotters’ Wee Willie Gardner Game Worn Uniform: $2,745
Marques Haynes 1960s Harlem Magicians Uniform: $2,479
Kevin McHale Celtics Collection: $2,745
Vintage NBA, ABA Referee Shirts: $2,355
BOXING
Cassius Clay Fight Worn Amateur Shoes: $6,818
Muhammad Ali Cup: $3,654
Ali vs. Frazier Fight Poster: $3,020
Mike Tyson Fight Worn Trunks: $5,625
Mike Tyson Fight Worn Gloves: $4,991
Mike Tyson Fight Worn Shoes: $4,019
James J. Jeffries Fold Art Painting on Wood: $4,272
Andy Warhol Signed Muhammad Ali Poster: $4,421
FOOTBALL
1940s Larry Craig Green Bay Packers Game Worn Jersey: $10,981
1956 Jim Katcavage NY Giants World Championship Ring: $19,245
1955 Ken Konz Cleveland Browns World Championship Ring: $13,122
1925 Notre Dame Football Poster: $3,654
1960s AFL Referee Jersey: $2,942
HOCKEY
1959 Ralph Backstrom Montreal Canadiens Stanley Cup Championship Ring: $13,122
Howie Morenz Signed Photograph: $3,099
2003 New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup Championship Ring: $6,199
Nicklas Lidstrom Detroit Red Wings Final Game Worn Jersey: $4,019
Gordie Howe Lucky Strike Masters of Hockey Game Worn Jersey: $2,918
OTHER SPORTS ITEMS
1971 Pele Brazil Game Worn Jersey: $9,298
Jackie Joyner-Kersee USA Worn Track Suit With Sneakers: $2,009
Tiger Woods Signed Tournament Worn Shirt: $4,125
1941 Indianapolis 500 Checkered Flag: $2,431
HOLLYWOOD MEMORABILIA
Barbara Streidsand Signed Biographical Sheet: $1,510
Robert Redford Signed Biographical Sheet: $1,661
Paul Newman Signed Biographical Sheet: $1,661
Meryl Streep Signed Biographical Sheet: $1,661
Carol Burnett Signed Biographical Sheet: $2,210
Boris Karloff Signed Biographical Sheet: $1,247
Charlton Heston Signed Biographical Sheet: $1,827
Grace Kelly Signed Biographical Sheet: $3,226
Jayne Mansfield Signed Biographical Sheet: $2,009
Full item descriptions and prices realized are available at www.lelands.com.
Founded more than twenty-four years ago, Lelands.com is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected auction houses specializing in vintage sports and pop culture memorabilia, collectibles, cards and photos. For more information, visit Lelands.com.
Lelands.com, America’s first sports memorabilia auction house, has handled such landmark collections as The Mickey Mantle Auction of the Greer Johnson Collection ($1.3M), The Harry M. Stevens Auction ($1.8M), and the famed Boston Garden Auction ($2M total sales), along with individual pieces like The Babe Ruth Sale Document ($99,000), Mickey Mantle’s 1960 Jersey ($111,100) and the sale of the infamous “Mookie Ball” to actor Charlie Sheen for $93,500. Over the past ten years, Lelands.com has sold over $100 million worth of vintage sports memorabilia and cards.
