Collectible Classics offers plenty in March auctio

Hall of Fame autographs, uncommon sports memorabilia, 1950s-60s baseball and football sets and an extensive array of hockey collectibles head the list of high-end items in the first day of Collectible Classics' March 27-28 auction.

The second day will feature almost 500 collector-friendly lots with minimum bids of $50 or less.

A baseball autographed in 1930 by Babe Ruth and a bat signed by members of the 500 Home Run Club lead off the 725-lot auction. Ruth placed a strong fountain pen personalized signature on a side panel of the ball and then added the date on the sweet pot.

The autographed bat is authenticated by PSA/DNA. Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle joined 10 other sluggers in signing the bat.

Among the other baseball autograph offerings are individual autographs of Williams, Mantle and George Sisler; a ball signed by 18 Hall of Fame players, including Satchel Paige, Lefty Grove and Rube Marquard; two baseballs including Roberto Clemente's autograph, and an OAL ball signed by 18 members of the 1932 New York Yankees, including Lou Gehrig. The Ruth signature on the ball is clubhouse.

Christy Mathewson is the subject of one of the most impressive collectibles in the auction. In a 1914 advertising display, Matty promotes Royal Tailors clothing. The 27-by-30-inch display is framed so that the original material swatches on the back can be viewed.

Another eye-grabber is a colorful Pittsburgh Press supplement of the 1909 World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates. Joining the color parade is the original artwork for 1952 and 1955 Yankees World Series pins.

One of the auction's more interesting collectibles focuses on another baseball icon - Cap Anson. An original pen-and-ink drawing dated 1886 features Anson. The drawing was once owned by the Anson family.
Collectors with space to fill will find a 1934 Rockola World Series pinball machine and an original window from Forbes Field.

Cards are a staple of Collectible Classics' auctions, and this edition has even more baseball cards than usual, including a 1950 Bowman set and Topps sets from 1966, 1967 and 1969, as well as 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1974. A 1954 Bowman card of Ted Williams, graded near-mint by Collectible Classics, heads the selection of individual cards.

Type-card collectors will find an 1898 Copper Plate premium of Cap Anson, a 1905 PC785 Cleveland Indians souvenir shop postcard, a 1911 Sporting Life cabinet card of Chase, a 1934 Demaree die-cut card of Paul Waner and other cards.

More than 55 hockey lots will be up for auction, the most ever from Collectible Classics. The featured item is a large celluloid composite photo of the 1945-46 Montreal Canadiens. Other early collectibles are a winged wheel stick pin from the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, winner of the first Stanley Cup, and a 1928 Wedgwood plate depicting a hockey game at St. Paul's School, scene of the first hockey game in the United States.

Autographs are abundant in the hockey offerings - Maurice Richard, Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey, Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, members of the 1947-48 Canadiens, 500-goal scorers, 1972 Team Canada, the U.S. "Miracle on Ice" team, including Coach Brooks, and many more.

Collectible Classics will also have its largest contingent of game-used jerseys in the March auction. The jerseys were worn by or originally produced for Manny Mota, Dave De Busschere, Cal McLish, Bill Mazeroski, Ruppert Jones, Andy Etchebarren and others.

There will be plenty of lots for football collectors. This auction includes near and partial Topps sets for 1956, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1970, 1972 and 1973. One of the more interesting autographed items is a 1970s game-used Philadelphia Eagles helmet signed by Chuck Bednarik. There are multiple lots of autographs from pro and college Hall of Fame players, including a display of Heisman Trophy winners. Various Notre Dame collectibles will be auctioned.

Highlights of the boxing lots are a 1971 Life with a cover photo by Frank Sinatra autographed by Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and a near set of 1951 Topps Ringside cards.

The auction also contains golf, racing and basketball lots.

Non-sport cards and memorabilia will be up for auction, including an impressive assortment of autographs. Among the signers are Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, Groucho Marx, Moe Howard and Mae West. Most of these autographs are on canceled checks framed with images of the stars.

Among the more unusual non-sport offerings are Time magazine covers signed by national and international leaders such as Indira Gandhi, King Hussein (I) of Jordan, Ronald Reagan as a candidate for California governor, Hubert Humphrey, U.S. military leaders during the Vietnam War, and leaders of the South Vietnam government.

For more information, contact Collectible Classics at 724-446-3079 or jabz1@comcast.net. The auction will be online at www.auctionscc.com.