Harlan Werner Ali Collection Headlines Julien’s Sale

The Harlan Werner Muhammad Ali Collection, along with the official Baltimore Orioles lineup card from Game No. 1 of Cal Ripken Jr’s historic 2,632 consecutive playing streak are amongst selections being offered in Julien’s Auctions one-day sale to be held Dec. 6 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Additional highlights for the sports fan include Don Newcombe’s game-worn 1957 Brooklyn Dodgers home flannel jersey and game-worn and personally owned memorabilia from Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Jerry Rice, Wayne Gretzky, Pele and Usain Bolt.

The Collection of Harlan Werner was amassed while he worked for the Ali family as their agent for almost 20 years. Over that period, Werner amassed an expansive collection of memorabilia of the man known as the “Greatest of All Time.” This is the first time these items from Harlan Werner’s Muhammad Ali Collection have been offered at auction.

Highlights from Harlan Werner’s Muhammad Ali Collection include Ali’s bronze “Fists Of Greatness,” a limited-edition bronze casting of Ali’s legendary fists; Ali’s signed Hollywood Walk of Fame Star plaque, presented to Ali upon receiving his star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in January 2002; a complete suite of Muhammad Ali’s “The Greatest Series” hand embellished screen prints by artist Steve Kaufman with each of the four pieces in the suite signed by both Ali and Kaufman; and a Cassius Clay signed original 1960 Olympic Torch and signed original torch canister display.

Werner’s Ali collection also features an extensive collection of original Ali wire photos, as well as signed boxing gloves, trunks and multiple signed issues of Sports Illustrated featuring Ali on the cover.

Also presented is the official Baltimore Orioles lineup card from Game No. 1 of Cal Ripken Jr.’s historic Major League Baseball record 2,632 consecutive games played streak. The lineup card, filled out in then-manager Earl Weaver’s handwriting, and signed by Weaver, display’s the Orioles lineup for their May 30, 1982, game versus the Toronto Blue Jays, featuring Ripken playing third base in the game and batting eighth in the Orioles lineup.

Don Newcombe’s 1957 Brooklyn Dodgers game-worn home flannel jersey shares the field with these iconic athletes. Newcombe was a groundbreaking player for the Dodgers, becoming the first African-American to start a World Series game, and the first African-American to win 20 games in one season. Newcombe was named the 1949 National League Rookie of the Year, and the 1956 National League MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

Other sports highlights include a series of life cast bronze “Hitter’s Hands” from artist Raelee Frazier. A self-categorized “three-dimensional bronze biographer of legendary individuals’ hands,” Frazier created “Hitter’s Hands” when meeting some of Major League Baseball’s greatest hitters and actually molding their hands holding the model of bat that they used during their playing careers to make their life cast bronze hands. Bronze “Hitter’s Hands” of some of Major League Baseball’s greatest hitters including Ted Williams, Duke Snider, Stan Musial, Eddie Mathews, Brooks Robinson and Tony Gwynn will be included in the auction.

Additional auction highlights include memorabilia from basketball, football, soccer, racing and baseball. These include Michael Jordan’s 1997-98 game-worn road Bulls jersey and Air Jordan shoes, LeBron James’ 2002-03 Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School game-worn uniform and Jerry Rice’s 1994 San Francisco 49ers game-worn jersey.

The auction will also include an incredible array of game-worn soccer jerseys from legendary players, including Pele’s 1972-73 Santos F.C. game-worn and signed jersey, Diego Maradonna’s 1986 Argentina National Team game-worn jersey, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2010-11 Real Madrid game-worn jersey and Lionel Messi’s 2011-12 FC Barcelona game-worn jersey.

Other highlights include Usain Bolt’s race-worn and signed sprint spikes from the 2013 Diamond League Final, Emile Griffith’s fight-worn robe from his April 25, 1966, fight versus Dick Tiger and Billy Conn’s fight-worn robe, gloves and boots for his bout versus Joe Louis on June 16, 1946. There’s also a “Babe” Ruth Special League baseball owned and signed by Ruth, a 1929 game-used American League baseball signed by Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Ray Knight’s 1986 World Series attributed game-used bat and a program from the 1952 Baseball All-Star game signed-on-site and in person by 48 players and coaches at the 1952 All-Star Game.
For more information, visit www.juliensauctions.com or call (310) 836-1818.