SCP Auctions, Inc.
Timed Auction

Summer Premier Auction 2014

Wed, Aug 6, 2014 08:00PM EDT - Sun, Aug 24, 2014 11:00AM EDT
Lot 270

1890'S MORRILL FOOTBALL NOSE GUARD (NSM COLLECTION)

Sold for
$352.80
Sold Price includes BP

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$3,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$30,000 $2,500
$50,000 $5,000
$100,000 $10,000
$200,000 $20,000
$300,000 $25,000
$500,000 $50,000
With the current standard of football headgear we have today it's easy to forget how silly vintage football "protective" gear used to be. Featured here is the earliest form of "cutting edge" gridiron armor dating back to the early 1890s. This nose guard is simply a rock-hard shield that covers the nose and is held in place by a cloth strap that goes around the back of the head. There are 13 small holes over the nose for breathing. On the reverse is a molded "bite plate" that fits between the teeth with evidence of some bite marks. I hope dentists were ready and waiting to operate on the sideline for whoever used this! Classic embossed lettering reads "MORRILL'S PATENT NOSE MASK" on the front with "PATD SEPT.29 1891" on the inside. The guard measures 6 1/2" by 3" at its widest point near the mouth. The cloth strap is perfectly intact and the guard itself is amazingly well-preserved with only the slightest bit of cracking near the bite plate. Overall it presents in EX condition.

Includes a Letter of Provenance from the Newport Sports Museum.

Payment for your invoice must clear in full prior to shipping. All items will be shipped from SCP Auctions’ Laguna Niguel, CA office in the order that payments are received. Please allow up to three business days following clearance of payment for items to ship. All items will be shipped UPS/FedEx Ground unless you contact us to discuss an alternative shipping method. If you would like your items shipped in a different method, such as UPS/FedEx Next Day or UPSFedEx 2-Day, you must contact our Post Sale Services Manager Veronica Rodriguez by emailing customerservice@scpauctions.com to discuss alternative shipping instructions. Prior to bidding, please be aware of estimated shipping costs, especially for large or heavy lots. You may contact SCP Auctions for any shipping estimates lots you are bidding on or interested in bidding on. If you intend to pick up your items in person at the SCP Auctions office, please call us to schedule. Payment must clear prior to items being available for pick-up.