FALL 2012 Auction
Wed, Nov 14, 2012 09:00PM EST - Sun, Dec 2, 2012 12:00PM EST
Lot 464A
BABE RUTH'S SISTER MARY RUTH MOBERLY'S PERSONAL BABE RUTH AUTOGRAPHED PHOTO GIFTED TO A FRIEND WITH EXTRAORDINARY PROVENANCE PORTFOLIO
Unsold
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 |
Very few objects exist in private hands with direct documented lineage to the family of Babe Ruth. This is a truly extraordinary piece of Ruth-signed memorabilia that traces its roots to the Hall of Famers sister Mary Moberly and owes its prominence to the lifelong diligence of a dedicated Babe Ruth enthusiast and collector. While the Ruth-signed photo with inscription and signature from his sister on the back is a rare surfacing of an item linked to his largely overlooked sibling it is given added weight by the remarkable accompanying portfolio of letters and documents that enhance that linkage and flesh out the story about a fans allegiance to his favorite player.
The 2 7/8-by-3 5/8-inch photo shows a pinstriped Babe in his follow-through in a photograph instantly recognizable by serious collectors; the iconic Ruth signature (9/10) appears across his torso. The photo is attached to a 4 ½-by-6 ½-inch stationery card decorated with stars on hits border. The card is addressed to Jack Marcus the dedicated Ruth fan and includes the inscription from Babe Ruths sister Mary Ruth Moberly along with her signature.
A wonderful 1920s period 9-by-6-inch photograph of Ruth and his sister at a stadium accompanies the piece along with a newspaper file photo of Moberly from the paper near her home in Lakeland Fla. several First-Day Covers involving her famous brother that Moberly sent over the years to Marcus a Christmas card she sent to Marcus and even a First-Day Cover from the same general period of much of the correspondence (circa 1980) from Ruths daughter Julia Ruth Stevens.
Much of the enclosed letters and documents deal with Marcus efforts at the time to get Babe Ruths mug on a U.S. Postal Service Stamp and includes signed letters typically to Marcus - from the likes of Waite Hoyt Red Barber Joe Durso Buddy Hassett Julia Ruth Stevens and even Moberly herself. The depth of of this correspondence archive exceeds the limits of catalog space but can be viewed in detail online. The Ruth signed photo that is the centerpiece of this lot defies any traditional hobby categorization given its unprecedented Ruth family provenance.
Includes full LOAs from both PSA/DNA and JSA (Ruth auto.).
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