Lot # 4: c.1930’s Amazing Lou Gehrig PSA GEM MINT 10 Autograph on Hotel Book-Cadillac Postcard

Category: Autographs

Starting Bid: $1,250.00

Bids: 21 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Fever Auction 2018",
which ran from 4/28/2018 12:00 PM to
5/19/2018 7:00 PM




(LOT 4)
c.1930's Amazing Lou Gehrig PSA GEM MINT 10 Autograph on Hotel Book-Cadillac Postcard

One of the most sought-after autographs in the hobby is the extremely elusive script of the iconic Yankees Hall of Fame first baseman Henry Louis Gehrig, with his tragic death at the tender age of 37 limiting the number of available Lou Gehrig scripts. With that in mind, presented here is a truly remarkable Lou Gehrig black fountain pen signature on the verso of a "Book-Cadillac Hotel" postcard from the 1930's. Incredibly, the postcard has been encapsulated by PSA with the signature grading a perfect "Gem Mint 10"! Signed ever so eloquently by the unequivocal "Iron Horse" and encapsulated by PSA, the signature boldly reads: "Best Wishes Jimmy - Lou Gehrig", with the dark black fountain pen inscription receiving the near-impossible to find "Gem Mint 10" grade. Unlike Babe Ruth, Gehrig's laid-back personality lent him to sign in a rather light fashion, with this astonishing autograph atypically extremely bold and vivid.

We cannot overemphasize the significance of capturing a brilliant Lou Gehrig signature for your elite collection, with the legacy of Henry Louis Gehrig virtually un-paralleled in baseball history. Tragically, his incredible career was cut short by the deadly "ALS" disease (more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease) that claimed his life at 37 years old in 1941. Yet, for all of his batting accomplishments that included nearly 500 round trippers, a stellar .340 lifetime average and nearly 2,000 R.B.I.'s, he will always be best remembered for his 2,130-consecutive game streak that led to his sacred "Iron Horse" nickname. Furthermore, his incomparable farewell "Luckiest Man on The Face of The Earth" speech at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939 will forever be our National Pastime's Gettysburg Address. It is for all of these reasons that the most advanced enthusiasts actively seek his most desirable artifacts, none of which that could possibly exceed the prominence of this amazing signed postcard. Due to Gehrig's untimely death, there simply aren't enough autographs to accommodate the prolific collector community.

The Book-Cadillac Hotel postcard has miraculously retained many of its original qualities, including an imposing sepia-toned image of the Detroit, Michigan based Hotel on the obverse side. Gehrig has boldly signed the reverse side and there are no postage cancellation marks, making us believe Gehrig might have given this to an avid fan during one of his stays at the prestigious hotel when the Yankees visited the Detroit Tigers. Based on the style of the autograph, we can also assume that it was signed in the early to mid-1930's. Yet, regardless of its actual provenance, it is the near-impossible PSA Gem Mint 10 autograph grade that places it as a world-class artifact. Interestingly enough, PSA wisely chose to flip the postcard verso as the front in their holder since it makes complete sense to portray the iconic Lou Gehrig script as the primary side. To reiterate, considering the eloquence and strength of Gehrig's handwriting on this seldom seen scripted gem, we strongly advocate that any elite autograph enthusiast capture it for their collection since the "Iron Horse" is still the recipient of a Nation's unconditional love and admiration some 77 years after his tragic death. – PSA Encapsulated – Gem Mint 10

MIN BID $1,250
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