(LOT 106)
Extraordinary c.1900's Christy Mathewson PSA Type 1 Encapsulated Van Oeyen Photo Used for his Iconic M110 Sporting Life & T5 Pinkerton Cabinet/Postcard - Measures Approx. 5" x 7"
Presented here just happens to be one of the most extraordinary Christy Mathewson photos you will ever come across, an ultra-rare and possibly "unique" Van Oeyen Type 1 image of the "Christian Gentlemen" loosening up on the sidelines circa 1908. Its incredible origin stems from the fact it is the EXACT image that was used for Matty's iconic M110 Sporting Life cabinet and T5 Pinkerton Cabinet/Postcard with all of these highly coveted cardboard keepsakes issued during the early 1910's. It is no secret that Cleveland, Ohio's Louis Van Oeyen resides as one of the most prominent all-time baseball photographers, standing right alongside other photo legends such as Carl Horner, Charles Conlon, Paul Thompson, George Grantham Bain and George Burke. Indeed, this remarkable offering features every conceivable superlative highly coveted by any elite enthusiast including an immortal subject (Matty), renowned photographer, breathtaking aesthetics and a direct link to some of the hobby's foremost cards. In fact, we would easily place the utmost significance of this "Big Six" Van Oeyen marvel right alongside some of the finest Mathewson photos known to exist including Horner's iconic "Hands at Chest" image, Conlon's classic portrait illustration and several Matty "pitching pose" images struck by Bain during his famous early 1900's photo shoot. It is no secret that photo's representing hallowed sports cards are achieving record price tags each and every day, with a Jim Brown rookie photo fetching a staggering $68,000 in our prior Spring auction! That suffices as just one example of this pricing phenomena that has spearheaded a surging photo market with no end in sight.

To the best of our knowledge, this currently stands as the only known original Type 1 photo of this momentous Mathewson pitching pose. As is the case for any collectible, we cannot speak to the possibility of another example residing in a private and/or undisclosed collection, but to date, another one has not been proven to exist. Ironically, its assumed "stand alone" stature is extremely similar to the immortal Christy Mathewson's iconic standing, with a number of historians still choosing the "Big Six" as baseball's finest all-time hurler. Born on August 12, 1880 in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, Mathewson's baseball roots can be traced back to his Bucknell College playing days with the baby-faced right-hander originally claimed by the Cincinnati Reds directly after his graduation. Before the 1901 season, the New York Giants decided to trade for this handsome pitcher and history was now in the making. The Giant's standout 19th century flame-thrower Amos Rusie was the veteran hurler traded to Cincinnati for Mathewson, and amazingly, Rusie would not win a single other baseball game, with Mathewson embarking on a virtually unparalleled Hall of Fame career that would include an incredible 373 victories. Christy would ultimately become the most beloved, worshiped and admired pre-WWI baseball player, a "turn of the century" matinee idol to thousands of aspiring young ballplayers, with his sense of fair play and decency ultimately earning him the revered nickname "The Christian Gentleman".

Along with his National League record 373 wins (tied for top honors with Grover Alexander), Matty posted a microscopic lifetime E.R. A. of 2.13, and his miraculous 3 World Series shutouts against Connie Mack's mighty Philadelphia Athletics in the 1905 World Series is a record that may never be matched in any lifetime. It therefore came as little surprise when Connie Mack so emphatically stated: "Christy Mathewson is the greatest pitcher I have ever seen. It was wonderful to watch him pitch when he wasn't pitching against you!" Synonymous with Babe Ruth's legendary stature, he was the "true" hero for a seemingly infinite number of his ardent admirers, with his "godly persona" supporting his unparalleled mystique. From 1903 thru 1914 he would 20 or games an unfathomable 12 consecutive seasons including four seasons in which he tallied 30 or more victories. He would lead the league in E.R.A. and strikeouts on five separate occasions, and post five seasons of a sub-2.00 E.R.A including a remarkable 1.14 figure in 1909. Due to all of the aforementioned feats, it was irrefutable justification that the baseball writers selected him as one of the five 1936 Hall of Fame charter members along with Ruth, Cobb, Johnson and Wagner. For all of the above reasons, it comes as little surprise that premier photo collectors actively seek Matty's most prominent heirlooms, with none carrying more prestige than this museum worthy offering.

Regarding its brilliant aesthetics, this classic Mathewson photo measures approximately 5" x 7", with the esteemed sepia-toned image revealing stellar resolution and fine contrast that modestly favors a lighter quality. The borderless pose depicts the immortal hurler reaching back to throw another one of his virtually unhittable pitches, in which what may be an oncoming "fade away" that baffled hitters throughout Mathewson's illustrious career. The ultra-significant central image is super clean, no obtrusive flaws are evident on either side, a few stray diagonal wrinkles situated near the four corners are barely visible to the naked eye, and a microscopic-like pinhole located near the lower left corner is rendered virtually negligible. Affixed to the verso is the critical "Louis Van Oeyen, Cleveland, Ohio" credit stamp as well as the following notation written in Van Oeyen's own hand: "Christy Mathewson Pitches – N.Y. Nationals." It is quite clear that this "Big Six" sepia-toned gem has stubbornly defied "Father-Time", and you can literally feel Christy is about to throw another pitch that would ultimately inch him closer to his inaugural Hall of Fame membership. Similar to the tragic stories of both Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente, Mathewson's untimely death from tuberculosis in 1925 (from breathing poisonous gas in WWI) provide a special sentiment for his adoring fan base, with some of the hobby's most prolific enthusiasts assembling his most compelling collectibles. Mathewson left an indelible mark on our National Pastime due to his astonishing pitching prowess, unequivocal integrity and heart-felt passion for the game, and what finer possible keepsake could possibly exist than a seemingly "one of a kind" pre-1910 Louis Van Oeyen image that was utilized for three of his most heralded baseball card issues. That notion, along with its obvious imposing eye appeal place this Matty offering as one of his most significant collectibles extant, justifying why the most sophisticated hobbyists should emulate the incomparable race horse Secretariat and ride this regal-like "Big Six" marvel directly to the winner's circle! MIN BID $2,500