(LOT 2101)
Early 1920s Babe Ruth Original PSA Type I Encapsulated Brown Brothers Photo Used for his Iconic 1924 Willard Chocolate Sports Champions V122 Baseball Card - Measures Approx. 5-3/8" x 7-1/2"
One of the hottest collecting angles continues to be original Type 1 photos used for a player's baseball card, with none more popular than the incomparable George Herman Ruth. Over the past year, we have seen some staggering pricing points relating to baseball card images for the immortal Babe, with an original photo used for his 1929-30 Rogers Peet and 1932 Sanella cards fetching $16K, as well as a Type 1 illustration representing his 1924 W511 subject realizing $17K! Indeed, with tsunami-like force, the Bambino's original baseball card photos have exploded in value, and this spiraling pricing surge appears to be escalating each and every day. That said, we are ultra-excited to offer this extremely rare c.1920s Babe Ruth batting photo that was the EXACT image used for his highly coveted 1924 Willard Chocolate Sports Champions V122 issue. By 1924, Babe Ruth had captivated an entire nation via his mighty round-trippers, having already blasted 189 home runs in his first four Yankee seasons (1920-23) including a record setting 59 dingers in 1921. His name was now being utilized by a myriad of manufacturers to promote their brand, as well as his iconic images being affixed to a vast number of different caramel/candy related baseball cards. One such issue that capitalized on Ruth's unparalleled popularity was the Toronto, Canada based Willard Chocolate company who placed an imposing Ruth batting image on one of their legendary 1924 Willard Chocolate subjects.

The Willards Chocolate Sports Champions set included a host of elite athletes from various sports, with its three baseball subjects being Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Eddie Collins. This momentous offering is indeed the image affixed to Ruth's 1924 V61 subject, and its captivating "Sultan of Swat" swinging pose needs no introduction with regard to its immense desirability among advanced collectors. Encapsulated in a PSA Type 1 holder for ironclad authenticity and measuring approximately 5-3/8" x 7-1/2", it most likely dates to the 1922/'23 period, a year before it appeared on Ruth's 1924 V61 card. This immortal black & white portrayal of Ruth blasting another horsehide sphere towards the ballpark's furthest confines has retained a majority of its original luster, revealing only some spotted soiling to the left of Ruth's left stocking/pantaloons, as well as some negligible stray wrinkles barely visible to the naked eye. Fortunately, these blemishes do not impede the critical central image that portrays outstanding contrast and clarity. The verso depicts several pencil notations including "BABE RUTH – THE HOME RUN STAR IN ACTION" as well as two separate "BROWN BROTHERS" credit stamps. This extremely rare illustration's awe-inspiring aesthetics reminds us of how Ruth's colossal swing elevated him to a pinnacle level during the "Roaring '20s", and it is no secret that finding an original Type 1 image utilized for a 98-year-old card is a near-impossible task. The "Babe's" V61 subject stands as one of his renowned keepsakes from the early 1920s, with this ultra-significant museum worthy masterpiece truly residing as one of Ruth's most hallowed photos extant!

MIN BID $2,500
_