(LOT 244)
1931 W517 #20 Babe Ruth "Portrait" Blue Tint PSA 6 EX-MT (Hand Cut) – "POP 2"
PORTRAIT RUTH!!!... As Babe Ruth entered the 1930s his once unparalleled achievements slowly started to diminish, with his imminent retirement finally taking place as a member of the Boston Braves in 1935. Still, in the early '30s Ruth managed to put up some impressive numbers. Unfortunately, other than his 1932 U.S. Caramel and a handful of 1933 and 1935 Goudey issues, there are not a myriad of 1930 cards depicting the Bambino when he was still wearing his Yankee pinstripes. With that in mind, presented here is one of those few early 1930 Ruth issues, the popular W517 "blue tint" Portrait Babe Ruth in an outstanding PSA EX-MT 6 holder. Currently, of the nearly 100 PSA encapsulated copies, only a single other example has managed to achieve this lofty assessment, with 15 specimens graded higher. Ultra-popular with collectors, W517s were distributed in vertical strips of three cards with each subject measuring approximately 3" x 4".

Many of the game's stars are depicted in this set via sepia-tone or blue tint poses, and while there are two Babe Ruth subjects, this #20 portrait image of the Babe has become the more coveted and valuable of the two Ruth cards. Neatly hand-cut from its original three-card strip, a truly remarkable "blue-tint" Ruth stoic portrait image portrays super contrast and clarity. Typical with most hand-cut W517s, the Sultan of Swat's enduring pose is somewhat skewed, in this case favoring the lower left edges. Of utmost significance is the amazing stoic portrait image of Ruth staring into the camera that could literally make one skip a beat, easily sufficing as one of the most hallowed portrait images residing on any Ruth cardboard issue. The off-white borders and surfaces are extremely clean, and the corners exhibit fine right-angled formations with minimal wear. Easily meriting the seldom surfacing "6" grade, this is a grand opportunity to capture one of the Sultan of Swat's few existing 1930s issues!

MIN BID $1,000
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