(LOT 1)
c. 1910s Christy Mathewson Signed - Type 1 PSA Encapsulated Frank W. Smith Photograph PSA/DNA LOA - Auto 9 MINT
In the early 1900s, sports photography was relatively routine with baseball images reserved for wide-angle, full-field, or posed batters or even portraits for the local newspaper or periodical. It wasn't until hobby photography, Charles Conlon, at the behest of the sports editor of The New York Evening Telegram, did on-field in-action photographs become commonplace. In 1909, Charles Conlon snapped arguably the most significant and recognizable play captured on film in baseball history of Ty Cobb stealing third base with New York's Jimmy Austin. Conlon's innovation and baseball-themed focus, however, weren't limited to in-action as some of his most famous images are posed photos of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Jim Thorpe and Christy Mathewson; any ballplayer taking the field in New York during the 1910s and ‘20s. But his innovation led to others representing various newspapers, studios and news service companies across the country including Paul Thompson, also in New York; George Grantham Bain in D.C.; Georges Burke and Brace in Chicago; and Louis Van Oeyen in Cleveland. Also in Cleveland, working for the little-known Cleveland Plain Dealer, was Frank W. Smith.

Tasked to capture Cleveland's ballclub and more specifically the team's namesake, Napoleon Lajoie, widely regarded as the greatest second baseman of the era. Though a second-place finish in the American League was all the Naps could muster during the first decade, they fielded a plethora of some of the greatest ballplayers of the day beyond Lajoie that included Hall of Famers Cy Young, Addie Joss & Elmer Flick as well as one of the day's greatest hitters, Shoeless Joe Jackson. But when Frank Smith's collection emerged in 2015, his sepia-toned photos offered a unique feature as a good number of the subjects had signed their respective images including Joe Jackson, despite his illiteracy and labored pencil signature from 1911. In 2015, the Jackson sold for an astonishing $179,000+, but in 2021, that same photo was sold for the mind-boggling $1.47 million and stands as one of the most, if not the most, expensive signed photographs in existence. Frank Smith's collection of photographs, however, was not limited to Cleveland Naps, but also included visiting teams and stars of the diamond from across the league, including a special addition of 1911 New York Giants and 14 signed images of players from little-known J.A. "Bert" Maxwell to Hall of Famers Rube Marquard and Christy Mathewson.

The fact that Smith had the prudence to not only capture these special player images, but to have them signed – obviously at a later date – is truly remarkable. During this rough and tumble era of the big leagues, ballplayers were far more apt to frequent bars, saloons and taverns than the local church or house of worship. But Christy Mathewson, the "Christian Gentleman", who attended Bucknell (also a less than popular practice for ballplayers at the turn of the century), was not like other players and most assuredly not like any pitcher. From 1900 to 1915, Christy Mathewson was the indisputable best pitcher in baseball, posting four 30-win seasons amidst a stretch of 12 consecutive 20+ win campaigns. He was John McGraw's ace on the mound, pitching alongside fellow Hall of Famers Rube Marquard and Joe McGinnity. Learning the "fadeaway", now known as the screwball, from Rube Foster early on, Matty buckled the knees of batters and led the National League in strikeouts five times. In the end, when tuberculosis and exposure to chemical gas during World War I cut down the big right-hander at the age of 45, Big Six had amassed 373 victories against 188 losses and collected 2,507 strikeouts while posting a superb 2.13 ERA.

The Frank Smith photograph presented here is truly a masterpiece that is sure to become the cornerstone of the finest photograph, autograph or signed photo collection in the hobby. Taken during Frank W. Smith's New York Giants photo shoot of 1911, this absolutely incredible 5" x 8" sepia-toned image of Matty warming up as fans watch attentively is spectacular in its own right, but the black fountain pen salutation and signature, "Yours Truly Christy Mathewson", at left makes it one of the finest ever offered in the hobby. In fact, the autograph on this Type 1 Frank W. Smith photograph has been graded 9 MINT and encased by PSA/DNA and also includes LOAs from James Spence Authentication and Beckett Authentication Services. Considering that any Type 1 photo featuring the subject's signature was particularly rare, this superb Christy Mathewson should garner significant attention given its incredible scarcity and its Hall of Fame subject. Displaying only minimal wear on the face with two small numbers "7" (crossed out) and "8" in pencil on the upper right border, this is a very clean and unblemished image of the Giants' greatest pitcher. The back reveals four remnants of black scrapbook paper from album removal, but little else aside from minimal display or storage soiling is visible on the reverse. This autographed Type 1 photograph of Christy Mathewson is without equal as the finest in the hobby and in the world.

MIN BID $50,000
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