Vintage circa 1933 scrapbook featuring the signatures of 113 former Major League players, including eighteen different Hall of Famers. This scrapbook was compiled by our consignor's great aunt in the early 1930s and has remained in his family's possession since that time. (Two individual pages from this scrapbook, featuring, respectively, the signatures of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, have been removed and are offered as separate lots in this auction.) His aunt lived in Chicago and was therefore lucky enough to acquire the signatures of stars from both leagues, since Chicago was home to the Cubs and White Sox. All the pages feature affixed newspaper or magazine photos of players, as well as trimmed examples of trading cards. Some players have signed the page on their respective photo or card, while others have signed alongside it. Not every signer in the scrapbook has a corresponding photo or card. Many years ago all the pages of the scrapbook were removed from their binding and are therefore presented in this collection individually. The signatures, scripted in both ink and pencil, average 7/10. There are a total of 21 scrapbook pages, each decorated front and back. The pages (each approximately 7x11") are all brittle with age and display numerous edge tears. In Good condition overall.
Hall of Fame Signatures: Appling (two examples), Averill, Cuyler (the signature is at the top of a page and most of it has been affected by tears; approximately only a quarter of the signature remains), Faber (on a trimmed Goudey card), Hartnett, Herman, Hornsby, Hubbell, T. Jackson (two examples), Lindstrom, Maranville, Medwick, Ott, Simmons (three examples), Traynor, Vance, P. Waner, and Wilson.
Stars: John Welch (on a trimmed Goudey card; Welch died in 1940; extremely tough autograph, especially on a Goudey card), Charlie Grimm, Mule Haas, George Pipgras, Riggs Stephenson, Lew Fonseca, Schoolboy Rowe, Hughie Critz, Gus Mancuso, Lefty O'Doul, Freddie Fitzsimmons, Joe Vosmik, Rabbit Warstler, Jimmy Dykes, Gus Suhr and Tommy Thevenow.
Please Note: This scrapbook has been pre-certified by JSA. In examining the scrapbook they have identified fourteen signatures that are non authentic. They are as follows: Dizzy Dean, Paul Dean, Arky Vaughan, Lloyd Waner, Whit Wyatt, Dolph Camilli, Billy Terry, Eldon Aukler, Hank Greenberg, Goose Goslin, Ted Lyons, Jack Kayes, Roy Henshaw, and Pat Malone.