Extraordinary fresh-to-the-hobby Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig signed original Type I photograph dating from the early 1930s. PSA has encapsulated the photo; certifying it as Type I Authentic and grading the signatures MINT 9. Each player has boldly signed the photo atop his respective image in black fountain pen, with both signatures contrasting beautifully against the light background.

This is one of the finest Ruth/Gehrig signed original photos we have ever handled and one that comes with a unique provenance. Our consignor, who lives in Florida, was an avid collector of cameras and photography. In the 1960s he placed an advertisement in the local newspaper stating that he was looking to purchase antique cameras and related material. He was soon contacted by the widow of Arthur Hull, who was a freelance photographer from the St. Petersburg area. She was looking to sell her husband's old photography equipment, plus his vast collection of negatives and photographs that he had taken over the course of his long career. They quickly struck a deal and later, when our consignor was going through the many photographs, he discovered this magnificent gem. 

Ruth and Gehrig are pictured here in uniform during spring training as they strike a classic side-by-side pose. Judging by their smiles, the two sluggers were obviously pleased to pose for the shot, which was taken on field during the late 1920s/early 1930s (the uniform style shown here was worn by the club from 1927 to 1931). Afterward, during one of his return visits to the Yankees' training camp, Hull was lucky enough to have both Ruth and Gehrig sign the print. Our consignor has been in sole possession of this photo for nearly sixty years, making it one of the most exciting new hobby finds of the year. The photo (4x5"), which displays a stamp on the reverse reading "D8," remains in Excellent to Mint condition. It should be noted that over twenty glass plate negatives originating from Arthur Hull's collection have also been consigned to this auction, including many that feature Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig from the same time period.

This piece was the subject of a recent Sports Collector's Daily article. For more information, read this Sports Collectors Daily story.