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Lot # 47: 1968 Original Bronze Commissioned by the NFL for the "Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year' Award by Daniel Schwartz

Category: Football

Starting Bid: $2,500.00

Bids: 14 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2019 Winter Classic",
which ran from 1/4/2019 9:00 AM to
2/1/2019 10:00 PM



Be careful here. This is not a mere trophy, same as the many presented to worthy and respected men of the NFL through the decades. This is the highly significant prototype BRONZE created by the original sculptor Daniel Schwartz who was commissioned by the NFL to create the award in 1968. Modeled after New York Giants' lineman Steve Wright, this is a seminal work of sports art. This bronze sculpture is one of only two ever made, each unique (the other has no face mask), making this a one-of-a-kind. Atop a marble base, it measures 19" tall in total, and weighs 60 pounds! Again, it is immensely superior in terms of quality and wow factor compared to the player trophy. The artist's signature is visible on the bottom next to his foot. This is from the personal collection of the artist/sculptor Daniel Schwartz, who was commissioned by the NFL in 1968 to create this most prestigious award. First awarded in 1970 as "NFL Man of the Year Award" it became the "Walter Payton Award" after the iconic running back passed away in 1999. This visibility took the award to new levels of importance and awareness. Regardless, this award is special and unlike any other in the game. It honors a player's work on and off the field, spotlighting his volunteer and charity work as well as on-field excellence. The best thing you can say about this piece is that it is worthy of the man who it now carries his name. Plus, how many original finished pieces of a major trophy have become available? The closest thing we can think (yet so far) is the mold to to the Heisman Trophy which sold at Sotheby's in 2005 for $228,000.

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