Research
of this print is ongoing but here's the little we do know
-
Believed to have been printed in France
-
Believed to be a hand colored aquatint engraving
ell I guess I crossed another line....now it's coursing or dog racing or something....I'm not sure what the sport
is here...But heck of a pick up I thought on this print...Got it couple Sundays ago at the Hillsborough Antiques Show...Swept the whole show and found two items that had my attention...a c1890 12" Heubach bisque figure of a baseball player for $375.00...and this caricature print of monkey jockeys on greyhounds for $450.00...I really didn't want to spend the money but $375.00 seemed pretty fair for the Heubach and you don't see them in person often...usually in auctions...it originally came as a pair with a matching batter...made in Germany...
The dealer selling the Monkey Jockey print deals in nothing but prints...and his booth is full of framed ones...the whole booth is very impressive, pretty much everything is mostly pre WWI...The minute I saw it I was taken back...I think if I saw this at a tony book show I'd expect it to be priced around $800.00 - $1,200.00...I asked where it came from...dealer said he found it in a terrible junkie frame falling apart...I think he said the frame was yellow...
I sat down on a bench and pondered which if either to buy...I liked the print a lot more and I figured I'd see more Heubachs but the print is much more rare...I've never seen another and can't find one on the internet...Though did find a couple of similar
ones...anyway...show was about to close and made an offer on the print and they took it...One of those kinds of purchases when the dust settles you're really glad you pulled the trigger!!!...Today I think I found someone in England who I think may know something about it...All takes time which I need more
of!...And if any readers out there know about this print
Royal
Aquarium Westminster, London Nov. 13-15th 1894
-
WON BY -
Smartt's
Punch
Owned
by Mr. Willian George Smartt
Period
Engraving of
Smartt's
Punch
Willian
George Smartt,
Owner
Smartt's Punch
spotted
this c1894 bulldog trophy at the 2012 Hillsborough
Antiques Show in San Mateo CA. The dealer was asking
$1,500.00. I ended up buying a rare c1890 Bicycle Humidor
at the same show for $1,000.00 so couldn't afford it. But
it haunted me afterwards. Later I emailed the dealer and
said I'd buy it for the $1,500.00 if she still had it at
the next Hillsborough Show...When I saw her at the next
show she said it sold to a judge at another show in
Fresno.
The
bulldog originated in England in the 1500's and were bred
for the sport of "bull baiting". Bull baiting
was outlawed in England in the early 1800's by passage of
the Cruelty to Animals Act 1835.
The first Bulldog show put on by the South London Bulldog
Club at the Royal Aquarium Westminster was in 1873.
Poking
around the internet I located some published references to
the show, seen below. Also below, I was also able to
locate a biography of the sculptor of this trophy, a Mr.
Richard Hewitt Moore. I also found an 1895 reference to a
bulldog sired by Smartt's Punch, named "Baron
Killarney" whelped (born) Sept. 28th 1893, that was
brought to the United States. A person named E.K. Austin
of New York City was listed as the owner breeder in the
1896 American Kennel Club Stud Book, Volume 12
1894
Announcment
1894
Announcment
Cell
Phone shot
at
Hillsborough
c1894
Period Photo
Smartt
Punch's Offspring in U.S.A
Sculptor
of Trophy:
Richard
Hewitt Moore (R H Moore) was from Northleach in
Oxfordshire and on leaving school he apprenticed as a wood
engraver but eventually gave up this medium feeling the
technique too confining.
He took up drawing as a profession, studying the figure and portraiture, then moving on to animal studies before almost exclusively devoting himself to dogs.
In common with the likes of Arthur Wardle, Cecil Aldin,
Louis Wain and others, Moore’s early years as a
commercial artist were spent recording scenes at dog
shows, livestock shows and country pursuits for such
publications as The Stock-Keeper, Sporting and Dramatic
News and The Illustrated London News.
He illustrated numerous books, including C H Lane’s All
About Dogs published in 1900.
The 87 illustrations of the celebrated champions of the
time are the most complete source for Moore’s
illustrative work.
Moore was also an accomplished sculptor who specialised in
trophies. The Great Dane Club has a challenge trophy with
a bronze cropped Great Dane mounted standing on the plinth
and the English Setter Club a particularly impressive
group that was awarded for best brace at a trial. This
features a Setter and Pointer in naturalistic pose, cast
in silver and made by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths
Company in 1896.
Possibly the most impressive trophy he sculpted depicted
the final of the 1890 Waterloo Cup, Fullerton beating N
Dunn’s Downpour, see above
Not
one...but two offerings of important trophies are now up for auction you
should be aware of....
One
is an offering on eBay by Tom
Cardaropoli
(eBay handle "walnutts")...Tom
is offering two Boston Marathon trophies, both won by legendary Boston Marathon runner Johnny Kelley.
The
other offering is for a group of important yachting trophies being
offered by world renown America's Cup collector and historian iSteve
Freedland
It is our privilege to offer
these fantastic and exceptionally rare, stunningly beautiful Boston Marathon
Trophies from the estate of the legendary American Marathon Runner and Runner's World Magazine’s "Runner of the Century" John Adelbert "Johnny" Kelley - winner of two Boston Marathons and the record holder for most second place finishes in the Boston Marathon (seven), most top 5 finishes (15 in 17 years from 1934 to 1950) and most Boston marathons participated in (61).
The
Skinner Auctions European Furniture & Decorative Arts
department features a private west coast collection of silver yacht trophies. Prestigious yacht clubs often participated in races against other American clubs and international clubs. Vessels that participated and placed
in these races received handsome trophies made of sterling silver, silver plate, pewter and bronze. Yachts and yacht clubs have undeniably shaped seaside culture, and silver trophies such as the ones pictured here represent the best of the best in yachting history.
This
should more aptly be under Carlton's "Latest One That
Got Away". I found this 1907 oil painting of James J.
Corbett at the last minute. I had received the inaugural
Legendary Auctions catalog about a week before it closed.
However I'd been so tied up with my new Sports Antique of
the Week feature that I never had time to look thru it.
Although I had done a cursory of the auction on-line, I
missed this painting. On April
30, 2009 I
was in a restaurant thumbing thru the catalog as I ate
when I came across itabout
1:00PM the first day of the auction. It got my attention
enough that I scrambled to the front of the catalog to see
when the close date was. To my surprise it was closing
that day. I called right there on the spot and asked
what lot they were on. The guy explained it wasn't a live
floor auction and the painting wouldn't close until late
that night....he said the latest bid was $750.00, and so I
hit it at $800.00 and immediately got out bid by a left
ceiling bid. I hit it again at $900 and to my surprise was
top bidder....that night I had to hit it again at
$1,300.00. But got shot down later....that's where I
folded. With bidders premium it sold for $1,920.00.
I
have no regrets, it just didn't hit the gotta have it
level for me to keep chasing it. However I will say any
good boxing painting from that early is very rare,
they hardly exist. Much less one of a world champion. I've
never seen one before. And the quality is formidable...enlarge
it and look at the face and hair....that's a heck of a
painting! Plus it has a period/likely original frame.
There is no mention of an artist signature in the catalog;
but not having a signature can be overlooked if the work
is of exceptional quality, and this painting would
qualify.
Watch
1894 footage of James
Corbett
in exhibition with Peter Courtney
James
Corbett won the World Heavyweight Championship
from John L. Sullivan Sept. 7, 1892 in New
Orleans Louisiana. The bout was also historical
for being the first World Championship fought
under Marquess of Queensberry Rules,
and for being the first time boxing gloves were
worn.
James
J. Corbett
nickname
Gentleman
Jim
Birth
Name: James John Corbett
Born:
Sept 1, 1866 Died: Feb. 18, 1933 Nationality: American
Height:
6′ 1″ Division: Heavyweight Birthplace: San Francisco, CA Hometown: San Francisco, California
Age
at Death: 66
Record:
Won 16 (KO 4)
lLost 4 (KO 3)
Draws 3
Rounds boxed 261
Found
using
SportsAntiques.com's
eBayiSearch
click
photos
19th
century CHYP - Columbia Harvard Yale Princeton
multi-sport
tobacco tin - Football, Baseball, Rowing, Tennis. offered on
eBay, ends 6/24/07 CLICK
HERE
CLOSED
- SOLD FOR $97.00
Found
using
SportsAntiques.com's
eBayiSearch
IMPORTANT
c1920 OIL PAINTING OF A BASKETBALL GAME IN PROGRESS
This
is the greatest basketball painting I've ever seen. I've not even
heard of anything like it, so it may be the world's greatest. The
colors, the lighting, the size, the realism of the environment, are
what galvanize it.
The back
says it all regarding it's age, if you click the photo on the left.
I believe the elevated bleachers are typical of Y.M.C.A's in
the eastern United States. Interestingly, there were only three
bidders...my piddly $1,800.00, plus two floor bidders, one for
$3,500.00 and the $4,250.00. This is a classic example of greatness
I like to bring you on this site. -Carlton
I
was the under-bidder on this Yale baseball pitcher at $888.88,
but got sniped. I have a mug with the same illustration, so I
believe it originally came as a set with probably 6 or so
cups. The seller advised in the listing there was no makers
mark, however my mug is marked on the bottom the "Laughlin
Art China" I don't recall ever seeing this pitcher before,
so I know it's rare. I believe I have seen another mug like mine
for sale though, I think it was on eBay. What a great piece.
Sure I wish I'd gotten
it! Click
here for more detailed
photos
SOLD
DEC. 7th 2006
FOR $19,120.00
Photo
of first basketball
court
SOLD
DEC. 7th 2006 FOR $71,700.00
James
Naismith's hand written account of the first basketball game played in
1891
SOLD
DEC. 7th 2006
FOR $13,145.00
James
Naismith's whistle
Above
are three highlights
from the
Dec.
2006 historic sale of James Naismith personal belongings
I
attended the Grass
Valley Old West Antiques Show, in Grass Valley California on
Saturday May 13th 2006. The show is incredible and one of the
best antiques shows in the country. I was too pressed for time
to do a story on this years show, however I'll post a photo of
the best thing I saw...an 1899 bicycle race poster from Carson
City Nevada. I was so taken I forgot to measure it, but it was
big, framed it was about 40 inches tall by 30 wide. It sold to
renowned collector Peter Sidlow of Las Vegas for $4,500.00. It
was not only the best thing I saw, but probably the best bicycle
poster I've ever seen. Congrats Peter!
I
did find one item at the show....a circa 1890 Edwin J. Gillies
coffee tin with an illustration of a football game. My friend
John Bounaguidi was set up, and had gotten gotten two of these
tins, one white, one red, out a a Hunt's auctions a year or so
ago. He had the red one at the show and offered it to me for
what he gave, which was $considerable$. I think it's a little
faded, as I've seen another red one that wasn't. I couldn't make
up my mind, so John told me to take it home and see how it works
in my collection. I worked it in with my other tins and it looks
pretty nice, plus my girl friend Barbara thinks I should get it,
so darn I guess I'll have to now...it'$ only money!
If
you can believe it, the Gillies Coffee Company is still in
business, and they have a website with they're history. Seems
they were a major player in the coffee business in New York City
starting in 1840. Click
here to read they're
interesting story.
I've
only seen a few examples of this tin in 18 years, and always
wanted it. I'd sort of like to wait for one in a little better
condition, but they're so rare I suppose I better bite the
bullet while this one's available. Not only are the football
graphics really nice, but it's American...not Canadian, not
bloody English! On top of that it's one of the best depictions,
of 19th century American football used for advertising, and I
think it's the only tin with 19th century football.