Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2013
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/5/2013
Yes indeed folks, over one thousand different Bee Hive hockey photos, the likes of which originated at the St. Lawrence Starch Company in Port Credit, Ontario and which had consumers coveting Bee Hive Corn Syrup labels and other proofs of purchase for over three decades, (so that they could mail them to the firm in exchange for the popular pictures), have been assembled over the years by our consignor and are now ready to move on to another appreciative home...or homes. As you'll see, we've divided up the collection into nine specific groupings which will be the object of separate bidding. To take home the entire collection, a bid will be required to be placed that is superior to the sum of the nine collections within the collection, if you follow.
It is hard to imagine another ensemble of Bee Hives which would rival the extensiveness and completeness of this staggering jackpot. The overall condition of the pictures is also impressive and is detailed, along with the fascinating lineup, detailed below. All but a few of the next-to-impossible-to-find photos are present, meaning dozens upon dozens of scarce examples. Replacement backings and re-glued photos, so often present in sizeable Bee Hive collections, are not non-existent here but are at impressively minimal proportions. The high class collection includes a gorgeous example of the New York Americans' Joe Krol picture which is a highlight of the lengthy list of highlights! The rest, as mentioned, are detailed below and will provide entertaining reading, while you admire the pictures, (issued over a 33-year period!) and contemplate owning possibly the world's most terrific Bee Hive photo collection.
Sensational gathering of the scarcer, more-difficult-to-locate Group 1 Bee Hive photos is the likes of which is rarely offered for sale/auction and presents hobbyists with a wonderful opportunity. All of the pictures “book” for over $100 each, while in the four figures and leading the way in value and rarity is that of Joe Krol of the N.Y. Americans. All original and in splendid problem-free condition with an EX-EX+ cream-colored backing, it’s a heck of a start to this desirable ensemble. Other “most notables” are a trio of Canadiens; Howie Morenz, (small tear in right edge which leads into a 3-inch crease in the red mat), Maurice Richard (VG) and Earl Robinson (VG-EX), along with Ken Mosdell of the Americans (EX) and Toronto’s Rhys Thompson (VG+). We won’t get into grading each individual picture among the rest but will tell you that they’re all in nice collectible condition, with, remarkably, no real low grade examples. We count 18 in the EX neighborhood, with only corner touches to report. Another 22 exhibit additional wear at the corners, (again, we’re referring to the backings), with a small light peripheral crease or two, but nothing drastic, rendering them VG and VG+. With condition issues are four Toronto photos; Stewart (home)(photo also glued at the bottom of a faded mat), Normie Mann (re-glued on the opposite side of a faded mat), Stewart (away)(mat staining, writing) and Mel Hill (re-glued on the opposite side, with remnants remaining on the original side). The same goes for Bill Summerhill of the Canadiens. We detect only one obvious replacement backing, that of the Rangers’ Red Garret. Now then, for the rest of the lineup, it includes: Boston’s Yank Boyd, Don Galligher, Bep Guidolin and Jack Schmidt, Chicago’s Glenn Brydson, Wingy Johnston, Joe Papike, Fido Purpur and Aud. Tuten, Detroit’s Adam Brown, Eddie Bush (creases in the photo itself), both Wilfred McDonalds and Carl Voss, Canadiens Adam Brown, Leo Lamoureux, Pete Morin and Buddy O’Connor, Maroons Jerry Carson, Max Kaminsky, Gus Marker, Paul Runge, Jerry Shannon and Dave Trottier, Americans Charlie Rayner, Allen Shields, Alfred Thurier and Harry Watson, Rangers Norman Burns, Jim Franks, Jim Henry vertical, Bobby Kirk, Vic Myles and Norman Tustin and finally, Maple Leafs George Booth.
More intriguing and desirable Bee Hive photos from the 1930s and ‘40s are up for grabs here, with several hockey trophies bringing to mind, “…and the winner is…” Two variations of photos picturing the Allan Cup, the Memorial Cup and the Byng, Calder, Hart and Vezina Trophies are present, with a brief history of each and the winners up to and including the 1938-39 season included on the back of the actual pictures, with the other variation featuring blank backs. A Stanley Cup photo is also dated on the back, while two blank-backed variations include one with “Stanley Cup” appearing horizontally on the front and the other with a diagonally scripted “Stanley Cup.” Pictures of famous broadcasters of the day, Foster Hewitt and Wes McKnight, are also present, as are three less often seen Bee Hives picturing Canadian amateur athletes; swimmer Charlotte Acres, diver Mickey Riley and world sculling champion Bob Pearce. The famous Dionne Quintuplets are featured, with their picture glued to an intriguing light blue (original) backing, while the five darlings also appear on a 4” by 9” blotter that names the St. Lawrence Starch Co. as the issuer. Condition across the board is similar with nothing extremely high grade but no real “dogs” either. Typical corner/edge wear and an intermittent crease or two are spotted, with most pictures in the collectible VG neighborhood. We detect just one rather “white” possible replaced backing, that of the non-dated Allan Cup photo, with the photo itself exhibiting staining. Overall, scarcity is the attraction with this group, completed by a rather scarce team photo of the 1937 Memorial Cup champion Winnipeg Monarchs junior team. A small corner crease in the photo itself and a couple of light ones in the blue mat are to be aware of.
More Group 1 Bee Hive photos features interesting break-up value, with all of the more common examples present, along with all of the semi-tough pictures. Overall, the 200-plus photos are in collectible VG shape, with G-VG, VG, VG+, VG-EX and EX conditions represented. The breakdown by teams is as follows: Bruins 20, Black Hawks 28, Red Wings 32, Canadiens 37, Maroons 14, Americans 23, Rangers 28 and Maple Leafs 47. We spot some obviously replaced backings, with pinkish or light blue construction paper used as mats for nine Bruins, three Americans, five Rangers and eight Leafs. For those collectors looking to make a splash in the Bee Hive world or who have been concentrating on later issues, this is a marvelous opportunity that will provide hours upon hours of entertainment as you check out Hall-of-Famers, stars and others who toiled during the pre-war and wartime eras.
The majority of scarce Group 2 Bee Hive photos on the wantlists of collectors are present in this remarkable collection, full of highlights. Among the leaders are “light background” variations of Gilles Tremblay, George Armstrong and Eddie Shack, as well as the black scripted Red Berenson. Others, by team and with that team’s total in brackets are: Boston (14 – Godfrey W left of skate, Klukay, Johnny Peirson, Sawchuk, Simmons (Defelice), Chicago (6 – Costello, Hull #9, Rollins vertical), Detroit (7 - Conacher, Hall, Poile), Montreal (11 – Campeau, Robertson (on a red Group 1 mat), New York (7 – Cahan away, (right skate), Paille, Plante, John Ratelle) and Toronto (17 – Apps, Bionda, Hurst, Don and Nick Metz, Reid, Stanowski). Condition-wise, typical light to moderate handling and wear is to mention, with most falling into the VG+, VG-EX and EX grades with some lesser and some better. In short, each and all would be welcomed into the vast majority of Bee Hive collections. We spot just two suspect backings, those of Montreal’s Dube and Toronto’s Maloney. Photos completing the formidable lineup picture Bruins Barry, Bodnar, Connelly, Creighton, Godfrey W under skate, Pennington, Perreault and Stapleton, Blackhawks Kennedy, Lunde and Maki, Red Wings Bucyk, Enio, Hillman and Quackenbush, Canadiens Couture, Hanna, Hodge white script, King, Litzenberger and Lowe, Rangers Bower, Glover and Labossiere and Maple Leafs Bathgate, Ceresino, Conacher, Barry Cullen error, Hassard, McCormack and Solinger. “Phew” is what we say and “Yes!” is what you’ll say when these arrive!
Seven Bee Hive Group 2 trophy photos, each surrounded by four white borders, being among the toughest 1945-64 Bee Hives to track down. This rarely offered jackpot features cream-colored backings which all have at least one notable flaw; a small light peripheral crease, to go along with minor corner wear and rendering them technically VG+. The photos themselves however are problem-free beauties, with not a crease/wrinkle spotted – quite stunning. The not-as-scarce-but-still-sought similar photos of the Stanley Cup and Byng, Calder, Hart, Norris, Prince of Wales, Art Ross and Vezina trophies have a white border across the bottom and are not, as a group, quite as nice as their counterparts. The Byng, Calder and Hart examples actually mirror the aforementioned, with the Ross close. Creasing and dime-size paper loss on the back of the actual Vezina Trophy photo, a pinhole in the upper border of the Wales’ backing, creasing and paper loss on the front, (near the top edge) of the Norris’ mat and a re-glue job of the creased-at-top Stanley Cup photo is to be aware of. In summary, for collectors who have searched high and low for years for the “four white border” trophies, this lot is for you.
Virtually all Group 2 Bee Hives not considered scarce with the vast majority of the pictures are in nice collectible condition with light to moderate corner and edge wear and no real unsightly flaws. Refreshingly, Bee Hive enthusiasts are not as concerned as card collectors about sharp corners and the like! Our photos offer a look at some of the highlights of each of the six teams. Suspect-looking backings are very few and far between, with a dozen red and blue mats from Group 1 scattered through the stack.
From towards the end of the Original Six era and the long-running Bee Hive photo promotion come these “wood grains”, the lineup of which is comprised of the most difficult to locate examples. Never have we had the pleasure/honor of offering so many at one time. The majority are free of unsightly creases, with just under half in EX-or-better condition, while a light, not-very-detracting crease or bend technically lowers others to VG+, although close inspection is at times necessary to detect the minor flaws. Photos without conditions mentioned below are EX-or-better. Carrying the biggest price tags when offered for sale, (that’s not often!), are the photos of Bobby Hull (home, reversed negative)(two tiny vertical creases along the bottom edge) and Claude Larose (reversed neg.)(crease-free with subtle evidence of photo album “triangles” at the corners), with Bobby’s regular home jersey version also present and near mint. We’ll do the rest by team, with Boston representatives being Connolly, Gendron (creases, G-VG), Godfrey (toning on the back), Hebenton (VG+), Pennington (VG+) and Perreault (VG+). Joining Hull are Black Hawks Hall (NM), Hillman, Maki (glue residue on the upper and lower back edges), Nesterenko, Pilote (scotch tape marks on the reverse), both Stanfields and Turner (VG). In Detroit uniforms are Delvecchio (away), Faulkner (VG), Howe captain (VG-EX), Ingram (VG+), Joyal, MacGregor, Smith (away) and Smith (home, reversed neg.)(VG+). Canadiens are Hanna, Harper (light background) and G. Tremblay (#24), while Rangers include Cahan (VG+), Henry, Labossiere and Plante (VG+). An even dozen Maple Leafs complete; Baun, Bower (VG+), Harris (no number), Harris (#15)(VG), Horton (#7)(scotch tape marks on the back), Horvath (VG), Keon (#14)(crease-free but with scotch tape mark in upper border – front), Mahovlich (VG+), McKenney, Pulford (subtle album triangle indentations), Stewart (no number) and Stewart (#15)(VG).
Group 3 Bee Hive photos which picture NHL trophies, with the Calder Memorial and Prince of Wales examples leading the condition parade. They’re in crease-free EX to EX+ shape and are joined by a similar, albeit mis-cut (off-centered) photo of Bernie Geoffrion in his Quebec Aces coach’s cardigan sweater. At VG+ are pictures of the Byng Trophy and the Vezina Trophy, while condition issues are to note amongst the remainder. Light bends/creases affect the Stanley Cup, as well as the Norris (subtle staining), Art Ross and Hart trophies, all in the VG neighborhood. Scarcity overrules condition in their cases, with completeness here an attractive attribute.
The last of the “wood grains” featuring everyone from Boston’s Balfour to Toronto’s Walton, save for the scarcer “wood grains” mentioned above. Condition here is impressive with the vast majority in crease-free EX-or-better shape with problem-free backs. We’ve inspected them all, (what fun you’ll have too sifting through them!) and can report that approximately only two dozen include a not-very-detracting small light crease or bend. Featuring the likes of all-time greats Howe, Hull, Beliveau, Sawchuk, Hall, Mikita, Mahovlich, Horton and the Richard brothers, along with other Hall-of-Famers and stars, this is one great stash, sure to delight its new owner.
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