Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2014
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/4/2014
A pre-war hockey card set like no other is what we have the honor of offering this time around, with these black and white cards issued by Montreal’s World Wide Gum Company featuring not only colorful(!) and other National Hockey League players of the day, but also famous managers and coaches, as well as “senior” players who skated for the Montreal Royals and Quebec Aces. Incredibly challenging to piece together in any condition, let alone high grade, the big 135-card set, also called “Ice Kings” like World Wide’s initial hockey card effort of 1933-34, was long believed to have been released during the 1936-37 season, but extensive research points to the following campaign. The set’s key card, that of hockey immortal Howie Morenz, speaks of his tragic death, which occurred in March of 1937, and helps date the thick cardboard treasures. And what a treasure trove our consignor has assembled over the years, the fascinating ensemble being named “The Number One Finest Set of All-Time” while earning “Best Pre-War Vintage Hockey Set of the Year” in 2013. It is one of only two encapsulated V356 sets to ever reach 100% completion and it possesses a GPA of 6.35. The stirring aforementioned Morenz card is a Pop-5 NM 7 with just one example ever grading higher at PSA. As for PSA chart-toppers, the list is impressive. There are, get this, 37(!) Pop-1 examples with none higher on the PSA Population Report, including five at NM-MT 8; #s 3-Babe Siebert, 53-Dave Kerr, 63-Peggy O’Neil, 70-Dave Trottier and 110-Frank Stangle. At NM+ 7.5 are 58-Sweeney Schriner, 98-Dutch Gainor, 105-Doug MacQuisten and 129-Pete Morin, while (14) second-to-none Pop-1 NM 7s include 17-Tommy Gorman, 36-Dit Clapper and 62-Flash Hollett. The first numbered card, that of all-time great Charlie Conacher is a peerless EX-MT+ 6.5 leader, the same as (11) at EX-MT 6, with 7-Roy Worters, 59-Hap Emms, 64-Herbie Lewis, 68-Bun Cook and 78-Pit Lepine among them. Meanwhile, there are (28) other cards which are either Pop-2s, 3s or 4s, with none higher on their respective lines of the PSA Population Report. Highlights are NM-MT 8 examples of 6-Paul Thompson, 96-Art Ross and 117-Rene Boudreau, with 65-Aurele Joliat at NM 7 and Hall-of-Famers Barry, Goodfellow, Weiland, Howe and Colville in second-to-none EX-MT 6 holders. The grades and photos of all cards may be viewed on the PSA website, with the likes of legends Eddie Shore, King Clancy, Lester Patrick, Conn Smythe, Lionel Conacher, Syl Apps and more adding and contributing to the intrigue, the appeal and the sensational award-winning achievement. Once an important component of the most important PSA-graded pre-war hockey card collection ever assembled, this smashing jackpot is now available to the hobby’s kingpins and enthusiasts of high grade pre-war material. Special, special!
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