Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2020
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2020
Existing for just a trio of seasons in the mid-to-late-1940s, the Toronto Staffords were a senior club playing in the Ontario Hockey Association, coached by Leafs’ legend Red Horner. Originating from the incomparable autograph collection of E. Robert Hamlyn, we have a Red Horner photo team-signed by the 1945-46 Staffords, a sheet team-signed by the 1946-47 squad, and a pair of letters. The 6 ¼” x 8 ¾” Horner Turofsky photo has been signed by sixteen including Horner, with the majority of the signatures not permeating the glossy print, leaving ink loss due to evaporation/drying. The approx 5” x 7” team signed sheet is soft cardboard, with “Toronto Staffords 1946-47” handwritten, with 18 signing in matching blue ink including Flash Hollett. The letters are each 7” x 10” and on Staffords Hockey Club letterhead, with one dated April 22, 1946, mentioning the Horner photo being sent (signed by J. H. Stafford), while the second is dated Jan 28, 1947, with mention of the sending of the team-signed sheet (signed by D. W. Wilson).
The E. Robert Hamlyn Hockey HOFers Signed Photo and Letter Collection
Beginning life as the passion of one youth growing up in Newfounland during the late-1930s, E. R. Hamlyn was bitten by the collecting bug as a teenager, and began to seek out the signatures of both contemporary and past hockey stars, with his efforts culminating in the world class collection of signed photos and letters that encompass his incomparable autograph collection, with many unique items and extremely rare signatures making up the vast collection.
Through effective letter writing, first to teams, and then when information was received, directly to the players themselves, Hamlyn would request the addressed parties sign a photo he himself would provide, with the overwhelming majority honouring the enthusiastic collector’s wishes. And enamored with the uniforms of both the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans – despite never seeing these teams play in person, Hamlyn had the foresight to seek out the signatures of past retired stars from long forgotten and defunct franchises. The insightful collector also recorded information now invaluable to his collection, with most of the signed letters and photos having dates listed when they were received back signed.
Numerous early Hall of Fame legends make up the one-of-a-kind gathering including signed photos from Sylvio Mantha, George Hainsworth, King Clancy, Cecil "Babe" Dye, George "Buck" Boucher, Jack Ruttan, Barney Stanley, "Bullet" Joe Simpson and others, along with signed letters from Ernie "Moose" Johnson, Ernie Russell, George McNamara, Jack Marshall, Dickie Boon and others. Impossible to duplicate, this is unequivocally the greatest autograph collection that we have handled in our 25 years of service to the collecting community.
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