Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2020
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2020
A member of the famous Kid Line along with Charlie Conacher and Busher Jackson, Joe Primeau spent his entire eight-season career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, winning a Stanley Cup championship with the club, in 1932. The Lindsay native was also the only coach in history to lead teams to Memorial Cup, Allan Cup and Stanley Cup championships. Originating from the incomparable autograph collection of E. Robert Hamlyn, we have a photo signed by the 1932 Lady Byng-winner. At 6 ½” x 8 ½”, the glossy image picture’s Primeau in his Leafs finery, circa 1931, with his perfect dark blue ink signature preceded by a personalization to Hamlyn. Elected to the HOF in 1963, Primeau would pass away in Toronto in 1989, at the age of 83. THIS IS THE FINEST JOE PRIMEAU SIGNED PHOTO WE HAVE EVER OFFERED.
As mentioned, the signature is impossible to improve upon, with just light corner wear and very minor surface lines to the photo. There is also a stamp over the reverse from noted lensman Turofsky, along with a stamp from Hamlyn, and a notation stating that he received this photo signed, on Aug 30, 1944.
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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