Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2020
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2020
Ranked No. 22 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats, Neil Colville skated for the Blueshirts both before and after the Second World War, winning a Stanley Cup with the club in 1940. Originating from the incomparable autograph collection of E. Robert Hamlyn, we have an trio of handwritten letters signed by the Edmonton native. Ranging from 1945 to 1953, we have a letter on Hotel Piccadilly letterhead from Nov 20, 1945 (6” x 9 ½”), a short letter on Hotel Belvedere letterhead dated Nov 28, 1946 (5” x 8”), and a letter on Rangers letterhead from 1953 (8 ½” x 11”). Featuring gorgeous signatures, the 1953 letter is signed simply “Neil”. Honoured with HOF enshrinement in 1967, Colville would pass at the age of 73, in 1987.
The two smaller letters both exhibit just toning, light handling wear and fold lines, with toning, spotting and edge wear to the larger “Rangers” letterhead letter. Each also sports punched holes for binder insertion, with a modern 8” x 10” print of Colville also included.
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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