Jean Beliveau Foundation Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/11/2008
Absolutely stunning and the creme de la creme as far as vintage Montreal Canadiens sweaters to be offered for public sale go, this old wool worn by Habs winger Johnny “Black Cat” Gagnon is the earliest Canadiens gamer we know of ever being put on the auction block and will tingle the spines of many, led by hockey and Canadiens historians. Born in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Gagnon got his nickname for his jet-black hair and quickness. He spent a season with the Quebec Beavers and three more with the Providence Reds of the Canadian-American league before debuting with the Canadiens in 1930-31, playing on a line with Howie Morenz and Aurele Joliat and helping the Habs to their second straight Stanley Cup championship. He spent most of his 10 NHL seasons with Montreal, packing his 5’5”, 140-pound body into a Habs uniform for over 400 games. Johnny wore number 14 for his first three seasons before donning numbers 5 and 48 in subsequent seasons and then switching back to 14 from ‘35-36 to ‘39-40, thus helping, along with the style, to date this sweater. It’s the first one we’ve ever offered with the red and white felt Canadiens logo on the left sleeve, while a similar two-tone felt crest is sewn on the front. Originally obtained in the collection of a former Canadiens’ trainer, the sweater includes numerous small holes on the upper front, a nickel-size one just below the big crest and a few more holes on the sleeves and in the mock turtleneck. The red felt of the crest has worn through in a couple of spots. There is some light bleeding in the armpit regions and a darned repair on the right sleeve, near the inner seam. Also, two blue-thread repairs straddle the white stripe (near the right seam) of the body, with a similar pair of red-thread stitch jobs straddling the lower white stripe (again near the right seam) near the hem. Rather “long” sweater measures out to approximately size 38. From an era that calls out for more footage so that we historians might witness how the likes of Morenz, Joliat and Gagnon dazzled hockey fans at the Forum and elsewhere, the jersey sets the imagination in motion, tantalizing and tempting those with the means of acquiring such a special piece. A letter of authenticity will be included with this spectacular offering.
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