Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Spring 2014
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/17/2014
This magnificent early Stanley Cup jewelry presented to Hall of Fame defenseman Sylvio Mantha is one of the actual engraved championship watches presented to the Cup champion Montreal Canadiens players at a gala banquet held in their honor at the Windsor Hotel on April 2, 1924. Echoes of hockey greats Howie Morenz and Georges Vezina come roaring to life with this truly historic piece -- an incredibly rare Montreal Canadiens 1924 Stanley Cup championship 14K gold watch which remains in working order.
Originally purchased from the Mantha family, this is the actual Stanley Cup championship watch that was gifted to the hockey legend who helped the Canadiens to their second Stanley Cup win overall in his rookie season. Mantha went on to become the Habs' captain two years later, a position he held when Montreal won back-to-back Stanley Cups for the first time in 1930 & 1931. Morenz, a 21-year-old rookie, scored three goals for the NHL champion Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final against the WCHL champion Calgary Tigers. Vezina, a member of the Canadiens' first Stanley Cup win in the NHA in 1916, held Calgary to one goal in the final, which opened with Montreal's 6-1 win at the Mount Royal Arena. He recorded a shutout three days later in a 3-0 win at the Ottawa Auditorium on March 25 to complete a two-game sweep as Montreal celebrated its first NHL Stanley Cup. The legendary goaltender was the only member of the Canadiens not on hand when the team's championship was feted one week later at the Windsor Hotel. Mantha is pictured in a newspaper illustration of the Stanley Cup banquet's head table along with Morenz and fellow HOFers Aurele Joliat and Sprague Cleghorn. Habs regular season scoring leader Billy Boucher is also pictured along with fellow teammates Odie Cleghorn, Billy Coutu and Billy Bell. By all accounts the black tie event attended by 500 guests was a rousing celebration. Highlights of the evening included the presentation of the Stanley Cup by its trustee, William Foran, to team president Athanase David and the presentation of Birks gold watches, including the example offered here, to the Canadiens' players.
This superb timepiece by the renowned Montreal jewelers displays Mantha's initials, "S.M.", engraved on the cover in elaborate script. The interior cover of the pocket watch has, translated from French, "Presented to Sylvio Mantha by friends and fans of the Canadien Hockey Club, on winning World's Championship, 1924" engraved in script on the inside of the watch. The assayer's mark is stamped at the top with "14K" beneath it while the serial number "3839592" is stamped at the bottom inside the cover. The inside workings of the watch display the serial number again above "Birks Broker" and "adjusted 17 Jewels", with "1889 ABC" at the bottom. Obviously worn with great pride by Mantha, this 87-year-old championship pocket watch exhibits clear handling, including scratches and scuffs, yet remains in excellent and working condition, particularly considering its age. "Birks" is printed on the watch's face. This pocket watch, which measures 1 3/4" in diameter, is a Montreal Canadiens heirloom that is sure to attract a substantial amount of interest in the collecting world.
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