Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/8/2017
First witnessing competitive hockey action while skating in the OHA as a junior with the Grimsby Lions, defenceman Marvin Wentworth would then proceed through the province’s intermediate and senior ranks with Hamilton, Brantford and Windsor before a 34-game stint with the AHA’s Chicago Cardinals in 1926-27. Making the leap to the big league the following season was easy as far as transition goes for the efficient defenceman who now carried the “Cyclone” or “Cy” moniker, with Wentworth joining the cross-town Black Hawks to embark on a five-season relationship that would include trips to the playoffs to compete for Lord Stanley’s hardware on a pair of occasions, in both 1930-31 and 1931-32. Appearing in a maroon jersey for Montreal’s anglophone supporters was next for the Ontario native, winning a Cup in 1935 while leading his club in scoring during the postseason. A pair of final seasons would follow his six spent with the Maroons, again being dealt to the crosstown rival - this time the mighty Montreal Canadiens, where Cy would play in his final 80 NHL games.
Presented to the hockey collecting community at large, we have an extremely rare Chicago Black Hawks sweater that was worn by Wentworth while captain during the 1931-32 season according to photographic research, and amazingly, it’s been photo-matched! Perhaps one of the most attractive styles ever worn despite its muted palette of basic black and white, this inaugural colour scheme saw use right up until the mid-1930s before the club donned their iconic reds. Featuring a label with sizing on the inside hem from prominent Chi-town maker O’Shea, a second label from "Henry C. Lytton & Sons Chicago" resides on the opposite seam, with this label matching an example seen worn by Taffy Abel who’s pictured along with Wentworth in an included image, with the hem turned up and the label visible. At the pinnacle of design for the era, the thick chenille team crest features chain-stitched highlights, with the famous Indian head emblem executed with precise economy of line detailing. Multi striping-band accents have been utilized, with examples across the sleeves, cuffs, lower front and chest, proceeding over the shoulders and down the reverse. “10” has been centered on verso, with the reverse number perfectly matching the team crest in both construction and material. A number of holes are present above the team crest, with smaller examples duplicated over the reinforced elbows and reverse. Team repairs are also visible on the important antique garment, with four situated over the lower front striping bands.
Regarding the crucial photo-matches, we first have an included image, that while not a photo-match, shows the placement match-up of the "0" on the reverse. A second included numeric image shows the specific particularities of the team crest along with the exact placement, size and shape of the letters, including the “H” of “Hawks”, along with the distinct anomaly to the circularity of the right border. A third included numeric image featuring Wentworth with Helge "Bulge" Bostrom (they only played together in 1931-32) and others was then used, with an image of our sweater`s crest super-imposed over the example Wentworth is wearing, with all particularities again matching. We needn’t point out to advanced wool collectors that photo-matching sweaters from the 1930s and earlier is next to impossible, adding iron clad authenticity along with considerable value to this remarkable surviving specimen. Please take note that this item may be subject to a silent reserve. An LOA will accompany this prized garment.
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