Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2019
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/5/2019
An original member of the Montreal Maroons, Nels Stewart also appeared for the Bruins and Americans during his NHL tenure, with the Art Ross and Hart Memorial trophies both won in 1926. Originating from the incomparable autograph collection of E. Robert Hamlyn, we have a vintage photo signed by the legendary star. At just under 8” x 10”, the glossy stock print depicts the 1927 penalty minute leader in a studio setting, in his full Maroons uniform. Stewart has placed his stunning and bold black ink fountain pen signature over the bottom right, adding a personalization to Hamlyn. Witnessing HOF enshrinement in 1952, Old Poison would pass just five short years later at the age of 54. It is also important to note that this is THE FIRST NELS STEWART SIGNED PHOTO WE HAVE EVER SEEN, AND IT IS SURELY THE BEST EXAMPLE EXTANT.
With the gorgeous signature impossible to improve upon, the photo itself exhibits a few surface wrinkles and small creases, with a stamp from photographer Rice over the reverse. There is also typed text, with two small sections of tape residue.
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 Dick Irvin, Steamer Maxwell, Frank Patrick, Clint Benedict, Alec Connell, Duke Keats, Frank Foyston, Moose Goheen and others, along with signed letters from Dickie Boon, Harry Hyland, Jack Marshall, Jack Ruttan, Joe Malone, George Hainsworth, Aurele Joliat, Cy Denneny 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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