Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction April 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2024
Playing his junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association as a a member of the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters and Royals from 1957 to 1961, Rod Gilbert would step into the bright lights of Manhattan and the rest of New York City beginning in the late stages of the 1961-62 regular season as well as the 1962 Stanley Cup Playoffs and would go on to a career that would span a total of 1065 games over the course of eighteen (18) years in the league, all of which were spent in a Rangers uniform. Earning the moniker of "Mr. Ranger" along the way and playing in eight (8) NHL All-Star contests in his career, Gilbert would retire after the 1977-78 season and still holds claim to Rangers franchise records for most goals (406) and most points (1021). A member of Team Canada during the famed Summit Series of 1972 and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982, Gilbert became the first player in New York's franchise history to have his number retired by the club, with the instance taking place on October 14, 1979. Having recently left this Earth at the age of 80 years old, offered here is this Rangers sweater worn by Gilbert during his rookie season of 1961-62 that has been conclusively photo-matched.
A classic wool tie-neck style offering dating to the era of the "Original Six" and the golden years of the National Hockey League, the cream coloured garment made by Gerry Cosby sports both Cosby's and size "46" labeling attached inside the seam at the left hip. Missing its original collar lace, having long been lost to time, the front of the jersey is decorated with the traditional "Rangers" going diagonally down the chest in dual layer blue-over-red drop-shadow tackle twill letters, the sleeves and verso have been styled with the number "16" that was worn by Gilbert between 1960 and 1962, with the numbers on the sleeves done in single layer blue twill numerals and the ones on the reverse in numbers matching the style of the letters spelling "Rangers" on the front.
Void of any sort of fight strap on the interior of the jersey but showing some pilling in the commonly seen areas, good game-wear is observed throughout the entirety of the piece, including approximately twenty-five (25) beautifully done team repairs strewn throughout the sleeves, front and reverse by our count while small unrepaired holes are seen in all the same areas as well. Also showing pilling near the cuffs from rubbing up against Gilberts gloves and coloured board paint transfer marks over both sleeves, light stick marks are observed over the front and inside of both sleeves, with both also showing small spot stains and areas discolouration near the elbows as well.
One of the nicest wool offerings we have handled in a long time which is accompanied by a MeiGray LOA and COR, regarding the aforementioned photo-match, the sweater has been conclusively matched to an image of Gilbert seen on page 40 of the November 1965 issue of Hockey Pictorial magazine, an older image of Gilbert dating from 1961-62, that clearly shows the repair in the top blue stripe of the right sleeve, with a copy of this issue included with the piece as well. Please note that this incredible item may be subject to a silent reserve.
Instrumental to the hobby as one of the founders of the MeiGray Group in 1997, a hobby entity paramount in the authentication of game-worn jerseys and equipment, pioneer collector Barry Meisel enjoyed almost two decades as a successful sports journalist. Beginning with his days interning for the Binghamton Evening Press while a senior in college, Meisel explains how his passion for collecting was fueled, stating “My plan was to get a game-worn jersey for every team I covered once I became a pro hockey writer. I got a Barons, then a Broome Dusters, Binghamton Whalers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers. It was the late '80s. My first career was born. From the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin to the Morristown, NJ, Daily Record, to the New York Daily News”.
In his dozen years with the New York Daily News, Meisel covered the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Giants. He also spent the early-1990s serving as the News’ investigative sports reporter, with additional time as a columnist for The Hockey News (1982-90) and The New York Giants Newsweekly (1990-96), with a few book authored including 'Losing the Edge: The Rise and Fall of the Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers’. Despite building a vast and encompassing grouping of items, Meisel notes, "I have my favorites. The Scotty Press that still sits in my home office. My 1983-84 Detroit Red Wings Ken Holland, the minor-league goalie in Binghamton who became a lifelong friend, and who had a cup of NHL coffee before becoming a Hall of Fame General Manager. And my 1994 Stanley Cup Finals New York Rangers white Craig MacTavish, who was wearing this jersey in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on June 14, 1994. MacT knocked the final faceoff into the corner with 1.6 seconds left on a 54-year Jinx, the night the Rangers allowed the Monster of MSG to one day Die in Peace. This jersey is on display at the Garden, to remind every Blue Seater from old Section 433 that the wait was worth it”.
Classic Auctions in honoured to have been chosen to sell the Barry Meisel personal collection, with dozens of high-quality jerseys offered including an endless supply of important New York Rangers specimens from Rod Gilbert, Peter Sundstrom, James Patrick, Mark Tinordi, Kris King and other Blueshirts as well as WHA jerseys from the Indianapolis Racers, Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Nationals. Additional gems that will have bidders salivating includes Peter McDuff’s 1973-74 AHL Providence Reds game-worn home and away jerseys, bobble head dolls, important programs and other assorted memorabilia.
As always, we hope these long-loved treasures find new appreciative collectors, with Meisel stating it best, “It's time for Classic Collectibles and my good friend Marc Juteau to help me find my gamers new homes. Time for others to enjoy the greatest hobby alive."
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