Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction Spring 2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/2/2023
A staple fixture on childhood bedroom walls and in Canadian retail stores throughout the 1980s and 1990s, posters and displays featuring the image of Wayne Gretzky were about as commonplace as finding out via the morning papers box scores that Wayne had registered a handful of points in a game the night before. Offered here, is this poster collection of “The Great One” that includes 1988 All-Star Game, retail product display and 1979-80 Oilers calendar examples among other things. Featuring shrink wrap sealed examples picturing the Stanley Cup (“The Ultimate Goal”), Gretzky as a member of the LA Kings and Gretzky with the St. Louis Blues and featured with Brett Hull circa 1995-96 (x2). Others showing Gretzky as an LA King include a LA Daily News inset from Wayne’s 802nd goal (“The Greatest”) that is accompanied by the front page of the March 31st, 1994 paper and a giant double sided 24” x 36” Coca-Cola/Canadian Tire store promo poster from circa 1989-90. For specimens picturing Wayne as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, the earliest piece is a 1979-80 Edmonton Oilers calendar distributed by Shoppers Drug Mart that measures approx. “24 x 37” and is joined by a 1982 Gretzky Neilson Cards display board measuring approx. 25 ¼” x 33”. Other Oilers pieces include a mid-1980s Gillette Sweepstakes display board (24 ½” x 19”), a 1982 7-UP poster (24” x 19”) and a 1982-83 Neilson poster (24” x 36”). Images and pieces hailing from the 1988 All-Star Game in St. Louis total four (4) and include two (2) program cover posters picturing Wayne and Mario Lemieux that both measure approx. 20” x 28” with only one displaying the event information at the bottom. The other shows both Wales and Campbell Conference team photos with this one measuring larger at approx. 26” x 38”, accompanied by a program from the game. The final two posters/store displays of “The Great One” include both a 1992-93 Upper Deck promo display that measures 34” x 22” and pictures the front of Gretzky’s Hockey Heroes checklist card, as well as a store display poster for promotion of UD’s inaugural SP Authentic release from 1997-98 (22” x 34”) that is double sides and lists the base checklist. Most of the Gretzky offerings remain in good condition with light wear to the corners and edges through some wrinkles or small tears with some showing fold lines and paper loss, the heaviest being on the SP Authentic display poster, which also shows a couple of tears at the corners. The last poster included is one picturing the well-known “7 Trophies” image of Bobby Orr from 1972 that measures 18” x 24” and has been signed by the HOFer in gold ink along the bottom. Remaining in excellent condition with just light wear, the autograph displays with no issues to speak off. Other items included with the lot come in the form of various newspapers and publications featuring Gretzky including a February 3rd, 1981 Oilers vs Blues program with games notes tucked inside, an Upper Deck “Toon World” collector card album with cards, a 1980 NHLPA colouring book, a 1985-86 Oilers Red Rooster set and a collection of six (6) Christmas cards from Sidney Salomon Jr. and their family, the original owners of the St. Louis Blues.
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