Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction November 2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/29/2023
Unique on several levels, the first being that it is one of Topps’ earliest trading card productions and the fact that contained the company’s first-ever baseball card offerings, up on the block here is this seldomly seen uncut sheet from the first series of the 1948 Topps "Magic Photos" release. A set consisting of 252 total cards that each measured approximately a tiny 7/8” x 1-7/16”, all of the images were "self-developing" – similar to a Polaroid photograph – issued with blank fronts that could be developed into sepia-tone photos by exposing the cards to sunlight. A somewhat complex sub-set system was utilized by Topps, dividing the minute offerings into sport and non-sport categories, each with a respective series letter: Boxing Champions "A" (24); All American Basketball "B" (6); All American Football "C" (13); Wrestling Champions "D" (25); Track and Field Champions "E" (17); Stars of Stage and Screen "F" (22); American Dogs "G" (17); General Sports "H" (2); Movie Stars "J" (45); Baseball Hall of Fame "K" (19); Aviation Pioneers "L" (9); Famous Landmarks "M" (9); American Inventors "N" (8); American Military Leaders "O" (10); American Explorers "P" (2); Basketball Thrills "Q" (5); Football Thrills "R" (5); Figures of the Wild West "S" (7); and General Sports "T" (7), the sheet offered here includes a total of 126 of the images that make up the set and includes a total of 19 Baseball Hall of Fame, 5 Basketball Thrills, 5 Football Thrills, 7 General Sports, 7 Figures of the Wild West, 45 Movie Stars, 9 Aviation Pioneers, 9 Famous Landmarks, 8 American Inventors, 10 American Military Leaders and 2 American Explorers offerings. WIth the sheet anchored by the images of Baseball Hall of Famers such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Roger Hornsby, Tris Speaker, Connie Mack and Cy Young among other baseball, pop culture and historical stars plus figures, the sheet displays beautifully despite some light wear to the edges and corners (including a small amount of paper cut from the bottom left corner) while glue residue is seen on the reverse affecting pretty much all the cards on the sheet. Likely professionally developed, giving the cards a virtually flawless contrast rarely found on individual cards saved in childhood collections, also included with the lot and accompanying the sheet is a 1948 Topps ''Magic Photos'' hocus focus advertisement that measures out to roughly 8 1/2" x 10 3/4" and two loose cards from the set, one from each series that pictures Charley Fowler and Sitting Bull from the "Track and Field Champions" and "Figures of the Wild West" subsets respectively. Of note, the ad page is affected surface wear and tape on the reverse that has bleed through to the front. More than likely displayed in retail points and based on the subjects, would have been for series 2.
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