This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/4/2018
Extremely rare and significant 1894 Mammoth Plate cabinet photo of the New York Giants, the winners of the inaugural Temple Cup over the season ending first place Baltimore Orioles, sweeping them 4 games to 0 in the Cup series. Measuring an astounding 23" x 18 1/2" this image of the Giants has only a few known survivors, of which there appear to be two variations, evidenced by the imprint in the negative placed there by the photographer G.(George) Prince 31 Union Square N.Y. One pose has the players in the back row with arms crossed in front, the piece offered here with their hands behind their back, this the scarcer of the poses. Further the numerical layout at the bottom is laid out differently from mount to mount.
The players are all listed at the bottom and read like a who's who of early Baseball players, each numbered on the image. 1. Parke Wilson 2. Charles "Duke" Farrell 3. George Van Haltren 4. Roger Connor 5. Jouett Meekin 6. Huyler Westervelt 7. Amos Rusie 8. W. H. "Dad" Clark 9. Lester German 10. John Doyle 11. John Ward 12. Mike Tiernan 13. George Davis 14. W. B. "Shorty" Fuller 15. Edward Burke 16. James "General" Stafford and 17. W. H. "Yale" Murphy.
The offered piece has several cracks/breaks and peripheral pieces missing, yet the central image is fully intact, with little damage. The image appears to have been wiped at one time, thus a bit hazy. In hand the photograph has just a bit more brownish/sepia color and gloss to it than in the photos(done using 2 different light sources). This is a piece of such importance and potential value that a full or partial restoration would greatly enhance both it's value and eye appeal. There is far more here to start with than many important 19th century rarities that have been restored to enhance them and protect them from further degradation. This could be a marquis piece for the Giants or 19th century collector. A once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a very scarce and desirable cabinet.