Lot 1521

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Description:

(1895 - 1948) Legendary American baseball star and Hall of Famer who hit 60 home runs in 1927 and had a career total of 714. A superb item truly representative of The Bambino, his straw boater hat with ribbon, in near fine condition. The straw hat bears a lightly soiled brown and black ribbon circling it, with the interior containing a well-worn sweatband and liner indicating Ruth enjoyed this hat quite a bit! One can almost imagine him strolling the streets of Manhattan with this hat gracing his head and a cigar clamped in his teeth, signing autographs, and reveling in the adulation of his fans. This outstanding and historic item has excellent provenance: it was obtained by talk-show icon Joe Franklin, and his notarized letter of provenance accompanies the hat. It reads, in part: '...This extraordinary piece of memorabilia...was obtained PERSONALLY by me...from Ruth's widow, Claire Ruth, in 1968. Clara Mae Ruth appeared as a guest on my television show...in early 1968. A lifelong New York baseball fanatic...I was such an admirer of Babe Ruth that as a young man in 1948 I actually' camped in the hallway near the room where Ruth was being treated at French Hospital...Claire Ruth...was aware of my great admiration for her late husband...she and I had lunched together twice and became fast friends. It was I who broached the subject of obtaining a personal item of Ruth's for my Archives of Nostalgia, and Clara Ruth agreed...surprised me by bringing numerous items with her on the day of her appearance...including this--Ruth's straw boater hat. I hereby certify that the aforementioned item is the original and is 100% authentic...' Lot also includes a 4 x 6 in. photo of Franklin holding the hat. An excellent piece of memorabilia for any baseball enthusiast.

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*SEE ADITTIONAL SHIPPING ABOVE* -Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

July 29, 2022 10:00 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000