Auction Item Details
Lot 942
LOADING IMAGES
Lot Number: 942
Description: Mammoth Plate albumen photograph of Spalding's World Tourists c.1889. Despite its' iconic status, Sebah's image of the World Tourists on the Sphinx is one of the rarest of its' type with under six total examples known including the Baseball Hall of Fame's photo which is reproduced in nearly every baseball history book of merit. In comparison to the other known examples the offered image is easily among the finest with respect to condition. W. Irving Snyder who traveled with the team described the circumstances of the photograph's creation in his journal. He writes, "We are up at breakfast early, as we start at 10 o'clock for the pyramids. Camels and donkeys have been secured for the party, the ball players in uniform, as for the first time the "Sphinx" is to witness a game of baseball...after lunch we have photos taken at the Sphinx, and then proceed to play our historical game of ball under the shadow of the pyramids, with about 200 Arabs for an audience." The large size (10 1/2"x14" image size) provides an impressive display presence and given the fact that Sebah, a master photographer, printed only a small quantity for "dignitaries", the print does not show the deterioration that is common to normal albumen prints. Retains flawless contrast and original surface with only a few metal flecks that were embedded into the albumen paper at the time of its' manufacture and appear in very non descript area at bottom center which is common for prints of this type from the era. Sebah also affixed an image of a palacial building on verso indicating he likely prepared this image for inclusion in an album similar to the one presented by Albert Spalding to Harry Wright. Legendary baseball related image of notable rarity and import: EX/MT-NM
Estimated Price: ($4,000.00-$5,000.00)
Sold for Price: Login or Register
