Lot 38 email save

1894 Temple Cup Presentation Program

Sign In to see what this sold for

Important Notice: Please note that the format of this auction differs from a traditional eBay Live auction in that only absentee bids are accepted. There is no live "bidding on the close" in which to participate. All lots offered in this auction will close at exactly the same time, as opposed to a traditional one at a time closing of lots, and therefore there is no live "one lot at a time" bidding close in which to participate. Your left bids will compete with all other left bids by auction participants. Bids may be placed on the eBay system at any time prior to 9:00 PM EST, May 1, 2004. No bids will be recognized or accepted when the eBay Live "live bidding applet" is run early in the morning of May 2, 2004 strictly for the purpose of officially registering and recording the final auction results.

1894 Temple Cup Presentation Program

Special edition Broadway theater program, dated October 14th, 1894, was issued to commemorate the first presentation of The Temple Cup, which for the season of 1894 was awarded to the New York Ball Club. From 1894 to 1897, The Temple Cup was presented to the winner of the postseason series played between the first and second place teams of the National League. The Temple Cup series was the immediate predecessor to our modern-day World Series. The magnificent graphic cover of this eight-page program features portraits of the entire New York Base Ball Club surrounding a larger portrait of Hall of Famer John Ward. It is interesting to note that the cover design is very similar to that of the Temple Cup game program of 1894. Interior pages feature advertising, and a schedule of the evening's events, which are comprised of various speakers giving praise to the New York Champions, and climaxes with the actual presentation of The Temple Cup (which now resides on permanent display at The Hall of Fame in Cooperstown). There are only two or three examples known of this significant rarity. This example was once a part of the famous Halper Collection. It appeared as Lot #309 in the 1999 Halper Auction, where it sold for $4,600, and has been consigned to this auction directly by the original purchaser at that historic sale. The program includes its original tasseled string binding, players are neatly identified on the cover in black ink above their portraits, and notations in the same hand on the inside back cover detail the Baltimore and New York lineups and the result of the series. The two eyelets on each of the two interior pages have torn and there is a small chip to the upper left corner of the back cover. Despite minor flaws the program is still very attractive, displays beautifully and is in overall Very Good condition. Reserve $1,500. Estimate $3,000/$6,000.

View Robert Edward Auctions next auction.

Similar lots up for auction