Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2020
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2020
Beginning life as the Senators in 1911, the Victoria Cougars starred in the PCHA before moving to the WHL in 1924, with a Stanley Cup championship won in 1925. Originating from the incomparable autograph collection of E. Robert Hamlyn, we have a typed letter signed by club president Lester Patrick, along with five 1950s Cougars programs, with a trio team-signed which includes one again signed by Patrick. On Cougars letterhead, the Feb 12, 1954 communication mentions a number of past players, with Patrick adding a large and flawless blue ink signature. The programs feature a pair that are signed throughout, with one from 1953-54 signed by 16 including Patrick, and one from 1955-56 signed by 16. This is followed by four programs, including two team-signed on the covers, with one from 1956-57 (14 signatures), the other, 1960-61 (16 signatures).
An additional pair of typed letters on Cougars' letterhead are also included, one from 1956, the other, 1959, with just light handling wear present on all three documents. The signed programs all show light to moderate wear, with the example signed by Patrick having tears along the spine, with no issues for the signature. The two unsigned programs both show moderate to heavier wear.
The E. Robert Hamlyn Hockey HOFers Signed Photo and Letter Collection
Beginning life as the passion of one youth growing up in Newfounland during the late-1930s, E. R. Hamlyn was bitten by the collecting bug as a teenager, and began to seek out the signatures of both contemporary and past hockey stars, with his efforts culminating in the world class collection of signed photos and letters that encompass his incomparable autograph collection, with many unique items and extremely rare signatures making up the vast collection.
Through effective letter writing, first to teams, and then when information was received, directly to the players themselves, Hamlyn would request the addressed parties sign a photo he himself would provide, with the overwhelming majority honouring the enthusiastic collector’s wishes. And enamored with the uniforms of both the Montreal Maroons and New York Americans – despite never seeing these teams play in person, Hamlyn had the foresight to seek out the signatures of past retired stars from long forgotten and defunct franchises. The insightful collector also recorded information now invaluable to his collection, with most of the signed letters and photos having dates listed when they were received back signed.
Numerous early Hall of Fame legends make up the one-of-a-kind gathering including signed photos from Sylvio Mantha, George Hainsworth, King Clancy, Cecil "Babe" Dye, George "Buck" Boucher, Jack Ruttan, Barney Stanley, "Bullet" Joe Simpson and others, along with signed letters from Ernie "Moose" Johnson, Ernie Russell, George McNamara, Jack Marshall, Dickie Boon and others. Impossible to duplicate, this is unequivocally the greatest autograph collection that we have handled in our 25 years of service to the collecting community.
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