Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2020
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2020
Once called the greatest living hockey player by legendary star Newsy Lalonde, Bullet Joe Simpson led Winnipeg’s 61st Battalion to the Allan Cup championship in 1915, and was one of the original New York Americans, spending six seasons with the club, from 1925-26 to 1930-31. Originating from the incomparable autograph collection of E. Robert Hamlyn, we have a rare photo signed by the early superstar. At 8” x 10” and picturing Bullet Joe in his Americans finery, the glossy stock image has been signed over the reverse in blue ballpoint by the legend, “with best wishes” added. The signature is flawless and has been placed between lines of biographical typed text which includes “Jan 1967”, a date when the photo was most likely received back signed by Hamlyn. Enshrined in the HOF in 1963, Simpson passed away at age 80, in 1973. THIS IS THE FIRST SIGNED PHOTO OF BULLET JOE SIMPSON WE HAVE EVER OFFERED OR SEEN.
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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