Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Winter 2021
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/23/2021
The signatures of members of two of Canada’s IIHF world champion teams from the early 1950s fill the respective pages of this pair of vintage autograph books. As stated in the LOAs that accompany both of these international hockey treasures, each team-signed book displays autographs that were collected on specific days in successive years in Leksand, Sweden in the lead up to the 1950 and 1951 world championships. One book features the signatures of the 1950 Edmonton Mercurys and the other with those of the 1951 Lethbridge Maple Leafs.
The 1950 Edmonton Mercurys have signed a booklet that measures approximately 3” x 5” with “Autografer” on its red cover. Coach Jimmie Graham’s bold blue ink signature sits beneath “Edmonton Mercury’s Edmonton Alberta Canada” in his handwriting, with a faint “VM-50” pencil notation at the bottom right. There are 18 autographs in all with subsequent pages individually signed by Jack Manson, Jack Davies, Bob Watt, Doug MacAuley, Leo Lucchini, Allan Purvis, Bob David, Don Gauf, Wilbur Delaney, Harry Allen, Peter Wright, Harrison Young, Billie Dawe, Ab Newsome and Marsh Darling, most of which are the only signature on either side of the page with a couple of pages that have a signature of one player on each side. There is an ink blot stain that touches the bottom right edge of each of the pages on the last half of the book that does not affect the signatures. The accompanying LOA states that the signee’s father collected the autographs prior to an exhibition game in Leksand on February 24, 1950. The Mercurys went on to win the 1950 world championship in London, and two years later the 1952 Mercurys won the Olympic gold medal in Helsinki, Canada’s last one for 50 years until a team of NHL superstars won in Salt Lake City in 2002.
The 1951 Lethbridge Maple Leafs have signed a slightly smaller autograph booklet. Coach Dick Gray’s signature is beneath “Lethbridge Maple Leafs Lethbridge Alberta Canada” in his handwriting in bold black ink on the front, with a “VM-51” notation in faint pencil to the right of his signature. There are 16 autographs in total with subsequent pages individually signed by Hec Negrello, Don McLean, Billy Gibson, Nap Milroy, Karl Sorokoski, Mallie Hughes, Bert Knibbs, Bill Chandler, Lou Siray, Dick Gray, Don Vogan, Tom Wood, Stan Obodiac, Whitey Rimstad and Jim Malacko. The accompanying LOA states that the signee’s father collected the autographs prior to an exhibition game in Leksand on February 27, 1951. The Maple Leafs went on to win the 1951 world championship in Paris.
A grouping of seven small modern prints of vintage pictures, including team photos, are included.
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