A CURATED SELECTION OF GREAT CARDS
67. Rare 1915 Block & Kuhl #174 Joe Tinker (HOF) – SGC VG 40
68. 1914 T222 Fatima Cigarettes Grover Cleveland Alexander (HOF RC) – SGC GOOD 2
A remarkable and possibly unique surviving example from Block & Kuhl’s actionwear store brand, featuring a Hall of Fame member to boot! The 1910s saw a publishing studio owned by Felix Medelsohn offer several black-and-white card sets via partner companies. Most of these partners printed their name on card backs and some prove far tougher today than others. Block & Kuhl remains one of its scarcest, with SGC’s population report showing this #174 as its sole encapsulated card. All known
While it’s near-impossible for baseball cards to make Ol’ Pete look handsome , this T222 finds an unusual moment of grace in mid-delivery, emphasizing his height and lithe form, while providing a fine look at that era’s Phillies uniform. Fatima card artists did remarkable work lifting their players off each ballpark background, spotlighting the set’s many legends in a way that few others could. the fascinating and historic T222 set as a key Hall of Fame inductee. The Alexander himself anchors
graded Block & Kuhl cards exist as unique examples, so it will be almost impossible to find another single, let alone a collection of any size. The SGC VG 3 technical grade follows from its balanced corner rounding, centering pushed eastward, and a corner wrinkle. Print quality remains excellent on each side. The photo shows Tinker finishing a warmup throw with what could be center field of Weeghman Park in the distance, during Joe’s two seasons leading their Federal League squad. A special card from this almost impossible set!
condition sensitivity and composition quality of this photographic set drive much of its value and the legendary Alexander presents far better than most collector grade examples! The SGC GOOD 2 grade follows from its fine central image and modest marks on each surface, with typical craquelure from its time inside a tobacco tin. (A small spot at upper left was part of its original print sheet, not a card defect.) It’ll be a challenge indeed to locate something as impressive and accessible as this, regardless of player stature!
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
MINIMUM BID: $500
69. 1916-20 W-UNC “Big Head” Babe Ruth (HOF) – PSA AUTHENTIC
Remarkable and highly colorful example of legendary slugger Babe Ruth from the “Big Head” strip series. This set proves far rarer than most 1920s issues to feature Ruth, as PSA’s population report contains just nine encapsulated, eight of them as “authentic.” It marks the first time Love of the Game handled this card for auction and we’re proud to offer one of its best for overall presentation. Centering, borders, surfaces, and depth of color all show far better than most surviving examples. A top example of the top player from an intriguing and little- understood issue with our hobby! Recent research into these “penny paper” strips from that era suggests the Universal Toy & Novelty Co. of Illinois created and distributed this “Big Head” set as part of their growing range of paper toys (Universal Toy is already known as the creator of baseball strips like W516, a set that appears to predate these “Big Heads” by several months). Universal Toy sold their strips within the retail industry, which used penny paper products for low-cost marketing to kids or families.
The pose on this card suggests a date of mid-1920 or later, thanks to his artistic pinstripes and batting pose, as the Yankees pushed Ruth to give up pitching and become an everyday outfielder upon joining New York in 1920. That makes this already significant card a special piece of history from the Babe’s first year in the Bronx.
MINIMUM BID: $2,500
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