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Home , Bobo Olson, Buddy McGirt, Jack Blackburn, Joe Louis, King Levinsky, Nino Benvenuti

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FOR RARE, HARD-TO-FIND ITEMS SUCH AS, POSTERS, AUTOGRAPHS, VINTAGE PHOTOS, MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, ETC.

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16 1 JO SPORTS, INC. BOXING SALE Les Wolff, LLC 20 Complete Sports Illustrated 35th Anniver- VISIT OUR WEBSITE: sary from 1989 autographed on the cover Muhammad Ali www.josportsinc.com Memorabilia and Cassius Clay underneath. Recent autographs. Beautiful Thousands Of Boxing Items For Sale! autographs. $500 BOXING ITEMS FOR SALE: 21 Muhammad Ali/ 9/28/76 MSG Full Unused 1. MUHAMMAD ALI EXHIBITION PROGRAM: 1 8”x10” BxW photo autographed while Cham- Ticket to there Fight autographed $750 8/24/1972, , VG-EX, RARE-Not Seen Be- pion Rare Boxing pose with PSA and JSA plus LWA letters. 22 Muhammad Ali vs. Lyle Alzado fi ght program for there exhi- fore.$800.00 True one of a kind and only the second one I have ever had in bition fi ght $150 2. ALI-LISTON II PRESS KIT: 5/25/1965, Championship boxing pose. $7,500 23 Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton 9/28/76 Rematch, EX.$350.00 2 Jack Johnson 3x5 paper autographed in pencil yours truly program $125 3. -HAUBER ON SITE POSTER: with part of truly cut off former champion Jack Johnson. Re- 24 Muhammad Ali vs. 9/15/89 from New Orleans 2/15/1917, , Linen Backed, 10 3/8” x 17 3/8,” ally nice $1,750 fi ght program $100 EX.$2,000.00 3 2011 Boxing Hall of Fame Program autographed by all 25 Muhammad Ali 8”x10” 4 different color magazines with 4. CLAY-LISTON I OFFICIAL PROGRAM: 2/25/1964, 6 on the cover:,Sylvester Stallone,Nacho vintage 1970’s autographs. Nice big beautiful autographs Beach, Clay Wins Title, EX.$1,500.00 Beristan,Julio Cesar Chavez,Kostya Tszyu and Joe Cortez $750 each 5. CLAY-LISTON I PRESS KIT: 2/25/1964, Miami Beach, JSA sticker $750 26 Muhammad Ali AKA Cassius Clay movie 1 sheet $500 Clay Wins Title, VG.$750.00 4 Roberto Duran vs.. 12/7/89 on site poster 27 Muhammad Ali Boxing Illustrated cover autographed person- 6. JAMES J. CORBETT GENTLEMAN JACK POSTER: 1894, from signed by all 3 very tough to get all 3 $350 alized $250 Linen Backed, 17” x 40,” EX+.$4,000.00 5 Muhammad Ali full cancelled check from 5/27/74 while mar- 28 Lou Ambers autographed article form a Sport magazine $75 7. DURAN-TAVAREZ ON SITE POSTER: 1/21/1974, France, ried to Belinda Ali $1,500 29 Dave Anderson 8”x10” BxW photo autographed. 21” x 35,”Linen Backed, Signed By Duran, EX.$1,250.00 6 Muhammad Ali vs.. 2/8/71 program Excellent newest HOFer. $50 8. FOREMAN-NORTON ON SITE POSTER: 3/26/1974, Ven- condition $1,200 30 8x10 BxW studio picture autographed in 1936 ezuela, 23” x 35,” EX.$1,750.00 7 Muhammad Ali vs.. Earnie Shavers 9/29/77 MSG program $125 9. -GAINER ON SITE POSTER: $400 31 Buddy Baer autographed magazine article personalized $75 10/21/1928, New Haven, CT, 28” x 42,” VG.$1,500.00 8 Esteban De Jesus vs. Edwin Viruet/ Michael Dokes vs.. 32 Joe Beckett 8x10 BxW autographed died 1965 fought 10. - ON SITE POSTER: Alfredo Escalera 10/27/78 MSG fi ght program $100 Tommy Burns and George Carpentier $550 6/25/1935, Yankee Stadium, 16” x 20,” EX.$12,500.00 9 Muhammad Ali autographed Everlast glove with a full JSA 33 8”x10” BxW photo autographed $50 11. JOE LOUIS- FIGHT FILM letter. $1,250 34 8”x10” autographed color photo 2 different POSTER: 6/28/1939, Yankee Stadium, 28” x 40,” 7 Sandy Saddler vs.. 9/26/51 full unused proof ticket poses $50 each EX.$2,500.00 Excellent condition $150 35 Jimmy Bratton 5”x7” BxW magazine photo autographed $50 12. MONZON-BENVENUTI ON SITE POSTER: 8 vs.. 5/21/42 full unused proof ticket 36 3 different 8”x10” color photos auto- 3/8/1971, Linen Backed, 32” x 46 ½,” EX.$1,000.00 Excellent condition $350 graphed. WBO champion $50 each 13. MONZON-GRIFFITH ON SITE POSTER: 9/25/1971, 9 Walter Cobb vs.. Mack Hauss 5/15/31 full unused proof 37 Lucian Butte 8”x10” color photos autographed $50 Linen Backed, 12” x 28 ½,” EX.$1,250.00 ticket Excellent condition $150 38 Hector Macho Camacho 8”x10” BxW photo autographed $50 14. BATTLING NELSON-JIMMY BRITT ON SITE 10 Marvin Hagler vs.. Sugar Ray Leonard 4/6/87 program auto- 39 Orlando Canizalez/Junior Jones 8”x10” autographed color POSTER: 9/9/1905, World White Title, graphed by Leonard $100 photo by both $100 21” x 28,” VG$5,000.00 11 Sugar Ray Leonard vs.. 1981 program auto- 40 Cassius Clay 3/25/59 2nd title Intercity em- 15. OLIVARES-ARGUELLO ON SITE POSTER: 11/23/1974, graphed by Leonard $100 ployee and photographers passes $300 17” x 22,” VG.$750.00 12 Roberto Duran vs.. Sugar Ray Leonard 11/25/80 program 41 Cassius Clay 2/29/60 Tournament of Champions employee 16. OLIVARES-PEDROZA SOUVENIR BANNER: 7/21/1979, autographed by Leonard $100 and photographers passes $300 12” x 18,” EX.$375.00 13 Thriller in Manila DVD autographed by Joe Frazier signed 42 Gerrie Coetzee 8”x10” BxW photo autographed $50 17. -VAN DAM ON SITE POSTER: twice $50 43 Gerry Cooney 6/7/82, 6/21/82 Sports Illustrated complete and 12/9/1950, Linen 14 In This Corner by Peter Heller autographed by Muhammad autographed 8x10 BxW photo $50 each Ali $350 44 Jim Corbett 5”x7” BxW photo with Kathleen O’Connor Backed, 21 ½” x 28 ½,” WANTED: EX.$7,500.00 Autographs, Antique & Wire Photos, Cabinet 15 American Son by autographed book $75 autographed by both from the movie The Midnight Man $750 Cards, Rare Books, Posters, Programs, Tick- 16 James Buddy McGirt vs.. Kevin Pompey/ vs.. 45 George Sugar Costner autographed magazine photo fought 18. TYSON-FERGUSON ets, Championship Belts, Awards & Trophies, ON SITE POSTER: Fight Worn Equipment, Advertising Pieces Pete Taliaferro 6/28/94 Meadowlands Program and tix stub Sugar Ray Robinson $50 and Bound Volumes of The Ring, Boxing Il- $75 46 Chuck Davey 8”x10” BxW magazine photo signed 3 times 2/16/1986, 22” x 28,” lustrated, Boxing & Wrestling and The Police VG. $1,250.00 Gazette (pre-1930). Loose copies of The ring 17 ALI vs.. Frazier 14x24 Thriller In Manila Window card $50 and Police Gazette pre 1930 only if clean. 19. JERSEY JOE WAL- poster by Leroy Nieman. Mint shrink wrapped. $250 47 Oscar De La Hoya 8”x10” BxW magazine photo autographed 18 Muhammad Ali 11x14 BxW autographed in lithograph in $100 COTT- TERMS: pencil and signed by the artist numbered to 250. Real nice. ON SITE POSTER: 1. Please add $8.00 for postage. Foreign orders billed separately. 48 8”x10” color magazine photo autographed 6/23/1947, 21” x 26 ½,” 2. NYS residents add 8.625% sales tax. $750 personalized $250 VG. $3,500.00 3. All autographs are guaranteed for life. 19 Muhammad Ali autographed and dated 1997 Bible Contradic- 49 Roberto Duran 8”x10” autographed color photo $50 20. ZARATE-ZAMORA 4. Check or money order payable to: JO Sports, Inc. tions, Table matt dated 1/31/88 To Jim $300 each 50 Cornelius Boza Edwards autographed Boxing card $25 5. Visa, Mastercard & American Express accepted. SOUVENIR BANNER: 6. Paypal to our account: [email protected] (no L in account name) 4/23/1977, 11 ¼” x 18 7. Payment is due within 10 days of order. ¼,” EX. $425.00 LES WOLFF SPORTS, LLC JO SPORTS, INC. - Craig Hamilton PO. Box 917, Plainview, NY 11803 - (516) 933-7787 - Fax (516) 933-7747 P.O. Box 607 email [email protected] Brookhaven, NY 11719 Appraising, Auctioning, Collecting, Buying, Selling, and Trading Sports memorabilia Phone/fax 631-286-0970 since 1970 Visit my website: Leswolffsportsllc.com Email: [email protected] How much is it really worth? Don't wait, call today for you appraisal

2 15 Fifteenth Round

So I was immediately planning a "sucker punch Snap . "article going back to the fi rst two Ketchel-Papke fi ghts after Boxing Mailing what the punk did to Ortiz and asked Harry to look up the press's reaction to those fi ghts. Turns out there was no hue Address Directory ….. Smile, you're in BCN and cry in those days. Papke said Ketchel had done it to him Since 1996 BoxingHelp.com has published a directory in the fi rst fi ght and so he returned the favor in the second. of mailing addresses for the sport of boxing. This directory But then, in both cases, the sucker punch didn't end the fi ght. includes over 3, 000 mailing addresses for boxers, promoters, Either way, what Mayweather did was take advantage of managers, trainers, matchmakers, gyms and clubs, etc. Take a close look at this old Ortiz's inexperience (no sin in that) with a punk move that Contact your favorite boxer/request autographs or use the bareknuckler's expression. It says robbed us of the rest of the fi ght which was starting to get directory to assist your business or boxing career…. to me, "Yeah, I'm fat but, no, you're interesting. The problem is that Mayweather is not, as he has not allowed to bring it up." been described, a "thug." Thugs beat you up, they don't trick Annual Subscription Hats off to Aaron Conyers for you and then turn into a hissy-fi t throwing b___ when some- one asks you about it. That is almost the street defi nition of a Directory & quarterly updates for 1 year this ambrotype of Peter Crawley. The photo itself is 2.75x3.25 and classless punk.... Heritage's upcoming auction will be a mind- $32.95 blower. More early (pre-1880) rare stuff than we've seen in is a "sixth plate." It dates to 1850. one place. Sure to raise some eyebrows will be the handwrit- International $50 (US$) Ambrotypes predated the tintype in We accept cash, checks or money orders. Please make checks and money ten letter from Tom Sayers to John C. Heenan that fi rst went orders payable to Ultimate Boxing Address List. popularity. off at Sotheby's back in the 1960's. The short letter, obviously Crawley was known as written in semi-literate hand, accepts Heenan's offer to fi ght "Young Rump Steak" and retired as him (see below). There are no universally trusted exemplars Ultimate Boxing Address List Champion of England in 1827. He of Sayers writing, incidentally, but its auction pedigree will PO Box 112 died at the age of 65 in 1865. attract lots of attention on its own... Keep punching. Westmoreland, NY 13490-0112 This is the oldest boxing Web: http://www.BoxingHelp.com Email: [email protected] photo I have ever seen by at least 10 years.

David’s Art presents the very best in boxing art for sale. Pictures of the highest quality, for the serious collector. Web: www.davidsart.info email: [email protected] BOXING COLLECTORS' NEWS is solely pub- (Catalogue by post) David’s Art, lished and owned by Don Scott Consulting and AADDRESSESD D R E S S E S 39 Bedford Street, Hensingham, Publishing LLC. No material herein can be Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 8QN used without permission. Boxer addresses are not guaranteed authentic by BCN but are collected from (England) SUBSCRIPTIONS are $24 for fi rst class mail readers and passed on as related. We always need addresses. delivery. Canada is $30 per year and other non-US is $40 (all funds US). Please note that overseas will be mailed fi rst class . AD RATES: are as follows: : 1/4 page $25; 1/2 Victor Ortiz, c/o La Colonia Gym, 520 page $50, 3/4 page $75 and full page is $100. East 1st St, Oxnard, CA 93030 All ad submissions must be submitted digitally Julio Diaz, 49182 Violet St, Indio, CA unless prior agreement is made. There us a 10% discount for full year of ads paid in advance. 92201 All ads must be in our hands by the 10th of the Antonio Margarito, c/o 1506 West month with payment. No faxed ads. Ridge Rd, West Covina, CA 91791 NO CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED FOR SUBS OR Floyd Mayweather, 4720 Laguna Vista, ADS. Las Vegas, NV 89109 OUR HOMEPAGE: www.boxingcollectors.com. Our email and Paypal address: donscott4@ suddenlink.net

14 3 SPORTS COLLECTIBLES PLATINUM® AUCTION NOVEMBER 10-11, 2011 | DALLAS | LIVE & ONLINE

Bid Online at HA.com/7041 beginning late October

www.boxingcollectors.com 1859 Tom Sayers 1953 Carl “Bobo” Olson Handwritten Signed Letter Accepting Heenan Fight BCN’s website has been completely overhauled and isn’t it about time? Circa 1900 Jem Mace Autograph Boxing Gloves Worn Estimate: $20,000+ Estimate: $3,000-$4,000 in World Championship-Winning Fight Estimate: $4,000-$6,000 Now subscribers are given free access to a members-only area of the website that contains nearly 4000 photos of boxing memorabilia in our gallery with more added each month.

Members also have access to downloadable back issues and to the latest news on the boxing memorabilia front. 1953 Carl “Bobo” Olson World Middleweight Championship “Ring Magazine” Belt Estimate: $10,000+ There’s also a special price on the fi rst and last 50 back issues remaining in inven- tory. Consignments Wanted for Upcoming Auctions, Cash Advances Available. And for the fi rst time, you can subscribe to BCN online using Paypal. If you do not Call 800-872-6467 or email one of our experts today to discuss how you can consign to a Heritage auction event. Chris Ivy Mark Jordan Derek Grady Mike Gutierrez Dir. of Sports Consignment Vice President of Consignment have a Paypal account you can use Paypal’s guest feature and pay with a credit card. Auctions Director Sports Auctions Director [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] That will redirect you back to the site so you can verify your email address, set up a ext. 1319 ext. 1187 ext. 1975 ext. 1183 password and start enjoying the members-only area. Free catalog and The Collector’s Handbook ($65 value) for new clients. Please submit auction invoices of $1000 + in this category, from any source. Include your contact information and mail to Heritage, fax 214-409-1425, email [email protected], or call 866-835-3243. For more details, go to HA.com/FCO. Great, but what if you already have a subscription and it is not near lapsing? No prob- lem. Just go on the site and email me and I will send you your password. You may Annual Sales Exceed $700 Million | 600,000+ Registered Online Bidder-Members also email me at [email protected]. 3500 Maple Avenue | Dallas, Texas 75219 | 800-872-6467 DALLAS | | BEVERLY HILLS | | PARIS | GENEVA

TX Auctioneer licenses: Samuel Foose 11727; Robert Korver 13754; Scott Peterson 13256; Bob Merrill 13408; Mike Sadler 16129; Andrea Voss 16406. This auction is subject to a 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.20526 Oh and while on the site, take the pop quiz!

4 13 Larry Lawrence Rare Sports PO Box 756 We Lose One of Our Own Planetarium Station NY, NY 10024 Mark Mausner, husband, father, physician, and 212-362-8593 collector has succumbed to a brain tumor. And we, in the collector community, fi rst of all, send our heartfelt The following items are listed subject to prior sale. Call to order at 212-362-8593. Answering machine on all the time. Add sympathies to the family. $3.00 per item for postage. Ship via Post Office. Send checks to listed PO Box address. Returnable for any reason within 7 days of receipt if not satisfied. If you frequent Canastota every year you likely know Mark well. He was one of the "gang" to most of Also, I sell Golf, Tennis, Football and other sports. Let me know your other sports interests, as well as your full range of us but he was also one of my closest hobby friends. boxing collecting interests. Look forward to hearing from you soon. Every June we sought each other out and gleefully 1. Promotional envelope for Chet Marleau. c1920s. Major fighter in 1920s. Fought everybody in lower swapped stories of the past year. It was a swap I Large photo of fighter on left side. Manager Joe weight classes...... $35 Dailey listed on cover. 9x4 inches. Clean, Fine always got the best of because Mark was a natural 10. Autograph Card Signed in Full and Dated by cond. Early and scarce envelope promotional. story teller. Mark made the weekend for me with those Richard K. Fox. 2x3 inches. Clean card and large Great period example...... $30 stories. clear ink signature. Matted nicely with engraved One time at Canastota he sat down with a xerox 2. Autograph Album page Inscribed and Signed by drawing of Fox. Overall with matting, 8x10. Lavish of some great boxing signatures and asked me what I Jack Kid Berg. c1930s. As follows: "To Amelia signature with swirl underneath. Dated New York thought of them. I said some looked good and some Cheers From Merry England Jack "Kid" Berg". December 8, 1886. Publisher of the Police Gazette, A friend has signed her greetings on back of page. and one of the most important figures in boxing doubtful. All, he said, came from a convicted forger 5x4 inches. Orange album page paper. Clean and in the last 20 years of the 19th century. Scarce. ... $550 he met who had sat down and done them all in 5 min- nice ink writing by Berg...... $40 utes just to show Mark how easy it was. I ran those 11. The Sportsman's Magazine; Or, Chronicle of

signatures and that story and it was a service to the 3. Program for VBA Ring 9. Bergen and Passaic Games and Pastimes. London. Issue No. 20. Counties, . October 31, 1971 Meeting. Volume III. January 1825. 4x6 inches. Nr. Fine hobby. But Mark was like that and had, in fact, been About 50pp. Many ads and photos. Program for cond. Clean cover and clean pages. 50pp. Illus. writing a book on boxing memorabilia. He loved the evening on center pages. Clean, VG plus cond. Several sports. Engraving of Dick Curtis next to hobby and reveled in the camaraderie it brought. Boxing collector Stu Levine pictured. SIGNED on title page. 9pp. on boxing throughout. Scarce...... $35 the cover by: Jersey Jones, George Larkin, Tippy I hate that Mark is gone. I hate it. But I will Larkin, Tony Galento, , Steve Hamas, 12. (Program) Muhammad Ali vs. Brian London. Earls always remember him and so will the boxing collector Court. London. August 1966. On site program. and Johnnie Addie. Nice ink sigs. Good group... $135 Mark and his Dad showing off the Patterson robe in '04. community. Damn. Heavyweight Championship of the World. 24pp. Say hello to Greb and Ketchel, Mark, and save 4. Boxing Writers Association Dinner Program. Hotel Articles by Peter Wilson and Gilbert Odd. Photos. me some stories. Rest in peace. Roosevelt. . January 24, 1957. Very small edge browning to a few pages. Pages 12pp. Photos, articles, listing of attendees, etc. and covers clean and VG plus cond...... $225 Patterson and Frank Graham were honored. Pages clean, but serious crease in center. Historically important as a portrait of boxing New York of the time. Just to read the names of the people there is a stroll down the corridors of time...... $20 5. Exhibit Card of Battling Levinsky. 1921. In trunks facing camera. Career summary and 1920 record on back. Clean, Nr. Fine cond...... $15 6. Back of envelope signed in full by . In pencil. Clear and nice, VG plus cond. Inscribed to a friend on the back of a 1941 envelope sent to an unrelated person. "King of the ". Recognized as one of the greatest ring experts in the history of the sport...... $65 7. Postcard of Jess Willard. Max Stein Co. . In fight trunks and gloves. c1920. Scarce. Clean, Fine cond...... $30 8. Autograph album page of . Dated at bottom 1938. Nice large ink example. Clear. 6x4 Mark, standing, perusing the inch page. Thin yellow paper. Went material in Craig's room in with Joe Louis in 1937...... $40 '08, sunlight streaming in. 9. (Postcard) Postcard of Lew Tendler restaurant. Not a bad way to remember With Tendler photo on postcard. INSCRIBED him, eh? and SIGNED in full by Tendler on the back and dated 1946. Clean, nice ink signature and writing.

12 5 They are genuinely nice guys when not in the ring and both are highly respected by the media and public. I *WANTED BY The REALLY Old Stuff - Prints don’t think the full understanding of their importance to the sport and collectability factor will be obvious until after SERIOUS they are retired. But if I had to guess I would bet the market will be strong for both of them as great fi ghters and well- COLLECTOR* So, what’s An engraving in general is a printing liked people. the very oldest method where the drawing (or whatever shall Collecting is just like life…. Vive la difference! thing you have in show in print) is worked into metal or wood. When two kids come back from Halloween and empty their VINTAGE ORIGINAL your collection? This can be by chiseling or etching or a com- bags out on the fl oor one will say “Oh Yeah, malted milk PHOTOGRAPHS bination of both. The latter was especially Or, how about, balls, my favorite, oh boy!” and the other will say “Hey I ORIGINAL/ WIRE/ that you know of commonly applied in the 18th century. The most will trade you all my malted milk balls for all your Skittles in anyone’s col- common metals were copper and - since the 19th then, cuz I like them better!” PRESS PHOTOS lection? Chances century - steel. The particularly hard cross-cut Here’s to you , Floyd Mayweather Jr., OF are it need not be wood was used for a rather short period of the Sugar Ray, Vitali and Vladimir, Riddick and all the other either relatively 19th century only. fi ghters we both love and love to hate… it is what makes it SUGAR RAY new or relatively Engraving is a so-called intaglio print- so darn interesting! expensive. How ing method where only the deeper (chiseled Trick or treat? It doesn’t really matter much if you ROBINSON about an early out or etched into) parts are inked and print. enjoy both. Happy Halloween. boxing print? Sometimes one can feel the lines as elevated FROM EARLY LIFE You see, when gently striking across the image with the AND CAREER UP TO fi ngertips. This actually is the ink pulled out of prints done by AND INCLUDING local artists were the lines in the plate when run through the press. an important col- For comparison: the letterpress printing as HIS TWO BOUTS lectible, especially developed by Johannes Gutenberg, but also the WITH RANDY from the 17th cen- woodcut (as opposed to the wood *engraving* tury through mid- mentioned above), are relief printing methods TURPIN IN 1951 19th century where where the elevated parts (letters, drawing) are (WITH PARTICULAR inked and print. When striking across the page people could buy INTEREST IN ALL likenesses of their the letters feel depressed into the paper. leaders and heroes And for completeness: lithography and LAMOTTA AND in a time before modern printing methods based on it are com- ZIVIC FIGHTS). photography. Not pletely different beasts as there are no elevations only that but a series of prints might be done that told a sto- and depressions, it is absolutely plain, the printing relies on PLEASE EMAIL ry and were released over time as a set. These prints were the chemical distraction of water and fat. I won’t go into OR WRITE WITH this. being collected when boxing was in its infancy as a more DESCRIPTIONS AND or less organized sport at least when there were recognized In the case of champions. You could read about a fi ght in a newspaper but metal we usually just PRICES (INCLUDE own a scene from that fi ght in a print, some even hand col- speak of “plates,” a SCANS/ XEROX ored. Because England was the center of the boxing world term that also is unfor- in those days, most of these come from there. tunately also used for COPIES) We have been contemplating an article on those early prints that are single EMAIL – sheets of a larger set boxing prints for some time but not until Aaron Conyers sugarfan1@ forwarded me an email he had gotten from Mr. Jan Hendrik or for the full-page Niemeyer did everything click into place. Most of what illustrations on text- talktalk.net you read below is from Mr. Niemeyer but I have fl eshed less pages of books. EDWARD JENNINGS, in some things I know as well. Aaron got this information Copper-printing-plate Vladmir and Vitali jigsaw after purchasing the James Figg business card like the one or steel-printing-plate puzzle 38 BIRCHLANDS, shown here, incidentally. would be more pre- BRIDGNORTH, cise. With wood we Call this a printing primer and, even if you don’t SHROPSHIRE, WV15 decide to collect them, you will at least have, we are hope- speak of stocks. ful, an appreciation of them. This is going to be a bit more “Engraving” 5ED, UNITED technical than we usually get but follow along and you may usually refers to cop- KINGDOM look at these with a bit more respect than they have previ- per engraving, mean- ously gotten. ing a copper plate was 1822 Cruickshank woodcut cover First, here’s Niemeyer’s explanation of engraving used. Steel or wood of the Fancy. and etching: engravings normally are

6 11 referred to distinctly Annotations to Hogarth, Lichtenberg speaks of several Nolan's World as “steel engraving” or thousand - if I remember correctly 4000 - prints of “wood engraving.” one specifi c plate being sold just within the fi rst two by Denis Nolan As a generic or three weeks [this would answer the unasked ques- term, “engraving,” as tion, “Just how popular were these as collectibles Trick (?!) or Treat ($$) has retired. used so far, comprises of the day?”. It was also common that plates were A guy like Sugar several techniques. In reworked, either still by the artist himself or by later Went on YouTube this week Ray Leonard swamps his its strict meaning it owners/printers as in the case of the Hogarth plates, to watch the Mayweather Jr. vs. popularity and collect- is limited to the work not least by the royal engraver James Heath about Ortiz contest to see what all the ability. You should have with the chisel directly 1822. The Figg business card was done on a copper controversy was about since I was seen the lines going out in the material only, plate by Hogarth but the plates were later printed by out surfi ng at the end of Long the doors and around the however. other printers. An original Figg printed by Hogarth Island (Montauk) the weekend the corner of the midtown-NY Later, steel plate would have been done on handmade laid paper . contest took place. Ortiz did not Barnes and Noble when he engravings would Contemporary impressions (during Hogarth›s follow the Golden Rule of Boxing did a book signing there become popular and lifetime) were still on handmade laid paper distinct and thus paid for it. a couple days before the many of the plates you by its line watermark. Around the turn to the 19th While I was surfi ng around Hall of Fame in June. The fi nd in the old books The Figg business card century, with the invention of the paper machine in the internet at the same time I man is loved by many are those. England, woven paper came up, still soft like laid paper, accidentally ran into of the boxing public and Etching practically always refers to copper but without the line watermark. vs. King Levinsky – footage that highly collectible still 15 plates as it was not used on steel, not to mention Further enhancements the person who posted it called a years after his last fi ght. wood. In the 16th century also iron was used, but in paper production led to the Wild Exhibition! It certainly was Sure he is no angel and soon given up because of issues with rust. strong, smooth paper used in - especially for poor Levinsky who his book points this out For etchings the plate is covered with a wax- the mid to late 19th century was absolutely pulverized by Baer clearly, but his highly like stuff into which the drawing is drawn with and until today. in the second round and actually charged battles with the an etching-needle, exposing the metal to the acid While we have no spe- dragged stiff-legged back to his best the sport had to offer applied afterwards. Usually plates were etched cifi c information about when corner by all his handlers. And it clearly sets him on another several times, resulting in deeper bold lines for the Hogarth worked on the James got me to thinking… hmm I wonder plain then Mayweather Jr. darker parts while in the light parts the lines remain Figg engraving but Figg›s died who collects Floyd Mayweather Jr. You and I both know doz- delicate. For the artist the advantage of the etching in 1734. This date also fi ts well stuff and even more so who collects ens of folks who clamor is easier working, combined with much greater to the second plate (sheet) of King Levinsky memorabilia? for his posters, tickets, freedom of the line. Where the engraving only The Rake›s Progress, a series Now I know there are all kinds of reasons why folks autograph, a signed glove of Sugar Ray… highly collect- knows straight lines the etching has all options of of prints done by Hogarth with collect the things we do. You like a particular fi ghter; or a ible in all forms, a Treat rather than the Trick Mayweather a drawing pencil. As said both methods were fre- Figg among the attendants particular ; or the ethnicity of a fi ghter (which Jr. seems to be. quently combined, however: basic lines being en- pictured dated June 1735, thus was a lot bigger reason many years ago when neighbor- Some folks just are that way. Not everyone is an Ali, graved while the more delicate parts were etched. when his recollection of Figg hood rivalries existed especially in large inner-cities); or Dempsey, Louis or Tyson. In the ring or in the collectibles Also in the fi nishing process the artist might do was still fresh. the town he was from (when I was a kid I followed all the ring… some fi ne-tuning and work with the chisel directly Hogarth also painted a San Jose, CA fi ghters of the time). So in King Levinsky’s Take Riddick Bowe, a good heavyweight champion in the etched plate. portrait of Figg which likely case you might have followed or collected him because who is not nearly collected as the above. I was in Reno A special case of etchings is the mezzotint. was not engraved. he was Jewish, or a heavyweight who had fought several for his pro debut after he had lost to in Here the work begins by etching the whole plate Mezzotint of Broughton What we are left with, world heavy champs, or because of his renowned punch, the Olympics (it was underneath Ray Mancini vs. Hector to produce a grained surface. Then the lighter parts are then, are a rather large number of or you follow Chicago fi ghters (do you know his real birth Camacho). I have the ticket and program from that fi ght. I leveled more or less to produce the image. The result are pre-1900 prints that were done in name was Harris Krakow?)… you get the idea. have a couple signed boxing gloves he was kind enough richly toned prints of velvety appearance, not dissimilar varying quantities and with no assurances except by experts But I don’t think I have ever met anyone who has to sign for me after I got to the East Coast. But I don’t to classic analogue black-and-white photographs. The of the exact age of each piece since these printing plates told me they are a “huge” Floyd Mayweather Jr. fan. know of anyone who really is clamoring for his post- mezzotint plate is very delicate, allowing only for about 50 could be reworked at subsequent dates. Most of these that I know we all appreciate the brilliant skills, speed and ers; programs, tickets etc. Perhaps it is because he never or 60 good prints as the contemporary expert Joachim von we see would be steel plates engraved. While some artists defense he brings to the ring. But I have never met any- fought the two main giants of his time – Lewis and Tyson. Sandrart stated in 1675. So mezzotints are much rarer than would run off a set number and then damage the plate so one who says he is their favorite as far as collecting his This didn’t help his place in history even though beating most other prints or at east potentially so since there would no more could be made, many did not. I have seen the Figg autograph, or photos, posters, or tickets of his fi ghts; Evander did. be less than the thousand or more possible otherwise (see business card on line for about $300. It was produced by fi ght-worn gear etc. And it makes me wonder - why? He My long time buddy Keith Stechman is one of the below) a known printer in 1805, using Hogarth›s plates. Unlike has been rated one of the two best fi ghters in the world for biggest Klitschko fans I’ve ever met. He literally has hun- Some further techniques are aquatint and stipple. second generation photos or later photos from the same years now; his talent is unquestionable. I believe it has to dreds of pieces related to both Vitali and Vladimir. Posters, Aquatints are similar in technique to mezzotints but use a negative, these later printings hold up in price if still old do with his abrasive and overbearing personality. The way tickets, signed gloves, signed photos and unusual one-of's more resilient resin coating. Aquatints make the resultant and can be traced to a known printer of the day.] he treats his foes, the media and the general public is never like an early Ukrainian photo puzzle from the 90’s. Now I image appear wispy like a watercolor. going to help his cause. Watch the HBO 24/7 series if you know he likes them for several of the reasons I have stated Far less delicate the numbers stated by literature This article was made possible by Aaron Conyers don’t understand what I am saying here. And I truly believe above and he also thinks they are the two best heavy- for engravings/etchings highly vary, however. Frequent whose knowledge of the very, very old far surpasses your this affects his collectability and will continue to after he weights out there. numbers are in the range of several hundred, but in his editor's.

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