This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/6/2016
It has been almost 70 years since Babe Ruth has walked this Earth. As is true with any iconic figure, the more time that passes, the more mythical of a figure Ruth becomes. But while time has proven to be an ally to Ruth’s legacy, it has had the reverse effect on one avenue of his life: his autograph. The value of The Bambino’s coveted scripting continues to rise, in part because the number of well-preserved Ruth autographs within the market are few and far between. With Ruth rising to prominence in an era when an autograph was seen merely as a souvenir and not an investment, most of the items he signed were either discarded or kept in not-so-optimal conditions, with the majority of Ruth’s signatures simply fading away over the decades. A willing signer, Ruth granted many an eager enthusiast's request for an autograph. Few of those treasured scripts have survived the test of time and present with a radiance as fine as that of the offered heirloom. Presented is a vintage baseball graced with Ruth's resplendent, black fountain-tip signature. This Spalding Official National League (Heydler) baseball is an evenly toned sphere that hails from the late 1920s/early 1930s manufacturing period. The ball's solid red and blue laces have retained their vibrant hues and the stampings have faded somewhat, but remain quite legible. While the qualities of the ball itself are decidedly alluring, Ruth's flowing and curvaceous signature (graded "7" by PSA/DNA) is undoubtedly the headlining feature here. The rich black fountain pen ink that flowed from Ruth’s pen is nearly as vibrant as the day it was originally penned, and stands as one of the premier examples to surface within the hobby. Throughout the industry, a Ruth-signed ball is a treasure in any case. But the glamorous and immaculate nature of this one is as breathtaking as Ruth's swing itself. Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity and Grading from PSA/DNA, with grades of “7” for the autograph, “5” for the baseball itself (please note that there is some darker staining over and around Ruth's beautifully executed last name that appears to point toward water damage - however, the autograph stands out boldly - see image), and a final overall grade of “6”. A true investment-grade Ruth relic!