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THB1901 Christy Mathewson Large-Format Original Cabinet Photo with Bucknell University Basketball Team (Only Known Example!)
Timed Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Bid Increments
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| $50 | $5 |
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| $200,000 | $25,000 |
| $500,000 | $50,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $100,000 |
| $2,500,000 | $150,000 |
About Auction
TimedNov 5, 2025 - Nov 22, 2025
In order to participate in the Extended Bidding period, all initial bids must be placed by 7 p.m. PST/10 p.m. EST on Saturday, November 22. SCP Auctions, Inc. customerservice@scpauctions.com
View Full Catalog (579)
- Lot Description
Presented is a large cabinet photograph of the 1901 Bucknell University varsity basketball team, featuring 19-year-old center Christy Mathewson, one of the most celebrated figures in baseball history. Seated first from the left in the bottom row, the 6'1", 195-pound Mathewson enrolled at Bucknell in September 1898 to study forestry and quickly became a standout multi-sport athlete, excelling in baseball, basketball, and football.
Remarkably, by the time this photograph was taken, Mathewson had already pitched in six Major League games while still a student, having made his debut for John McGraw’s New York Giants in 1900. Widely regarded as Bucknell University’s most famous athlete, Mathewson left the school in June 1901 to fully pursue his professional baseball career. He went on to spend 17 seasons with the Giants before retiring in 1916 at age 35. Two decades later, he was posthumously inducted into the inaugural class of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, alongside legends Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, and Walter Johnson.
This extraordinary cabinet photo measures approximately 11" x 13.75" and has been professionally matted and framed to a finished size of 21.5" x 24.25". The image presents with exceptional clarity and detail, remaining adhered to its original studio mount, which appears nearly flawless—a remarkable state of preservation for a 125-year-old photograph. While the condition of the mount’s edges and reverse cannot be evaluated due to the framing, the visible portions remain clean, intact, and free from significant wear or creasing.
A truly significant and visually stunning artifact, this photograph captures Christy Mathewson at the dawn of his athletic greatness—an early and rare glimpse of one of baseball’s first true superstars.
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