On Friday, April 23, 2021, Pook & Pook, Inc. Auctioneers and Appraisers will be selling almost 300 games from the Bud and Judy Newman Collection. On offer will be more than 40 sports related games, including some of the rarest of the rare baseball games.
Highlighting the grouping will be two versions of the elusive 1893 Zimmer’s Own Base Ball Game. One has the full color field with images of 18 early Major League players, to include Buck Ewing (catcher), Amos Rusie (pitcher), Dan Brouthers (first base), John Montgomery Ward (second base), John Glasscock (shortstop), George Davis (third base), Sam Thompson (right field), Jimmy Mcaleer (center field), and Billy Hampton (left field), dugout portraits include Smith, DeleHaney, Tebeau, Davies, McPhee, Virtue, W. Zimmer, Nichols, and Young. It is thought that only ten examples of this game have survived. The other version, we assume earlier, is duo-chrome and pictures Mr. Zimmer in the infield. Pook & Pook, along with expert consultants, have not seen any other examples of this game.
Other highlights in the sale are an exceptional example of Baker’s Baseball Game for Men and Boys, circa 1920, made by Rockyaway Manufacturing Co. It is a tabletop game with functioning spring-operated pitcher and batter, and three painted cast metal ball players, a truly exceptional example.
Small but elusive is an exceptional example of The Champion Game of Baseball, by A.S. Schutz, circa 1889. The box lid featuring images of Dan Brouthers and John Clarkson. All original, it includes four wood “players,” ball field card with two spinners and two unused score cards.
A great action game is Waghter’s Parlor Base Ball, circa 1880s, a scarce early tabletop pinball type game, it is in exceptional condition. Rounding out the offering are numerous colorful games by McLoughlin Bros. A star in that grouping is The World’s Game of Baseball, circa 1889, a scarce early game commemorating the first world exhibition tour of baseball lead by Albert Spalding.
Games that feature known players are generally more sought than others, but how many depict “known” umpires? The answer is probably one and that single example is in this sale: Umpire Gaffney’s Parlor Game of Baseball, circa 1885. John H. Gaffney (1855-1913), nicknamed the “King of Umpires” and “Honest John,” was an American umpire and manager in Major League Baseball.
A total of 425 lots of board games, folk art, and fine art will cross the auction block on Friday, April 23, 2021 at 9 AM at Pook & Pook’s gallery in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. The exhibition for this sale will start the Saturday prior by appointment. Call (610) 269-4040 to schedule a time to preview. For questions regarding condition or requests for additional photographs, email conditions@pookandpook.com. Online bidding will be available on Bidsquare.com, Invaluable.com, and LiveAuctioneers.com. For more information about this and other upcoming events at Pook & Pook, visit www.pookandpook.com. The second installment of the Newman toy and game collection will be featured in Pook & Pook’s December 3, 2021 Antique Toy Auction.
