This 1-inch version of the 1920 Cox/Roosevelt jugate button flew to twice its high estimate at $100,300. A rarity, the button is believed to have been a salesman’s sample, one of only six of its type known to exist. It was the crown jewel of the John Hilhouse collection.
Review by W.A. Demers, Photos Courtesy Hake’s
YORK, PENN. — Hake’s March 21-22 auction presented fresh collections, prototypes and rarities as the firm launched into the 2023 auction season with an offering of more than 1,900 choice lots from more than 200 collector categories. Drawing on the success of its record-breaker from a few auctions ago, Hake’s saw its 1-inch version of the 1920 Cox/Roosevelt jugate button in the opening session on March 21 fly to twice its high estimate at $100,300. A rarity, the button is believed to have been a salesman’s sample, one of only six of its type known to exist. It was the crown jewel of the John Hilhouse collection. While the result was not as much as the record $185,850 achieved for the previous button on March 15, 2022, Hake’s president Alex Winter said, “That one we expected to do around that amount, and it came in near the high end of our estimate. The one from the auction that just closed really surprised us and sold for double the high end of the estimate.”
Fetching $24,662 was a Grant and Wilson 1872 jugate American flag in its rare largest size, making it an investment-grade campaign flag that would easily rank among the cornerstone artifacts of any collection. The 1872 Republican National Convention was conducted in Philadelphia, June 5–6, 1872. President Ulysses S. Grant was unanimously nominated for reelection by the convention’s 752 delegates. He ran with VP candidate Henry Wilson, senator from Massachusetts. The election set the record for the longest Republican popular vote win streak in American history, four elections, a record that would be matched by the same party in 1908. Grant is one of only four Republican Presidents to have served two full terms in office, the others being Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush.
In the baseball memorabilia category, knocking it out of the park was an image of one of the all-time greats of the sport. A circa 1920 Type I original photograph of Babe Ruth from his first New York Yankees season is credited to Paul Thompson, one of the premier baseball photographers of the early Twentieth Century. PSA/DNA authenticated and encapsulated, the 6½-by-8½-inch photo was expected to reach $20/35,000 but finished at $78,529.
An American GI who spent time in Germany during Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1969 shows there brought back this rock music poster designed by Gunther Kieser, showing Hendrix with an array of psychedelic tubes plugged into his head. It left the gallery at $18,561.
A 1917 Honus Wagner Doherty Silk Sox (Paterson, N.J.) advertising card produced for Honus Wagner Day, August 26, 1917, depicted the local hero in the final year of his playing career. With just two of these 4-by-7-inch pictorial cards known to exist, this rarity stepped up to the plate and swung to $14,422.
More baseball collection worship was evinced by a 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson real photo stadium button that tagged $12,707. The 2-1/8-inch button, no maker identified, honored one of the greatest and most important baseball players of all-time, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
A collection of Hasbro Transformer toys included a 1984 Series 1 Optimus Prime in its original window box, AFA 85NM+ with a Trademark logo, it was estimated $10/20,000 but did much better, rising to $34,462.
For Star Wars collectors, an action figures 1978 bell hanger advertising store display sign proved desirable, earning $19,470. AFA graded and encapsulated, the case contained a double-sided, 18-by-20½-inch bell-shaped cardboard hanging sign featuring Kenner’s first 12 Star Wars action figures, including the vinyl cape Jawa and double-telescoping varieties of Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. The top of sign featured the Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia portion from the Star Wars movie poster.
Beloved Star Wars sidekick R2-D2 was offered as a 2¼-inch-tall Kenner action figure with hand-cut, silk-screened decal as well as a leg variety that was not produced for the final productions toyline. A very early prototype example, it took $22,066.
In the Star Wars collectibles category, this rare action figures 1978 bell hanger advertising store display sign proved desirable, earning $19,470. The 18-by-20½-inch, bell-shaped cardboard hanging sign featured Kenner’s first 12 Star Wars action figures, including the vinyl cape Jawa and double telescoping varieties of Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader.
GI Joe action came in a box with full color label containing Hasbro’s Aircraft Carrier/playset, with Towing Vehicle, Fuel Trailer, Admiral’s Launch & Electronic Sound System, as well as a 3¾-inch-tall Admiral Keel-Haul action figure. Catalog notes list this boxed set as the largest and most impressive piece produced for this classic 1980s toyline. Widely considered the “holy grail” of GI Joe collecting, a factory-sealed example can be very hard to find, resulting in its final price of $11,104.
Another top performing playset was a Masters of the Universe Eternia series example from 1986. Finishing at $13,369, the Mattel playset, marketed as “The Biggest Masters Of The Universe Set Ever!,” featured three themed towers (Central Tower, Grayskull Tower and Viper Tower) with three different battery-operated vehicles (Battle Tram, Sky Cage and Jet Pack Fighter) that run around the entire playset on a monorail system.
No Hake’s auction would be complete without a run of Silver Age comic books. Marvel’s The X-Men #1 comic from September 1963 was CGC-graded 7.0 Fine/VF. It contained the origin and first appearance of the X-Men (Professor X, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast and Marvel Girl) and Magneto, the storyline by Stan Lee with cover and page art by Jack Kirby. It brought $27,418.
Batman and the Legion of Heroes were represented by a Brave and the Bold #179 comic book cover with original art by Ross Andru at $14,162, while a 4¼-by-5-3/8-inch textured cardstock Christmas card, featuring a full body image of Superman dropping Christmas wreaths, high above the Earth, delivered $12,244. Text on the card reads “Merry Christmas From Superman And The McClure Newspaper Syndicate.” This card dated to December 1939, making it the earliest known Superman Christmas card, with a pencil notation at top of card indicating that it was received on January 5, 1940.
One of the earliest appearances by Superman was illustrated on this 4¼-by-5-3/8-inch textured cardstock Christmas card dated December 1939. The caped crusader was shown dropping Christmas wreaths, high above the Earth. Text on the card, which sold for $12,244, reads “Merry Christmas From Superman And The McClure Newspaper Syndicate.”
Twenty-two complete story pages relating to Amazing Spiderman #238 featuring color guides by colorist Andy Yanchus proved desirable, going out at $8,048. A key piece of Andy Yanchus’ career, the late Bronze Age storyline “Shadows Of Evil Past” was by Roger Stern with art by John Romita Sr and Jr.
An American GI who spent time in Germany during Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1969 shows there brought back a rock music poster that perfectly recalls the 1960s vividly. The Gunther Kieser-designed poster for the 1969 shows in Germany shows Hendrix with an array of psychedelic tubes plugged into his head. It bears the credit line “Design: Kieser Portratfoto: Silverstein Farbfoto: Novo Studio,” which, importantly, distinguishes it from merchandising posters printed for use during the band’s 1969 US tour. It left the gallery at $18,561.
Finally, combining classic horror and theatrical culture, Kit No. 451-150, Phantom of the Opera model from 1969 with a Universal Pictures copyright was contained in a box stating, “Frightening Lightning Strikes, The Monster That Glows In The Dark.” Factory-sealed with unused contents and from the Greg Roccaro collection, it scared up $7,788.
Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. Hake’s next premier auction #238 will be July 25-26. For information, www.hakes.com or 866-404-9800.
