This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/4/2017
With the current standard of football headgear we have today, it's easy to forget how silly vintage football "protective" gear used to be. Featured here is the earliest form of "cutting edge" gridiron armor dating back to the early 1890s. This nose guard is simply a rock-hard shield that covers the nose and is held in place by a cloth strap that goes around the back of the head. There are 13 small holes over the nose for breathing. On the reverse is a molded "bite plate" that fits between the teeth, with evidence of some bite marks. Embossed lettering at top reads "MORRILL'S PATENT NOSE MASK" on the front with "PATD SEPT.29 1891" on the inside. The guard measures 6 1/2" by 3" at its widest point near the mouth. The cloth strap is perfectly intact and the guard itself is amazingly well-preserved with no cracking. Overall, it presents in EX condition.