This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/16/2022
Featured here from the Luz Long Collection is a beautiful set of twelve (12) "Originalfotos" from a rare 1936 Berlin Olympics themed card set produced by German photograph publisher Presse-Bild-Zentrale Braemer & Güll of Berlin. Little is known or documented about these cards. PSA has yet to officially identify them in their registry or accept them for grading. From our research there appear to be 17 different series of sets each containing 12 black and white, 2-3/4" by 3-1/2" photo-cards for a grand total of 204 unique cards. Each set varies by Olympic event, day or moment from the 1936 Berlin Games and the date of publication is most likely shortly after the conclusion of the Games during the pre-war Third Reich era.
This offered "Serie 5" set contains twelve cards individually numbered 49 through 60 (blank backs) of athletes who competed on August 4, 1936. Most notable are #51 Jesse Owens (long jump), #52 Luz Long (long jump) and #53 Owens & Long together in their famous lawn pose from their special day of competition when they finished 1-2 in the broad jump. The set comes with its original "Die Olympischen Spiele in Berlin 1936" index/checklist explaining the subject of each card #'s 49 to 60. All cards remain super sharp with crystal clear image quality for a high-grade rating of NM-MT/Mint or better in our book. The original cream-colored folder pack in which these were released is included, showing moderate wear with a crease on the back side. Copyright print from the manufacturer on the pack reads "Originalaufnahmen der Firma Presse-Bild-Zentrale Braemer & Güll Berlin SW68 Friedrichstraße 214". For all we know about this set, the cards (especially the two featuring Owens) could become extremely valuable once PSA, SGC or another grading company can verify them through an official archived publication (from Germany, USA, or wherever).
According to an Olympic connoisseur who we consulted, these cards were only available as souvenirs in Germany within a couple years of the 1936 Olympics. They were not reproduced decades later for resale and distribution. The few that have survived rarely come up for auction. Includes a letter of provenance from the Long family.