This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/2/2012
In spite of his contentious demeanor Ty Cobb proved to be an accommodating autograph signer throughout his life. Interestingly, as abundant as examples of his signature are on objects such as baseballs, photos, checks, letters and other paper items, it is exceptionally rare to find his autograph on a bat. This stands to reason to some degree due to logistical limitations of transporting such an object, but the extreme rarity of Cobb signed bats seems to exceed the rationale of logistics alone.
Presented here is one of the finest Ty Cobb autographed objects we have handled. The medium is a 35.25 inch, 37.6 ounce H&B model 40TC Ty Cobb decal bat. Dating to the 1925-28 period, the bat has many characteristics in common with the clubs wielded by Cobb in the field of play, however these 40 series decal bats were produced for retail sale. Cobb’s inscription, “To Ken, Sincerely, Ty Cobb” appears positioned on the barrel precisely between the center brand and decal. The black ink inscription rates 8/10. The bat itself shows considerable evidence of use resulting in damage to the “Georgia Peach” label, but not significantly affecting the overall presentation quality or the integrity of Cobb’s writing. Relative to other Cobb signed objects of parallel quality and condition; this is an infinitely more rare commodity.
Includes a full LOA from PSA/DNA.