Any Ruth photo by NY-based picture service Cosmo-Sileo (a favorite source among advanced collectors) rightfully generates attention—but this one especially so. The candid dugout shot is a beautiful, clean, sleek example with striking black-white contrast. It's also quite Conlon-esque in the framing of the dugout facade. Cosmo-Sileo's stamp appears on the 8 x 10 inch photo's reverse.

     Provenance: This lot originates from the "Babe Ruth Farewell Album" that was prepared by the Yankees franchise upon Ruth's death and gifted to his widow Claire, then eventually acquired by Barry Halper and presented in Sotheby's 1999 Halper Auction. The 80-page scrapbook featured photos, news clippings and various well-wishing letters from fellow ballplayers. Each photo reverse exhibits related mounting remnants/wear that in some cases shows through to the front side. This photograph has been classified as Type I by PSA/DNA.

Please note: Due to their routine newsroom usage for publication purposes, all news-service photos generally bear varying degrees of handling wear (creasing, crazing, chipping, etc.) and editorial marks (outlining, cropping, highlighting, background masking, etc.). Goldin Auctions will be donating 5% of the winning bid price of this lot and all lots in this auction to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum.

Auction Notepad