Winter 2014 Auction Closing Feb 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2014
The 1926 Notre Dame football team lost a late season game to Carnegie Tech and there went the opportunity to win another National Championship. This approximately 9 x 12 photo portrays a large father figure like image of Knute Rockne overseeing his "children" and members of his squad. The photo includes 15 black fountain pen signatures ("3-8", mostly "5-6) but also with a bold, perfect ("10") signature and inscription of "To Vince Currise Sincerely Knute Rockne." Each of the players has added an inscription such as "Best Wishes", "Sincerely" or "Good Luck." The players’ signatures include: Red Smith, Ray Morelli, "Red" Edwards, John Polisky, John Wallace, Art Boehringer, Harry O'Boyle, John McManmon, Joe Maxwell, John Roach and a few others. This photo, which has a "H.C. ELMORE NEW S TIMES SOUTH BEND, IND." stamp on the verso, has a haphazard cut along the bottom and right side, but the scalloped lower left corner could be matted out with an ND memento. There are also several light tears along the edges, and one intersects the signature of Morelli, who personal collection of items this photo originated. While Rockne signatures are not plentiful, and certainly not nearly enough to satisfy the demand of collectors, his signature on a photo is extremely difficult to locate and highly sought after. This is a bold, black ink beauty of a Knute Rockne signature on a team-type photo with 14 of his players also adding their marks. Full LOA's from James Spence Authentication and PSA/DNA.