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1949 Ty Cobb Nine-Page ALS to Coca-Cola Executive in Framed Display
Sold For:
$2,938
Year: 1949
Auction: 2007 Spring
Lot #: 10
Auction: Featured
This stunning framed display piece is comprised of a nine-page handwritten letter by Ty Cobb (together with its original mailing envelope) and a 14 x 17-inch black-and-white photo of the famed "Georgia Peach" demonstrating his bunting technique. What makes this letter significant, aside from its great length and condition, is that it was written to an executive at Coca-Cola. Cobb had a long and significant association with the famed Georgia-based beverage company. Coca-Cola was Cobb's greatest financial investment. He was an early stockholder and eventually made millions from his early investments in the company. He also owned a number of Coca-Cola bottling companies. Years later, his extremely substantial holdings even earned him a seat on the company's board of directors. The letter, written upon his personal "Menlo Park, California," letterhead, is dated "11/30/49" and is addressed "Dear Bill." Although the recipient is not fully named in the letter, the address on the envelope reads "Mr. William Walker - c/o The Coca Cola Co., Twin Falls, Idaho." Cobb owned the Coca-Cola distributorship in Twin Falls at this time. The letter, written in black ink on six separate sheets (three are written upon both sides), is elaborately framed in a "layered" manner, which only allows the first page to be viewed in its entirety. The final page has been ideally positioned so that Cobb's signature is prominently seen. This is an extremely professional and artistic framed presentation, executed with great care and obviously at great cost. Due to the manner in which it is mounted we can only provide information regarding the content on page one. We have been told by the consignor that the extensive content covers many topics, including issues relating to the business of Coca-Cola, but has no baseball content. The letter begins with Cobb discussing the insurance settlement of a car accident he had in which Mr. Walker was also involved: "The insurance man was here last night about the accident we had when you were with us and I could not help him except just how it happened and that
I
was
driving
and as I told you in Twin Falls it could not be right to say you were when it was not the truth and that would not be right for our fleet policy cover me even if they might stand for it, would only be right if my car were definitely included in fleet coverage. I did not have the account of name, number, etc of accident you never gave it to me, so he will write you at once, you give him details, name etc, also how it happened to refresh your memory it was on Bay Shore highway going north towards San Francisco and..." All of the text appears to be boldly scripted and Cobb's signature grades a strong "9." The pages (7.25 x 10.5 inches) each display two horizontal mailing folds and are in Excellent condition overall. The letter appears to be very professionally mounted with museum-quality materials, but we cannot state unequivocally that it can be easily removed from the mount, for we have not examined it out of its frame. The original envelope (7.5 x 4) is addressed in Cobb's hand and is in Very Good condition. The photograph, which is a non-vintage print, is in Mint condition. Total Dimensions: 32 x 33 inches. LOA from James Spence/JSA.
Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000/$2,000.
SOLD FOR $2,937.50