April 4, 2024: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/4/2024
Here’s real bonanza for serious boxing collectors, a huge array of 50 different issues of Ring Magazine, the bible of the Sweet Science for a century, chronicling the story of the legendary figures of the sport, a goodly number who turn up on these covers. Indeed, from the first issue to around the early 1960s, the editors offered up incredible covers featuring vivid full-color artwork, then switched to more conventional photography after 1962. The magazines are typically around 8 ½-by-11 inches, with usually around 66-72 pages, a number that jumped up a bit in the 1970s to 100 pages or so for several examples. The offered group presents broadly in Good to Very Good condition, with some above and below the range, and most with some of the typical extraneous writing in ballpoint pen on the covers, most of which barely detract from the presentation. In addition to the magazines, there are six boxing Wirephotos, seemingly First Generation, some affixed to a cardboard backing. The breakdown, with some key cover subjects noted (50): Starting with a Poor condition example from February 1927; there are nine issues from the 1930s (Galento and two Ross covers); 10 from the 1940s, including covers of Graziano (2), Basilio and 1952 Dempsey for 30th Anniversary; LaMotta, Pep, Cerdan and Zale; seven (7) from the 1950s, with covers of Ray Robinson, Charles; four (4) from the 1960s, with covers of Ali, Dempsey, Liston and Tiger; and eight (8) from the 1970s, with covers of Ali, Foreman, and a 1972 issue marking the 50th Anniversary. The six extra black-and-white Wire Photos are in varying conditions, roughly 8-by-10 or so; a 1927 page from the New York Times features Dempsey/Sharkey and is in Poor condition.
1927-78 Massive Hoard of Vintage Ring Magazines Plus Extras (57)
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