CIRCA
1891
FOOTBALL MATCH
SAFE
OFFERED BY: Lelands.com Sports and Americana
Auctions, Seaford, N.Y.
AUCTION DATE: December 6th 2002
LOT NUMBER: #2107
SOLD FOR: $2,657.35 + 15% Buyers Premium
MAKER: Tiffany and Co.
By
Carlton
Hendricks
Over the years I've only come
across a few good football match safes, as they are quite rare. Often the
ones I see are English. This example however is all American. To find a
match safe designed in the Art Nouveau style, by the prestigious Tiffany and
Company, with a football motif, would be a great find. But to find one
announcing Yale's football records as part of the design, with the year, is
unheard of. I've never seen another, so it may be the only example.
This was offered back in Leland's December 2002 auction. The
lot description stated that the initials could be either, HWW or FWW. After
studying the design carefully, I arrived at the same conclusion, it's hard
to say which. William Walter Heffelfinger, also known as "Pudge"
was Yale's Star player in 1891. Whoever it belonged to, it's a treat to see
such an
exceptional, thoroughly American football antique. What a great piece. If
you search them out, you'll find football match safes, but it's doubtful
you'll ever see one as nice as this. Aside from the tarnishing, this is as
good as it gets!
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