Honus Wagner 1909 Photo(Premium)
 

I have acquired this photo(premium), and I am not quite sure what is exactly? I have already received some very valuable input from some other forum members which I sincerely appreciate and am still trying to gain more information on it if possible.

Is this a photo? Premium? Reprint?

I have come across this same image on the front cover of the June 12, 1909 issue of Colliers. The image is beautiful. I know that the photographer is Frank Bingaman who was an accomplished photographer who has taken photos of Mr. Wagner for the Gazette times in Pittsburgh, but I have yet to find this photo except on the cover of Colliers.

I know this fact because the bottom left of this piece states " Bingaman..Pgh. Gazette Times....1909.

Any input and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks..Lucky.

I can't really speak about the type of photo you have there - whether it's an original, premium or whatever - but man, it's one hell of an image!!

It's not every day you run into quality unposed action shots from the deadball era. If it's a legit Type 1 original, I think you'd have something pretty special and unique.

Graig

Hello Graig,

Thank you for your input...

Here is the Colliers June 12 , 1909 magazine issue with the front cover being the image of the photo(premium).

Thanks again,
Lucky.

It's interesting to note the change of the background for the Colliers cover. I'm pretty sure that ballpark facade is from the Polo Grounds pre-1909. However, your photo shows Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. The final game played there by the Pirates was in June of 1909 (Forbes was opened by the end of the month).

For the record, according to Okkonen and his uniform research, the Pirates had the interlocking PBC on their sleeves in 1908 and 1909, so I would imagine it's from one of those two years.

So yeah, don't know if it helps much, but the image can most likely be dated to before July of 1909.

For the record, Getty actually has the image as it appears on the Colliers cover:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psf0b024d9.png

Interestingly enough, they date it to 1905 and list the catcher as Bresnahan. If that is indeed true, then it would be from '08, as Roger was a Cardinal by 1909. During the '08 season, the Giants played at Exposition during three different swings, one in mid-May, one in mid-July and finally one in late August.

If you'd like, I can check the archives of the NYTimes to see if I can get any info on when the play happened (according to the Getty description, Honus was called out). Luckily there wouldn't be a crap-ton of games to look through. That is, if it's really from 1908.

Graig

Hello Graig,

Yes, I indeed did notice that the background of the photo was not the same.

The only reason that I state 1909 is because the photo I have has an inscription on the bottom left corner. I have been trying to post the photo but I cant seem to upload it.

It reads " Bingaman
Pgh. Gazette Times
1909

A photo on double weight paper (like your is) should have some pretty intense mirroring or "silvering" of the dark parts of the image if it is really from 1909. If you tilt it to the light, does the black portions of the image turn silvery (like a mirror) or not?

It does look like it.....not entirely sure if this constitutes as a lot of mirroring?

I tried to post a few up close photos but I cant seem to download them onto this post right now.

I can send you an e-mail with some of the photos if you would like to see them?

Thank you for your time and patience.

BTW...I have purchased from your auction house....Very impressive!

For what it's worth, I did look through the Times archives, and of the games against the Giants in 1908, one of them proved to sound interesting. On August 25, Wagner tried to score from first on a single in the fifth inning and was thrown out. The article also made mention of the sparse crowd, which it looks like the photo shows.

But again, this info could be of no use if the photo was indeed taken in '09. If you can post better shots of the photo, maybe we can discern the uniform or face of the catcher a bit better?

If you're having trouble uploading them, feel free to email me and I'll do my best to help.

Graig
gkreindler@gmail.com