1897- C. 1910 FOUR EARLIEST KNOWN WRESTLING BUTTONS AND STICKPIN.
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Winning Bid:
$720.39
(Includes 18% Buyer's Premium)
Bidding Ended:
Tuesday, November 15, 2022 9:00:00 PM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Tuesday, November 15, 2022 9:00:00 PM)
Item Description
First is 7/8" button with W&H back paper and second is 15/16" paper insert on tin frame missing a short stickpin from the back. Both captioned "Muldoon/Wrestler" and the earliest two wearable wrestling related collectibles known to us. Shown is William Muldoon, son of Irish immigrants, and by 1880 holder of the World Greco-Roman Heavyweight Championship. In 1889, Muldoon trained John L. Sullivan for his famous 75 round fight against Jake Kilrain for the world heavyweight bare-knuckle championship. Sullivan's victory brought great attention to Muldoon
who retired in 1890 to concentrate on his health farm business and training of boxers and wrestlers. Third is 1.25" c. 1899-1907 button naming St. Louis Button Co. on its covered metal back. We cannot identify, but he sure looks like a wrestler with text "Our Next Champion/Grenewald's Cafe". Exc. Last is 7/8" w/Bastian paper. Shows "Zbyszko" a Polish strongman and wrestler billed as Europe's Greco-Roman champion. Button is c. 1909-1910 years when he wrestled Frank Gotch, Dr. Ben Roller and "the terrible Turk" Youssuf Mahmout. Light oxidation on reverse collet but cello is NM. The Muldoon button turns up as it is part of a W&H set but this is a rare NM example and the other three are only known examples to us. Paul Muchinsky Collection.
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