Auction Item Details
Lot 383
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Lot Number: 383
Description: Important Joe DiMaggio 1951 World Series ring. The 1951 season marked the final campaign in DiMaggio's illustrious 13 year career fittingly with another World Championship marking the ninth of his career. Accordingly, DiMaggio was to receive the final World Series ring of his career. Some years later during the 1960s Joe DiMaggio's World Series rings were reported as having been stolen from his room at the Lexington Hotel in New York. To date, none of the rings which were stolen have ever been recovered. Fortunately for DiMaggio he was wearing his 1936 ring which was the first of his career and has been retained by the family to this day. Subsequent to DiMaggio+s playing career George Steinbrenner and the Yankees honored Joe during a ceremony at the stadium during which he was presented with a complete set of replica World Series rings to replace the missing original copies. This set along with rings from the 1990s championship teams were offered within our 2006 Joe DiMaggio Collection live auction conducted on behalf of the DiMaggio family. Prior to the emergence of the Balfour company in the 1950s the majority of World Championship rings were produced by the highly regarded jeweler Dieges & Clust. The firm was founded in 1898 and produced many of the most recognizable award pieces in the history of sport inclusive of Olympic medals, Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player awards, Heisman trophy award, and World Series rings. As customary for the Dieges & Clust firm a company representative would on occasion be sent to the winning team to deliver the World Series rings as well as to confirm sizing of same. The senior salesman of Dieges & Clust had been working with Joe DiMaggio and another Yankees player during such a visit when, according to family history, DiMaggio had indicated he would prefer to have another award from the firm such as either a hunting rifle or custom made fishing rod with solid gold engraved handle in the stead of the ring given that the design was identical to several which he had received over the past few seasons. The ring was given to the senior executive of Dieges & Clust who retained it and wore it proudly for the remainder of his career until his passing and subsequent bequeath to his family. As such, offered is the Joe DiMaggio 1951 New York Yankees World Series ring retained by the family of the Dieges & Clust family member from the time of its acquisition until its current offering. 14K gold ring presents beautifully with "New York Yankees World Champions" on top panel encircling a diamond shaped baseball field housing its original period mine cut diamond measuring approximately 1/2 carat size. Each size panel features "1951" dating at top above Yankees logo with laurel decor surrounding. "Joe DiMaggio" name incised in appropriate period script inside the interior ring band along with Dieges & Clust hallmark. The ring exhibits light to moderate age wear while clearly having been carefully preserved. This particular ring is consistent in every fashion with other documented 1951 Yankees World Series rings inclusive of Dieges & Clust hallmark, player name inscription engraving, and diamond type. Additionally, the 14K gold manufacture is proper with relation to actual World Series rings of the period as opposed to the lesser quality salesman sample rings of 10K consistency. While there is no succinct manner in which we can confirm that this is the only such 1951 World Series ring given to Joe DiMaggio we can confirm that it is consistent is every fashion with an authentic Joe DiMaggio 1951 World Series ring. It is also certainly plausible that this in fact was the only 1951 World Series ring manufactured for DiMaggio in 1951 and was never part of the group of rings stolen from the Lexington Hotel in accordance with the family history of the Dieges & Clust executive. Truly exceptional championship award piece with a notably intriguing history quite possibly ranking as one of the more significant player World Series rings to have entered the marketplace. NOTE: At the request of the family of the Dieges & Clust employee in honor of his memory a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the ring will be donated to the Joe DiMaggio Hospital in Florida. We were honored to work with the hospital during our 2006 Joe DiMaggio Collection live auction and applaud the gesture of the consignor and their family to support such a worthy entity. Includes LOA from Hunt Auctions (ring materials/age) and letter of provenance from the family of the Dieges & Clust employee: EX-MTEstimated Price Range: ($50,000-$100,000)
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