A Short History of Pop Culture Collecting

Unlike many traditional collecting fields, whose origins often extend back centuries, pop culture collecting is predominantly a 20th-century phenomenon, emerging alongside mass consumer society, modern advertising, and the rapid expansion of entertainment industries. Many of the objects featured in this section were originally produced as ephemeral commodities rather than as items intended for preservation. Toys, video games, comic books, trading cards, sports memorabilia, and movie posters were often designed for immediate use and, in some cases, eventual disposal. Unlike many other collecting fields, where collector-generated labels and documentation often form an integral part of the object's history, popular-culture collectibles typically already carry identifying information supplied by manufacturers, publishers, or licensors. As a result, well-documented pedigreed collections are comparatively uncommon. The Tricottet Collection has nevertheless assembled a representative suite of such collections, together with several celebrated 'holy grails,' illustrating both the diversity of the field and the ways in which everyday consumer products can acquire lasting historical significance.

Latest update: 12 July 2026

Collections Featured in this Gallery
Video Game Collecting
The Atari E.T. Cartridge from the 2014 Alamogordo Landfill Dig The Video Game Collection of Kennett Neily
Toy Collecting
Rare Action Figures, an Overview (coming later) The Beanie Babies Prototype Collection of Ty (coming later) The Star Wars Action Figure Collection of John Kellerman Battle Beasts Collectibles I: Premium Items, Prototypes & Store Displays (coming later) Battle Beasts Collectibles II: Bootlegs & Knockoffs (coming later) The Hot Wheels Collection of Larry Wood (coming later) The Teddy Bear Collection of Colonel Bob Henderson (coming later)
Movie & TV Memorabilia Collecting
The Movie Poster Collection of Ronald Borst (coming later)
Comic Book Collecting
The Silver Age Comic Book Collection of Kennett Neily: the White Mountain Pedigree
Trading Card Collecting
The Legendary Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Cards
Sports Memorabilia Collecting
The Sports Memorabilia Collection of Joe E. & Joe L. Brown

Video Game Collecting

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The Atari E.T. Cartridge from the 2014 Alamogordo Landfill Dig

Few artefacts in video game history carry as much mythic weight as the Atari E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial cartridge, a small piece of plastic that became both a scapegoat for the industry’s early 1980s collapse and, decades later, a coveted cultural relic. Released hastily in late 1982 to capitalise on the blockbuster film, E.T. was plagued by rushed development, confusing gameplay, and an unforgiving public reception; sales were disastrous, and unsold copies reportedly filled warehouses. This failure fed into the persistent urban legend that millions of cartridges were secretly buried in a New Mexico landfill, an idea that for years was passed between gamers as folklore. The myth gained new life through media retellings until, in 2014, a documentary-led excavation called Atari: Game Over unearthed over 1,300 Atari cartridges (about 50 titles including E.T.) along with remnants of the 2600 Atari console and other system components, confirming that the story had at least some truth. A team of archaeologists was present to examine and document the Atari material unearthed by excavation machinery, making these artefacts formally recorded pieces of video game history. This discovery transformed the cartridges from symbols of failure into tangible pieces of gaming legend, sparking a new wave of collector interest. Hundreds of artefacts from the Alamogordo landfill dig were sold at auction by the city via Joseph Lewandowski, fetching prices well above the $1,000 mark. Today, these recovered cartridges, with City of Alamogordo certificate of authenticity and inventory tag, reside in both private collections and institutions like the Smithsonian and the Henry Ford Museum in the U.S., the Hamilton Toy Museum in Canada, the Centre for Computing History in England and the Computer Spiele Museum in Germany, where they serve as artefacts of both technological ambition and cautionary tale. What began as a commercial misstep has become a coveted 'holy grail' in gaming collectibles, a physical link to the video game crash of 1983. More than fifty different Atari game titles and other Atari devices were recovered in 2014, with E.T. being the most iconic. Only about 150 E.T. cartridges were found, approximately 100 in box and 50 without (pers. comm. Joseph Lewandowski, 2022). Since the burial was refilled following the 2014 event and with the city unlikely to agree to a second dig, the Alamogordo E.T. cartridges will forever remain some of the rarest artefacts available to the video game collector.


Some of the E.T. games recovered in 2014 shown in plate 17 of J. Lewandowski's Atari Burial Photographs (reproduced with the permission of J. Lewandowski).

Two E.T. Cartridges, in Box, from the Alamogordo Landfill Dig: From Trash to Holy Grail

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial video game
ATARI 2600, 1982

Description: (i) Complete in box, with some small parts of the cover print missing. Serial number 09182 on metallic tag, accompanied with a hard-stamped certificate of authenticity from the city (signed by the Mayor, game creator H.S. Warshaw and organiser J.R. Lewandowski) and the usual documentation (colour printout of 'ATARI TOMB at the OLD ALAMOGORDO LANDFILL' by Joe Lewandowski, printouts of 1983 newspaper articles and of a 2011 website article, City of Alamogordo tourist leaflet).
(ii) Complete in box, with some small parts of the cover print missing. Serial number 09183 on metallic tag, accompanied with a hard-stamped certificate of authenticity from the city (signed as above) and the usual documentation (colour printout of 'ATARI TOMB at the OLD ALAMOGORDO LANDFILL' by Joe Lewandowski, printouts of 1983 newspaper articles and of a 2011 website article, City of Alamogordo tourist leaflet).
Joined to this set is an archive of 18 photographs titled Atari Burial Photographs by Joseph Lewandowski. Photographic paper prints, signed by the author on plate 14 where he is photographed next to documentary director Zak Penn in the warehouse where the excavated games were to be sorted.

Provenance: City of Alamogordo, via Joseph Lewandowski (2014-2022). Lewandowski, who participated to the 1983 dump, got involved in the search in 2010 after learning about the worldwide interest from gamers and treasure hunters and the legend that it had become.

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The Video Game Collection of Kennett Neily

Kennett Neily (1932-2014) is better known from the name of his celebrated Silver Age comic book collection, the White Mountain pedigree. Famous for his comic books in pristine condition and with as sole mark of ownership a simple ballpoint penned date of acquisition, Neily's collection of video games is similarly a high grade collection. Possibly the earliest systematic video game collection (started in the early 1980s), his cartridges and boxes in pristine condition and famous mark-of-ownership make them highly sought-after items for any conoisseur. The collection, dispersed in the 2010s, included titles and consoles from most of the console systems of the 1980s and early 1990s, including the classic Atari, Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, SEGA Master System, as well as earlier systems such as Vectrex and the Game & Watch. The TC is attempting to recreate the complete White Mountain collection of Game & Watch handhelds. With a manageable library of 59 games (TBC), including some rare titles along with several special editions and variants (Gschmeidler & Meyer, 2014), this predecessor of the Game Boy presents collectors with a rewarding challenge. The White Mountain collection is particulary attractive in this context for its boxes and games in mint condition. A second suite in the TC is the White Mountain collection of Pac-Man memorabilia, which includes, in addition to video games, various merchandises. It is here illustrative of the early 1980s Pac-Man collecting craze (or Pac-Man Fever, of the same name as the 1982 song by Buckner & Garcia), which capitalised on the video game wave of the same period, the Golden Age of arcade video games.

  • GSCHMEIDLER, David, MEYER, Gerhard (2014), The Unofficial Game & Watch Collector's Guide, LCD Handheld Games from 1980 to 1991. Self-published, 208 pp. [in coll.: Softcover edition, including quick reference card and other ephemera. Inscribed to the TC: "Hi Arnaud : ) Thank you very much for your support with this order. We wish you a lot of fun with this book. Stay healthy, David Ulrich"]

A Suite of 4 Nintendo Game & Watch Video Games with White Mountain Pedigree

Various video game titles
Game & Watch by Nintendo, 1983-1986

Description: Suite of four Game & Watch video games collected by Kennett Neily in the 1980s (element followed by * if missing):
(i) Mario's Cement Factory (released Jun. 8, 1983, New Wide Screen series, last title of the series). CIB (styrofoam, manual*, leaflet* and batteries* in original packaging) in mint condition. With K. Neily's penned accession date "SAT 7/2/88". Very rare in mint condition according to the Unofficial Guide.
(ii) Pinball (released Dec. 5, 1983, Vertical Multi Screen series). CIB (styrofoam, manual*, leaflet and batteries in original packaging) in mint condition. With K. Neily's penned accession date "Tue. 2/19/85". Extremely rare in mint condition according to the Unofficial Guide: "Rather meek sales back in its time cause the title to be vey rare today and to achieve rather high prices".
(iii) Balloon Fight (released Nov. 19, 1986, Crystal Screen series). CIB (styrofoam, manual*, leaflet, batteries and back-screen background* in original packaging) in mint condition. With K. Neily's penned accession date "SAT 7/2/88". Extremely rare in mint condition according to the Unofficial Guide: "Nowadays it's very hard to come by a version of the game in quality A and if you do, it usually sells for an extraordinary high price".
(iv) Bomb Sweeper (released Jun. 15, 1987, Vertical Multi Screen series). CIB (styrofoam, manual*, leaflet* and batteries in original packaging) in mint condition. With K. Neily's penned accession date "SAT 7/2/88". Extremely rare in mint condition according to the Unofficial Guide.
Since manuals are always missing, it is likely that Kennett Neily kept them separate. We are unfortunately unaware of their wherebaouts.

Provenance: Kennett Neily, White Mountain Pedigree

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A Substantial Suite of Pac-Man Merchandise Collected by Kennett Neily, Epitomising the Pac-Man Fever of the Early 1980s

Pac-Man merchandise
Namco (original IP) + licensed manufacturers, 1980s

Description: A group of Pac-Man memorabilia comprising video games, vinyl records, toys, novelty items, and everyday objects, documenting the extraordinary merchandising phenomenon that followed the game's success in the early 1980s. With the exception of the vinyl records, most items remain sealed, in box or carded. Every piece bears the date of purchase (many from 1982) carefully handwritten in ballpoint pen by collector Kennett Neily. In some cases, the place of purchase is also recorded, providing valuable provenance and a unique glimpse into the formation of the collection. The group includes: The Pac-Man Album vinyl record (Kid Stuff, lim. ed. collector series, inscribed "SAT 9/17/?? 50c"), The Amazing Adventures of Pac-Man vinyl record (Kid Stuff, inscribed "SAT 9/17/?? 50c"), Pac-Man Fever vinyl record (Columbia, inscribed "3/18/82 KMART ") and CD (Buckner Garcia Prod., 1999, inscribed "THURS 7-20-2000"), Pac-Man jigsaw puzzle (Toys r Us, inscribed "TUE 11/16/82"), Pac-Man Yo-Yo (Duncan, inscribed "8/4/82 WED"), Pac-Man fruit scented Erasers (Midway, 1980, inscribed "SAT 7-31-82"), Pac Man pocket game (Tomy, stamped "AUG 29 1982" and inscribed "Norton Flea"), Pac Man 4 pencils (Bally/Midway, 1980, inscribed "SAT 7-31-82"), Ms. Pac-Man game (Burger King, inscribed "2/6/83 SUN"), Pac-Man squeeze ball (Gabriel, inscribed "2/25/84 BRADLEES New Mall"), Pac-Man Collectable Arcade Figure Blinky, the red ghost (Midway, Coleco, 1980, inscribed "TUES 12/21/82"), and video game Pac-Man for the Atari 5200 (1982), still factory-sealed in its original box and inscribed "THURS 2/28/85 w/ 5200 UNIT" - Pac-Man was the first video game character to achieve mass-market merchandising on a scale extending far beyond the gaming industry, with hundreds of licensed products released worldwide (Wolf, 2007; Palicia, 2002). Although Kennett Neily collected across a broad range of popular culture and gaming themes, Pac-Man memorabilia occupied a special place within his collection as a natural extension of his interest in video games. The very fine condition of these objects, many preserved for more than four decades, exemplifies the meticulous care and preservation standards that characterize the White Mountain Collection.

Provenance: Kennett Neily, White Mountain Pedigree

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Toy Collecting

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Rare Action Figures, an Overview

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The Beanie Babies Prototype Collection of Ty

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The Star Wars Action Figure Collection of John Kellerman

John Kellerman (-2021) is one of the most renowned Star Wars action figure collectors and possibly the first sophisticated collector in the field to attempt to assemble every known variation of carded Star Wars action figures. Today, he is best remembered as the author of what is often regarded as the hobby's definitive reference work: Vintage Star Wars Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors (Kellerman, 2003). Through the cataloguing system he pioneered, Kellerman helped elevate collecting from a casual pastime into a serious and structured pursuit. His journey began in 1990, when he discovered several Star Wars items still in their original packaging at a garage sale. Soon afterwards, he became a regular visitor to flea markets and toy shows in search of additional pieces. Initially, he collected a wide range of Star Wars memorabilia, but within a year chose to focus exclusively on action figures. As his collection grew, he became increasingly aware of the lack of reliable reference material. Most magazine articles and books offered only limited information, often contradicting one another, and none provided the depth of documentation he sought. Between 1992 and 1995, Kellerman began meticulously documenting his collection, recording subtle figure variations and developing a systematic approach to their classification. These records formed the foundation of his book, which required nearly a decade of research and preparation before its publication in 2003. Since most of the figures illustrated in the guide were drawn from his personal collection, the book also serves as a pictorial catalogue of his holdings. The collection was later dispersed after being consigned to Todd Chamberlain's Toy Chamber Collectibles in 2012, with a number of pieces acquired by Jeff Jacob, one of the foremost action figure collectors of the early twenty-first century. Many of these items were subsequently offered through Jeff's Collectibles auctions in 2013 (Market Watch from the Sand crawler, 2013). Recognising the historical significance of the Kellerman collection, Jacob and Chamberlain worked together to document each item by having it professionally graded by AFA and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity indicating where it was described in Kellerman's book. Even the original numbered baggies used by Kellerman to store the figures were preserved, ensuring that the collection's provenance remained intact.

One of only two known copies of the cover proof sheet for Kellerman's celebrated 2003 reference work, Vintage Star Wars Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors (see details below).

The Catalogue of One of the Most Significant Star Wars Action Figure Collections, with Unique Proof Sheets

Vintage Star Wars Action Figures: A Guide For Collectors, by J. Kellerman
San Rafael, California: Frontback Books, 2003

Description: KELLERMAN, John (2003), Vintage Star Wars Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors. San Rafael, California: Frontback Books, 256 full-colour pp. - Covers virtually everything Kenner released in the United States between 1978 and 1985 under the Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Power of the Force lines. The book is organised into ten information-rich chapters, beginning with introductory material aimed at novice collectors and progressing to more advanced areas of the hobby, including prototype and store display collecting. The majority of items featured are drawn from Kellerman's personal collection. In some cases, however, he had to source additional photographs for particularly rare missing items, including the so-called 'holy grails' of the hobby: the Rocket-Firing Boba Fett (see below), Double-Telescoping figures (Darth Vader, Ben Kenobi, and Luke Skywalker), and the vinyl-cape Jawa.
(i) Hardcover edition, signed by the author "John Kellerman" (three copies). Accompanied by two copies of a leaflet (7 pp.) for the proposed second edition, which was never published.
(ii) Proof sheets from the 2003 Kellerman book, including a cover proof sheet (see above; a second copy is available for trade from the TC) and a unique proof sheet of the double-page spread featuring the Rocket-Firing Boba Fett holy grails (pp. 194-195). The accompanying text describes this figure as "one of the most revered prototypes [...] Kenner's original intent was to produce the Boba Fett action figure with a removable rocket that could be fired from his backpack by means of a spring-loaded mechanism. During the design/development phase several prototype variations were created [...] For safety reasons, [Kenner] decided to abandon the removable rocket and firing mechanism for a stationary one." A footnote notes that the photographs are courtesy of Justin Kerns, from whom the present proof sheets originate. Kellerman had offered these materials to Kerns in exchange for access to images of these highly sought-after prototypes. At one point, Kerns owned nine Rocket-Firing Boba Fett figures, a feat virtually impossible to replicate today. One of these prototypes reportedly sold for more than 1.3 million dollars in 2024 (thevalue.com, 2024).

Provenance: (ii) Justin Kerns

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Star Wars Action Figures from the Celebrated Kellerman Reference Collection, Featured in 'Vintage Star Wars Action Figures: A Guide For Collectors'

Star Wars Action Figures
Kenner, 1983-1985

Description: Three Star Wars action figures, each carded and AFA graded, illustrated in Kellerman's 2003 Vintage Star Wars Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors, accompanied by tagged bags with cataloguing notes from Kellerman, and Toy Chamber Collectibles CoA signed by both Todd Chamberlain and John Kellerman:
(i) 1983 Star Wars Return of the Jedi, Han Solo (Hoth Battle Gear). Graded AFA 85, transparent bag with notes "2ROTJ 65B", "front photo 2-232" and inventory number "45". The CoA states: "This Han Solo Hoth figure [...] is part of the reference collection that John maintained to document examples of each Front-Back (F-B) combination".
(ii) 1983 Star Wars Return of the Jedi, Princess Leia Organa (Boushh Disguise). GRADED AFA 80, transparent bag with notes "77B Italia", "Photo 120" and inventory number "64". Italian variant; Kellerman (2003) notes: "Same as BACK 77A except it has a 2" by 1" white sticker attached. The sticker notes "General Mills Products Corporation, 20144 Milan, Italia"..."
(iii) 1985 Star Wars The Power of the Force, Special Collectors Coin, Luke Skywalker (Imperial Stormtrooper Outfit). Graded AFA 85 (bubble later yellowed and pierced at the base). Transparent bag with notes "Photo 3.91 + 2.327" and inventory number "57". Also includes the red folder issued during Jeff's Collectibles auctions. Accompanied by a digital photograph of prominent Star Wars collector Jeff Jacob holding the figure in front of part of his collection display prior to its departure for the TC (Jacob's collection has since been dispersed via the record-breaking 2025 Hake's auctions). The CoA states: "It is a 1POTF-92A combination, with the additional distinction of featuring a Made in Hong Kong sticker added on the back". As such, it is illustrated twice in the catalogue: p.49 as the card-front example and p.91 with a close-up of the Hong Kong sticker.

Provenance: (i-ii) John Kellerman (?-2012) • Toy Chamber Collectibles; (iii) John Kellerman (?-2012) • Jeff Jacob

References: (i) Kellerman (2003:103, fig.3.120); (ii) Kellerman (2003:38, fig.2.232); (iii) Kellerman (2003:49, fig.2.327 - 91, fig.3.91)

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Battle Beasts Collectibles I: Premium Items, Prototypes & Store Displays

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Battle Beasts Collectibles II: Bootlegs & Knockoffs

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The Hot Wheels Collection of Larry Wood

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The Teddy Bear Collection of Colonel Bob Henderson

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Movie & TV Memorabilia Collecting

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The Movie Poster Collection of Ronald Borst

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Comic Book Collecting

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The Silver Age Comic Book Collection of Kennett Neily: the White Mountain Pedigree

The White Mountain collection was one of the earliest Silver Age comic book pedigrees. Built over several decades beginning in the late 1940s by Kennett Neily (1932-2014), in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the collection came to prominence in the early 1990s when a substantial portion was sold through Sotheby's first-ever auction dedicated to rare comic books. It made history, with several of its Silver Age comic books achieving unprecedented prices (Sotheby's, 1991; Overstreet's, 1991; TC's 1992 Weist letter). The story leading to this historic sale is recounted by detective27.com: "In 1984, a man walked into a comic book store named The Million Year Picnic in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He had with him twelve comics he was looking to sell. Upon inspecting the comics, Jerry Weist, one owner of The Million Year Picnic, found them to be of superior quality, with extraordinarily white pages and colors. The man claimed to have many more just like them and wanted to sell them off piecemeal..." The scope and scale of what would become a legendary collection remained somewhat mysterious to insiders, who gained access only to portions of the material gradually released by Neily to Weist over the following years, prior to the first Sotheby's auction. Manuscript lists of comic books intended for sale by Neily to Weist, held by the TC (see below), offer a glimpse into the material that remained in the White Mountain Collection as late as 1990. The exceptional quality of the collection is largely attributed to its storage: the books were kept stacked inside large metal file cabinets, protected from the acidic cardboard and plastic bags commonly used for comic storage during the Silver Age (Sotheby's, 1991:11). Jerry Weist (1949-2011), a pioneer in comic book collecting and Sotheby's comics consultant from 1990 to 2001, persuaded the auction house in 1991 to stage its first major comic book and comic art auction. It was at this time that the White Mountain pedigree was named and the collection formally recognized (see TC's 1992 Weist letter below). Silver Age comic books from the White Mountain Collection are primarily documented in the 1991-1993 Sotheby's auctions, with the most significant "holy grails" individually noted in Overstreet's Comic Book Price Guide (1991). According to detective27.com, "common books from the [White Mountain] collection bring 3x guide, while high-demand comics bring 5x guide or more." White Mountain copies are recognizable by a date stamp on the first page for issues from the 1950s, while later issues often feature a small two-digit year written on the front cover. Neily collected not only comic books but also, notably, video games, which were likewise preserved in pristine condition and marked with the same characteristic acquisition dates. He continued to collect until the early 2000s.

  • Overstreet's (1991), Sotheby's first-ever auction of rare comic books and related original art! Overstreet's Comic Book Price Update, pp. 5-6 [in coll.: complete issue]
  • Sotheby's (1991), Comic Books and Comic Art. New York, Wednesday, December 18, 1991. 347 lots, 158 pp. [in coll.: upper corner bumped, penciled prices on pp. 29-80]
  • Weist, J. (2000), The Comic Art Price Guide. Second Edition With Pulp, U.G. Comix, and Monster Magazine Price Guides. Arcturian Books, 569 pp. [in coll.: ASSOCIATION COPY, no. 233/350 signed by J. Weist in light blue pen, "This signed & #'ed copy is for Ken Neily", followed by different signature also by J. Weist]

A Wonderful 1992 Letter Epitomising the Making of the White Mountain Pedigree and Its Entry into "comic book history"

Letter from Weist to Neily
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts: Unpublished, 1992

Description: 1992 letter from Jerry Weist to Kennett Neily regarding the results of the 1991 Sotheby's auction and the making of the White Mountain Pedigree. Typed 2-pp. letter, dated 10 January 1992, signed, J. Weist letterhead, with annotation on the back by K. Neily "Read Wed 1/15/92". Selected excerpts demonstrate the importance of this letter: "... I have enclosed a catalogue for you and I have also xeroxed an advance list for you to study the results. Some of the results are average, some of them are disappointing, some of them are remarkable! The press called the auction a disappointment - at least the Wall St. Journal jumped all over us. But the fact of the matter is that we did one million two hundred thousand dollars and the Vice President of Sotheby's has already given me a green light for next years auctions [...] as you can see some of the White Mountain Books (the name of your collection now) did very well. Be advised Ken, that I do not now own nor did I consign the Hulks, the Fantastic Fours, and some of the other White Mountain comics - These have already come back into the market from people who bought them from me [...] I hope also that you feel that your collection has been treated with respect by the Catalogue and the writing that Patrick Kohanek did in the Pedigree article, for better or worse your collection is now 'famous' and a part of comic book history." The letter refers to the article by P. Kohanek, in which the extent of the White Mountain collection (> 5,000 books) is compared to the historically important Edgar Church Collection of Golden Age Comics (Sotherby's, 1991:11-12). Kohanek mentions the "generally spectacular paper whiteness" of the White Mountain copies. Of the "remarkable" results discussed in the letter, particular mention must go to the near mint copy of The Amazing Spider-Man #1 selling for an unprecedented $14,000 (Overstreet's, 1991).

Provenance: Kennett Neily, White Mountain collection

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Unique Manuscript Catalogues of the White Mountain Collection of Silver Age Comics, Intended for Sale to J. Weist, as of 1990

White Mountain Collection Comic Book Sale Catalogue
White Mountains, New Hampshire: Unpublished, 1990-1991

Description: Two steno books (top-spiral notebook) with lists of comic books from the White Mountain Collection, available for sale for the leading connoisseur of the time, Jerry Weist, handwritten by Kennett Neily, comic books listed per title, one number per line with price (on one or two columns), total price given per set:
(i) Yellow cover, "CB Sale 11/19/90 Mon" on cover, "Mon. 11/19/90 Weiss came up- evening. Blue - House, Pencil - Upstairs, Red - Kitchen" title page, followed by 32 pp. + few blank. Consisting of: Thor (#127-145, not consecutive; same applies to the following series), Iron Man (#3,4), Avengers (#23-45), Silver Surfer (#1), X-Men (#28-88), Spider-Man (#21-122), Fantastic Four (#21-71), Daredevil (#21-36), Captain America (#104), Hulk (#104), Strange Tales (#109-167), Journey Into Mystery (#104-125), Tales to Astounish (#44-100), Tales of Suspense (#54-98), etc... Followed by: "following pages 3/23/91 Sat. Sale" title page, 7 pp. + 9 pp. loose + a few additional lists/notes on separate paper sheets. Consisting of a vast selection of miscellaneous comic books, from Flash Gordon to Uncle Scrooge via Metal Men.
(ii) Blue cover, "Comics ?? for 11/90 sale" on cover, "Possible Comics for 11/90 Sale to Weiss w/ #20 for ?? ?? NB organised 11/90 - ?? 1st & 10th" title page, followed by 2 pp. of various items + "Atlas items, Big items", 32 pp. Consisting of: Weird Thrillers (#1-5), Amazing Adv. (#1-6), Tales of Suspense (#4-39), Tales to Hold You Spellbound (#1-34), Mystery Tales (#1-54), etc.. Some blank pages, followed by "Marvel Superhero Items ?? box - in Blue, Kitchen box - in Red, 0 upstair haul, #20 for ?? ??" title page, 21 pp. consisting of (some the same as in (i)): Thor (#127-214), Sub Mariner (#21-65), Iron Man (#21-62), Captain Marvel (#24-27), Fantasy Masterpieces (#1-2), Avengers (#23-114), X-Men (#28-88), Spider-Man (#21-131), Fantastic Four (#21-136), Hulk (#123-167), Strange Tales (#109-170), etc.. Totals of $8261 ans $30,270 penned on inside back cover.
These catalogues provide a rare glimpse into the White Mountain Collection as of late 1990, one year prior to the first Sotheby's auction. Since most of the collection was sold in this period, it is likely the most extensive White Mountain Collection catalogue in existence (only missing the comic books previous sold to Weist between 1984 and 1989, and possibly the ones to be sold at later auctions in 1993/1996 - no other collection catalogue is known to exist). The listed prices provide a further insight at this important transitory time when comic books became highly collectible.

Provenance: Kennett Neily, White Mountain collection

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A Suite of Four High-Grade Early Silver Age Comic Books with White Mountain Pedigree

Silver Age Comic Books
New York: DC Comics, 1962; Marvel Comics, 1964-1968.

Description: A suite comprised of early issues from Aquaman, The Avengers, X-Men and Iron Man, all in Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) slabs.:
(i) Aquaman #5 (9-10/62), D.C. Comics, Nick Cardy cover and art. CGC Universal Grade 9.2, penned year '62' by K. Neily.
(ii) The Avengers #10 (11/64), Marvel Comics, Stan Lee story, Jack Kirby cover, Don Heck and Dick Ayers art, first appearance of Immortus, Enchantress, Executioner and Baron Zemo appearance. CGC Universal Grade 9.0, penned year '64' by K. Neily.
(iii) X-Men #14 (11/65), Marvel Comics, Stan Lee story, Werner Roth and Vince Colletta art, Jack Kirby cover and layouts, first appearance of the Sentinels. CGC Universal Grade 9.2, penned year '65' by K. Neily.
(iv) Iron Man #5 (9/68), Marvel Comics, Archie Goodwin story, George Tuska and Johnny Craig art, George Tuska cover, Krylla appearance, letter from Bob Gale. CGC CGC Pedigree Grade 9.6, penned year '68' by K. Neily.
The Silver Age is considered to cover the period from 1956 to 1970.

Provenance: Kennett Neily, White Mountain collection

References: Not found in the 1990 Yellow and Blue catalogues

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Trading Card Collecting

TEXT COMING LATER. Acronyms: collectible card games (CCG) and trading card games (TCG)

The Legendary Magic: The Gathering Black Lotus Cards

Fig. 1. The Black Lotus achieved legendary status early in the history of Magic: The Gathering, inspiring a range of related promotional collectibles. One of the earliest examples is the "super-sized" 6 × 9 inch promotional Black Lotus card included with Issue No. 15 of SCRYE magazine (1996). Another example of a Black Lotus promotional collectible is the 1996 Ultra Pro Black Lotus Puzzle Quest (see Fig. 2).

Magic: The Gathering (MTG or simply Magic), published by Wizards of the Coast, is widely regarded as the most influential and successful trading card game (TCG) ever created. First released in 1993, it pioneered the modern trading card game genre and has since produced almost 30,000 unique card names. Among them, Black Lotus is universally recognized as the game's most iconic and valuable card, and is often considered the single most famous collectible in the history of trading card games. Illustrated by Christopher Rush (1965-2016), Black Lotus first appeared in the original Limited Edition Alpha and Beta sets, followed shortly thereafter by Unlimited Edition, all released in 1993. As a zero-cost artifact, the card can be sacrificed to generate three mana of any one color, providing an extraordinary early-game advantage. This unmatched mana acceleration quickly established Black Lotus as one of the most powerful cards ever printed and cemented its legendary status among players and collectors alike. As demand for early Magic cards grew and the first printings became increasingly scarce, Wizards of the Coast released two additional collector-focused products in late 1993: the Collectors' Edition and the International Edition. Black Lotus had already attained iconic status within just three years of its release, as evidenced by the promotional collectibles issued in 1996 (Figs. 1-2), which have themselves become sought-after collector's items. Several factors explain Black Lotus's enduring status as a historic collectible. First, it was printed only in the original 1993 editions, whose print runs were modest by modern standards (see Rarity Statistics below). Second, its unparalleled gameplay impact transformed competitive Magic, enabling explosive strategies such as the infamous "first-turn kill" decks (The Duelist Magazine, 1996:57). Black Lotus is the centerpiece of the celebrated Power Nine—Black Lotus, Ancestral Recall, Time Walk, Mox Pearl, Mox Sapphire, Mox Jet, Mox Ruby, Mox Emerald, and Timetwister—which are widely regarded as the most powerful cards ever printed. To preserve competitive balance, all nine cards are restricted or banned in every tournament format except Vintage. Finally, Black Lotus's rarity, historical importance, and extraordinary gameplay significance have made it one of the most sought-after collectibles in the hobby. It has become synonymous with the highest tier of trading card collecting and is widely regarded as the "holy grail" of Magic: The Gathering. Exceptional examples command remarkable prices on the secondary market, with two record-breaking sales surpassing the US$500,000 mark in 2023: a perfect PSA Gem Mint 10 Alpha Black Lotus and a signed Beta white-back artist proof (Polygon, 2023), while examples from later 1993 editions or in lower grades typically range from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.

Rarity Statistics. Magic cards are traditionally classified into four rarity categories: basic land, common, uncommon, and rare. Black Lotus belongs to the rare category, together with the other members of the Power Nine. According to D'Angelo (1996), the approximate numbers of common, uncommon, and rare cards printed for the Alpha and Beta editions were 16,000 / 4,500 / 1,100 and 48,000 / 13,500 / 3,200, respectively. For the Unlimited Edition, the corresponding figures are estimated at 244,500 / 68,000 / 18,500. Unlike the tournament-legal editions, the Collector's Edition and International Edition sets did not follow the traditional rarity distribution; instead, each set contained one copy of every card from the original print run. In total, approximately 10,000 CE sets and 5,000 IE sets were produced. Because some cards from these editions have since been altered to resemble Beta cards, the number of surviving unaltered examples is likely considerably lower. An important factor underpinning the long-term value of early Magic cards is Wizards of the Coast's Reserved List, introduced to reassure collectors that selected early cards—including Black Lotus—would never be reprinted in tournament-legal, functionally identical form (The Duelist Magazine, 1996:90). As a result, original 1993 Black Lotus cards remain permanently finite in supply. Prototype cards produced during the game's earliest playtesting stages are even rarer and likewise command exceptional historical and market value. In 2023, to celebrate the game's 30th anniversary, Wizards of the Coast released the 30th Anniversary Edition, a commemorative, non-tournament-legal product inspired by the original Beta set. It includes modern reinterpretations of Black Lotus in both contemporary and retro card frames. These versions are readily distinguishable from the original 1993 cards by their unique card backs and the prominent "30th Edition" marking on the front, preserving the historical uniqueness of the original 1993 printings. Despite their recent release and non-tournament-legal status, 30th Anniversary Edition Black Lotus cards have already become highly sought-after collectibles, with high-grade examples commanding prices well above $1,000 on the secondary market.

Fig. 2. The 1996 Ultra Pro Black Lotus Puzzle Quest (9 pieces), distributed as individual pieces randomly inserted into selected Deck Protector card sleeve boxes. While pieces #1-8 are relatively common, piece #9 is considered ultra-rare and the key piece required to complete the puzzle [in coll.: pieces #1-8 + sealed Ultra Pro card sleeve box, which might still contain the highly sought-after missing ninth piece]

  • SCRYE (1996), Magic: The Gathering, The History of M:TG Part I. SCRYE Guide to Collectible Card Games, Issue No. 15, July 1996, pp. 32-37 [In collection: original softcover as issued, 112 pp., used condition, including the "super-sized" 6 × 9 inch promotional Black Lotus card, with "NOT FOR PLAY USE" notice on the back] - This iconic magazine issue contains one of the earliest published accounts of the history and development of Magic: The Gathering. It is particularly notable for including an oversized promotional version of the Black Lotus card. Originally produced as a promotional insert, this oversized Black Lotus has itself become a sought-after collectible among Magic enthusiasts due to its historical significance and connection to one of the most iconic cards in trading card game history.
  • The Duelist (1996). The Official Trading Card Game Magazine from Wizards of the Coast. 3 (2), 113 pp. [in coll.: original softcover as issued]

Collectors' Edition of the Legendary Black Lotus

Black Lotus Magic Card
Wizards of the Coast, Collectors' Edition, 1993

Description: Black Lotus Magic: The Gathering card, Collectors' Edition, Wizards of the Coast, 1993, Rare. Graded 8 (Near Mint–Mint) by Platin Grading Service (PGS), with the following sub-grades: centering (8), edges (8), corners (7), and surface (8). This card was previously used as a gameplay proxy and remained in the same German collection for twenty years before being graded. The Collectors' Edition (CE) was a special limited-edition set released in December 1993, created in response to growing demand for Black Lotus and other highly sought-after cards from the original Alpha and Beta editions, which were already becoming increasingly scarce. Although visually identical to the Beta printing on the front, CE cards were designed specifically for collectors and were not legal for sanctioned tournament play. They can be distinguished by their unique card back, featuring a gold border and the words "Collectors' Edition", as well as by their square corners, unlike the rounded corners found on Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited cards. These differences were intended to prevent confusion with tournament-legal editions; however, the close resemblance of CE cards to Beta cards led some individuals to alter them by trimming corners, removing the gold border, or replacing the card back in attempts to create counterfeit Beta copies. While CE cards are not tournament legal, they remain highly collectible among enthusiasts due to their historical importance and limited production.

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Christopher Rush's Black Lotus Original Art from the Historic Jeff Ferreira Collection

Original Sketch
Christopher Rush, undated

Description: An original study illustration for the iconic Black Lotus by Christopher Rush, undated, executed in graphite on tracing paper. The drawing features an image area measuring approximately 1.75 × 1.75 inches and presents an alternative interpretation of the Black Lotus design, notably omitting the central seed receptacle found in the final illustration. The piece is accompanied by original production materials related to Black Lotus recreations. These include two working printouts of the artwork, each annotated by the artist in pencil. The sheets reproduce the underlying composition at different scales and feature hand-drawn adjustments to petal contours and shadow details. Pencil tracings on the reverse suggest that these materials were used as transfer or preparation references for subsequent recreations, commissions, or derivative works based on the original illustration. The artwork exhibits light handling wear but remains in very good overall condition. The collection includes a Heritage Auctions CoA signed by Jeff Ferreira (Heritage, 2023), as well as the accompanying auction catalogue: The Jeff Ferreira Collection Featuring Christopher Rush, Heritage Trading Card Games, March 24-25, 2023, Dallas, 72 pp. - A rare glimpse into Christopher Rush's creative process, this study and its associated working materials provide insight into the development, refinement, and continued reinterpretation of one of the most celebrated images in trading card history.

Provenance: Jeff Ferreira - Jeff Ferreira served as Christopher Rush's agent from 2004 until the artist's death in 2016. Rush was one of the original and most influential illustrators of Magic: The Gathering. Over the course of their friendship, Ferreira assembled an exceptional collection centred on Rush's work, including original artworks, signed cards, playmats, artist proofs, and altered cards (Heritage, 2023:3). The collection was offered by Heritage Auctions in 2023, where the record-breaking artist-signed white-back proof copy of Black Lotus realized $615,000. That extraordinary card is illustrated on the cover of the auction catalogue.

References: Heritage (2023:lot 37187)

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Sports Memorabilia collecting

Sports memorabilia make for compelling souvenirs of past games and are widely regarded as a stable category within the collectibles market. Baseball, often described as the U.S. "national pastime," alongside football and basketball, each deeply embedded in American culture, have helped establish sports artefacts as a distinct sub-discipline of Americana collecting. Among the most sought-after items are trading cards, autographed baseball bats and balls, boxing gloves, and game-worn basketball shoes, for example.

Surprisingly, the origins of sports memorabilia collecting are seldom discussed, despite being both early and fascinating. In the United States, the practice dates back to the early 20th century. Earlier precedents can also be found elsewhere, such as the 19th-century French Arsène Vigeant fencing collection (see, for example, Eudel, 1885), which illustrates how the collecting of sports-related artefacts predates modern American hobby culture.

One of the more overlooked figures in this early history is Joseph E. Brown. Best remembered today as a comedic actor, and less so for his brief career as a semi-professional baseball player with the National Vaudeville Artists team, Brown is rarely acknowledged as a collector. Yet he is among the earliest pioneers of sports memorabilia collecting, particularly in the fields of baseball and football (Gehring, Film Comedian and Baseball Buffoon, 2006:4). A correspondence archive from the 1980s between his son, Joe L. Brown and a fellow collector of baseball pins further documents the continuation of this collecting tradition into the late 20th century. Outside of the Brown family archive, however, few sources provide detailed insight into the practices of sports memorabilia collecting throughout the 20th century.

The Sports Memorabilia Collection of Joe E. & Joe L. Brown

Joseph Evans Brown (1891-1973), the celebrated comedy actor and semi-professional baseball player with the National Vaudeville Artists team, was one of the pioneers of sports memorabilia collecting in the United States. Few details survive concerning his collection, which appears never to have been formally catalogued. The following account has been reconstructed by the TC from scarce and scattered sources. Captions accompanying four c. 1940 press photographs held by the TC (which depict different displays from Brown's Beverly Hills home - not reproduced here owing to copyright restrictions) provide rare glimpses into both his collection and his collecting practices. One caption notes: "Practically all of these articles are personally autographed from many friends and would not be disposed of by him for a fortune. This case is a feature of his den in his Beverly Hills home." Another, describing a display devoted to football memorabilia, reads: "FOOTBALLIANA — Here are some of the famous uniforms worn by some of America's greatest gridiron stars in past years, as well as footballs used in various important games [...] No. 42 is the uniform worn by Marshall Goldberg in the Pittsburgh-Washington Rose Bowl Game of 1937. The footballs are autographed by the entire squads of various Rose Bowl and East-West games, as well as teams from U.C.L.A., Stanford and the University of Southern California." A third caption describes a display of sporting relics: "This varied collection of sports objects are part of the large collection of sports trophies donated to Joe E. Brown [...] by various champions and occupying an honour spot at his home. They include the handlebars used by Reggie McNamara, probably the greatest of all six-day bicycle riders; a helmet and part of the safety strap used by Captain Frank M. Hawks, noted aviator, when he walked away from his first crash; the running shoes worn by Frank Wyckoff when he established the still unbeaten record for the 100-yard dash of 9 3/5 seconds; a tennis racket used by Big Bill Tilden when he won the Wimbledon singles title..." A fourth photograph depicts a collection of horseshoes associated with sporting events dating from 1897 to 1939. A rare, albeit brief, article published in Mechanix Illustrated in 1952 provides additional information: "Who has more athletic trophies than any other person in the country? 'I have,' says Joe E. Brown [...] He has collected over 2,000 items, representing practically every sport. There are 250 baseballs alone." The article further notes that Brown's collection had outgrown his home and that he had recently transferred it to the Joe E. Brown Trophy Room at the University of California. A contemporary photograph of Brown with part of his collection is preserved on IMDb. Among Brown's most prized possessions was a bat used by Babe Ruth during his legendary sixty-home-run season of 1927. Inscribed by Ruth to Brown, the bat sold for $660,000 in 2018 (Heritage Auctions, Sale 50002), helping to bring renewed attention to Brown's significance as a collector. According to the lot description, the bat is "one of the most significant artifacts of American sports in private hands". The same source reveals that much of Brown's collection was tragically destroyed in the 1961 Los Angeles wildfires and that the Ruth bat survived only because it had been gifted to his son, Joe L. Brown, the previous year. It remains unclear what proportion of the collection had already been transferred to UCLA. Other items donated by Brown to the Helms Museum in Los Angeles likewise survived, including the autographed football now held by the TC (see below).

Joe LeRoy Brown (1918-2010) served as general manager of the World Series-winning Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1976. Joe E. Brown passed on not only his love of baseball to his son, but also his passion for sports memorabilia collecting. Through his position within professional baseball, Joe L. Brown assembled an extensive collection of autographed baseballs. A recently discovered correspondence archive from collector J. D. Vanno further demonstrates that baseball pins formed an important part of his collection. The Joe L. Brown sports memorabilia collection, consisting primarily of autographed baseballs, was sold by Lelands in 2015. His baseball pin collection, meanwhile, was acquired by prominent sports memorabilia collector Jim Copeland. This attribution is supported by a comparison between the pin inventories documented in the Brown-Vanno correspondence archive and the pin lots described in Sotheby's (1991).

  • No name (1952), Joe E. Brown: SPORTS MEMENTO-IST. Mechanix Illustrated, March issue, p.104, two illustrations of Brown and his collection - [in coll.: entire issue, which also includes a fascinating seven-page article devoted to autograph collecting: KURNIK, E.R., Golden Signatures, pp.66-69,176-177,179]
  • Press photographs (c. 1940), unknown sources [in coll.: 4 photographs, very scarce]
  • SOTHEBY'S (1991), The Copeland Collection of Important Baseball Cards and Sports Memorabilia. Sotheby's, New York March 22 and 23, 1991, 873 lots [in coll.: as issued]

A Unique Archive on 1980s Baseball Pin Collecting

Correspondence between Joe L. Brown and Joe Vanno
1978-1984

Description: Thirty letters (in their original envelopes) from Joe L. Brown to Joe Vanno, together with several draft replies by Vanno, spanning the period from 1979 to 1984. The archive documents an active exchange centred on baseball pin collecting and trading, and includes want lists, collection inventories and acquisition strategies. The letters also mention prominent collectors (e.g., David G. Frent, Barry Halper, and Don Schmidt of Athletics memorabilia), as well as significant pins acquired, sold, or traded by Brown, including examples from the 1912 Boston Red Sox, 1920 Cleveland Indians, and 1928 New York Yankees, among others.
Selected quotes: "My collection on pins and buttons only includes those from Baseball's All Star Games and World Series [...] My collection starts on 1914 and runs to the present" (8 Aug. 1979). This includes 'phantom' World Series press pins with 38 of such pins in his collection as of 1981 (193 pins in total as of 1980); "prices paid then are obsolete by at least 25% and in some cases have doubled [...] pins from the '20s cost $100 each and the others from the '60's cost $25 each [...] As the W/s and A/s pins continue to catch on, I'm afraid the prices are going to go out of sight" (Vanno, Jan. 1979); "Congratulations on your acquisition of the 1912 Red Sox pin. Sorry you had to pay so much but they do appear to be rare" (14 Apr. 1984); "The prices are ridiculous but c'est la vie I guess" (11 May 1984); "If you collect any items other than cards and pins, I might assist you in that direction. I do have friends (of varying degrees of closeness) with every major League Club, and perhaps there is something specific at this time in Baseball that you enjoy owning" (25 Jan. 1979), "I have helped [Barry Halper] complete his signature collection of the HOF" (4 Apr. 1980).

Provenance: Joseph D. Vanno - Brown and Vanno started corresponding in late 1978 with Vanno purchasing baseball pins from Brown. The two men rapidly became friends and first met in August 1980. Brown wrote on 9 May 1980 that "the one continuing, pleasant relationship [he had] had from collecting has been Joe Vanno". The two men often exchanged their wanted-list and collaborated to find what the other one was missing from their respective networks. Vanno compared his collection to Brown's as follows: "my needs in pins far outnumber yours" (Jan. 1979). Vanno was in constant contact with collectors from around the country and was highly knowledgeable in baseball memorabilia, always providing valuable information to Brown. Brown noticed in one of the last letters of the archive (dated 11 May 1984) that Vanno's "collection is really growing with tough-to-find recent additions."

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Two Multi-Signed Baseballs Featuring Hall of Fame Signatures from the Joe L. Brown Collection

Autographed Baseballs
Various, multiple dates

Description: Suite of two autographed baseballs with multiple signatures - The Joe L. Brown origin may be identifiable through game dates and additional annotations inscribed by Joe L. Brown in capitalised blue ink. The "Joe L. Brown Collection" provenance is confirmed on Certificates of Authenticity (CoA) issued by the PSA/DNA Autograph Authentication and Grading Services, which regularly attest to this source:
(i) 1996 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee multi-signed baseball bearing 14 signatures, including Buzzie Bavari, Buck O'Neil, Edgar Munzel, Leonard Koppett, Ken Coleman, Ed Stack, Hans Peter, Allen Lewis, Donald Marr and Hall of Fame inductees Yogi Berra, Monte Irvin, Stan Musial and Ted Williams. PSA/DNA V05675 CoA. The blue inscription "MARCH 5, 1996 ELECTED BUNNING, WEAVER, HANLON & FOSTER" is likely in the hand of Joe L. Brown.
(ii) c. 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates team-signed baseball bearing 28 signatures. Notable signatures include Vic Aldridge, Mule Haas, Stuffy McInnis, Babe Adams and Hall of Fame inductees Max Carey, Kiki Cuyler, Bill McKechnie and Fred Clarke. PSN/DNA V05668 CoA. It is plausible that this historic baseball originated from his father's collection.
Accompanied by a letter addressed to E.J. Bavasi, general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, dated 11 September 1961 (Pittsburgh Baseball Club letterhead), illustrating one method by which Joe L. Brown acquired autographed baseballs for his collection: "Dear Buzzie: Last year, at my request, you were kind enough to send me two baseballs autographed by your club. I am requesting the same favor this year and anything you can do will be most appreciated. With all good wishes, I am. Cordially, Joe. L. Brown, General Manager."

Provenance: Joe L. Brown - More than 200 baseballs from the Joe L. Brown collection were sold at auction in 2015 (Lelands, 2015a; 2015b; Huggins & Scott Auctions, 2015).

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An Autographed Football from the Joe E. Brown Collection: A Rarity Almost Unheard of in Private Hands

Autographed Football
University of Pittsburgh team signatures, 1930

Description: A truly unique 1930 University of Pittsburgh football signed by members of the team across three panels, with the following inscription on the fourth: "To Don and Joe Brown with Best Wishes of the University of Pittsburgh team, September 14, 1930". The football was likely signed at the request of Joe E. Brown for his two sons, Don and Joe (LeRoy). With one of his sons later playing football at UCLA, Joe E. Brown assembled a notable collection of footballs associated with important college games. This signed football is a rare surviving example from the Brown collection outside the material donated to UCLA, the pieces that remained in the possession of his son Joe L. Brown, and other gifts made prior to the devastating 1961 Los Angeles wildfires that destroyed much of Brown's collection. It represents one of the few documented objects to have escaped the disaster by previously entering the collection of the Helms Museum in Los Angeles and which has fortunately retained its Brown provenance through the personal inscription to the Brown family. It is highly likely that other objects from Brown's collection survived but lost their provenance as they passed through later collections. Further evidence for the dispersal of Brown material through the Helms Museum is provided by Christie's 2023 sale Selections from the Geddy Lee Collection... (auction 20998, lot 6457750), where another object deaccessioned from the Helms Museum was described as "believed to have been part of a larger donation from famed actor and pioneering collector Joe E. Brown."

Provenance: Joe. E. Brown (1930-before 1961) • Helms Museum, Los Angeles (after 1936-before 1961) - The Helms Athletic Foundation was a sports organization established in 1936 by W.R. "Bill" Schroeder, a passionate collector of sports memorabilia, and Paul Helms, owner of the renowned Helms Bakery in Los Angeles, the "official baker" of the 1932 Summer Olympic Games. Schroeder began assembling a collection of sporting artifacts in 1932 with the ambition of eventually making it accessible to the public. This vision became a reality when Helms agreed to support the project in 1936. To accommodate Schroeder's rapidly expanding collection, the Helms Halls of Fame building was inaugurated shortly thereafter in Culver City, California. Located adjacent to the Helms Bakery, it became one of the earliest institutions dedicated to preserving and exhibiting sports history, serving as a precursor to many of the professional sports halls of fame that followed. The collection was ultimately dispersed through SCP Auctions in 2014.

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