1893 Pittsburgh Athletic Club Football Imperial Cabinet Photograph

Sold For:

$8,100

Year:

1893

Auction:

2020 Fall

Lot #:

2287

Category:

Football Cards or Memorabilia

Imperial team cabinet photograph picturing fifteen members of the 1893 Pittsburgh Athletic Club (football) posing in a formal studio setting. All the players are pictured in uniform, with the exception of the gentleman seated in the center, who is either the coach or team owner. The 1893 Pittsburgh Athletic Club is noteworthy in the annals of football history because it is the first club known to have paid a player for his exclusive services for the entire season, thereby initiating the dawn of professional football. Unfortunately, the contract signed that year is torn through the signature portion so it is unclear who the first professional player was, but many historians believe it was most likely halfback Grant Dibert. (A copy of the contract is on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.) We have not found any photographs of Dibert, so we cannot identify him here, but we assume he is pictured. The club and year are identified by a vintage pencil notation on the reverse that reads "P. A. C. football/1893." The Pittsburgh Athletic Club was founded in 1891 and was one of the top teams in the area. The club's early years were marked by a fierce rivalry with the Allegheny Athletic Association team, but by 1898 the Pittsburgh Athletic Club team was losing players to other teams and was no longer competitive, which caused the team to fold. Football was still in its infancy during the late 1800s and photos from the era, especially imperial cabinet examples of prominent clubs such as this, are both rare and highly prized by collectors. The crystal-clear photo (16.5 x 13.5 inches) displays small chips in three of the four corners and is otherwise in Excellent condition. The mount (17 x 14 inches) displays a small chip in each corner, edge wear, and both paper residue and light surface paper loss on the reverse from having once been matted and framed. Reserve $500. Estimate (open).