NEW YORK, NY.- Auction records fell as Christie's American Greats: Vintage Sports and Hollywood from the Dr. G.B. Espy Collection realized $8,428,026, selling 95 percent by lot, and 172 percent hammer and premium against low estimate. The top lot of the live sale was the Yankees pinstripe jersey that Lou Gehrig wore in his final game at Yankee Stadium during the 1939 World Series, which fetched $2,712,000 and set a world record for any item relating to Gehrig; Jackie Robinson's Hall of Fame Induction Ring set a world record for a Hall of Fame ring, making $693,000, almost three times over its low estimate of $250,000; a Red Grange Chicago Bears jersey circa 1933-34, made $548,100, which was five and a half times its low estimate of $100,000. A Specialist in Christie's Private and Iconic Department, Nathalie Ferneau, said: “Dr. Espy was an indefatigable and discerning collector, and the market responded to his taste with a resounding vote of confidence. Today's amazing auction results are another sign that memorabilia is a growing category.”

Presented by Christie's and Hunt Auctions, the live sale today and the online sale Vintage Sports and Hollywood Online: The Dr. G.B. Espy Collection ending on 24 October gave collectors the opportunity to acquire more than 400 lots of sports, music, and Hollywood memorabilia that paint a panoramic picture of American popular culture of the 20th century. Other important results in the live sale included: a museum-quality Lou Gehrig Professional Model Baseball Bat likely used by Gehrig in his final World Series in 1938, which set the world record for a Gehrig bat, bringing $1,197,000; Marilyn Monroe's 1954 United States Department of Defense identification card, signed 'Norma Jeane DiMaggio' made $176,400, almost nine times its low estimate of $20,000; Bill Tilden's 1920 Wimbledon Trophy fetched $69,300.

Dr. G.B. Espy painstakingly assembled his wide-ranging and high-quality collection over almost 50 years, acquiring objects relating to a wide cross-section of American popular culture. The late Dr. Goodman Basil 'G. B.' Espy began his lifetime of collecting early, exploring his mother's antique store. An avid athlete and sports lover, he initially collected college football memorabilia before expanding to other sports. Beyond building his extensive collection, Dr. Espy was a respected physician and humanitarian who traveled the globe on medical missions.