Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Sat, Sep 19, 2026 11:00AM EDT
  2026-09-19 11:00:00 2026-09-19 11:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : September 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/september-2026-vernacular-photo-history-auction-24380
Our September 2026 auction is anchored by two remarkable private collections, together making up about half the sale, alongside a broader selection of consignments spanning early photography, Civil War material, and vernacular imagery. The Soffer Collection, built with an eye for rarity and historical significance, is particularly strong in vernacular portraiture, Native American photographs, and Iowa Civil War imagery. The Palmer, Massachusetts collection, much of it found at Brimfield, centers on maker-marked daguerreotypes from the golden age of the American daguerreian studio.
Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com
Lot 301

Cabinet Card, Chevrolet Motor Company of California Baseball Team

Estimate: $100 - $200
Starting Bid
$50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A company baseball team posed before the Chevrolet Motor Company of California plant fills this large cabinet card, photographed by Ford E. Samuel of Oakland, California. The image dates to the late 1920s or early 1930s, consistent with the style of the automobile featured and the plant's operational period. Samuel's imprint appears on the front mount below the image.

Approximately fourteen players in pinstriped uniforms bearing "Chevrolet" lettering across the chest are arranged around a period sedan parked on the lawn directly in front of the factory. The men wear matching caps and high white socks, with several seated on the car's running boards and hood, one reclining in the grass at front center, and a driver visible behind the wheel. The large factory building with its rooftop sign reading "Chevrolet Motor Company of California" dominates the background, with a water tower and utility poles visible against the open sky.

The Chevrolet Motor Company of California operated an assembly plant in Oakland, and company-sponsored amateur baseball teams were a common feature of industrial employee programs during this era, making this a rare piece of California automotive and labor history.

The reverse bears the catalog number 16472 and the Ford E. Samuel studio imprint with Oakland, Cal. address. The cabinet card measures 12 by 14 inches.

From the collection of James Lee Soffer

Available payment options

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Amex
  • Diners
  • Discover
  • JCB
  • Union Pay
PayPal

All SHIPPING of photographs with total purchases above $500 is FREE, buyers to pay insurance at $2 per $100.