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Thirty-five years ago, Jack Kramer, a former major league pitcher with a notable stint from the late 1930s to the early 1950s, and a 1944 World Series game winner for the St. Louis Browns, entrusted a friend with creating a scrapbook from his memorabilia collection. Among the assortment of keepsakes was a distinctive find: a plain brown envelope inside a plastic bag, adorned with the New York Yankees logo and containing an original set of 8-by-10 glossy black-and-white photos of the 1951 Yankees, captured by team photographer Bob Olen. This collection showcased legends like Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, and Mickey Mantle in his rookie year, including the iconic photo later used for Mantle's 1951 Bowman rookie card.

This photo of Mantle, only the fourth known copy and never pasted into the scrapbook, is a highlight of Heritage Auctions' Photo Legends Type 1 Showcase Auction. It portrays a young Mantle in uniform, bat on shoulder, a poignant representation of his early career, also serving as the basis for his 1952 Berk Ross and 1953 Topps cards. Expected to fetch a significant six-figure sum, this photo is complemented by another Mantle headshot by Olen, anticipated to draw at least $10,000, appearing in various card issues through the early 1950s.

Heritage Auctions' auction includes over a hundred other PSA authenticated Type I images, prized among collectors for their authenticity and rarity, spanning the worlds of sports, entertainment, and historical events. These photographs offer a tangible connection to bygone eras, capturing moments and figures in their ascent to legend.

With the auction set to close on April 7, Heritage Auctions plans to conduct Type 1 photo auctions regularly, enriching collectors' opportunities to own pieces of history captured in the making. This venture into historical photography underscores the lasting impact of sports and cultural icons, preserved through the lens of time.