Bidspirit auction | Archive of Smiths Racing Photos

Archive of Smiths Racing Photos Type I Original Negatives and Prints Ohio Motorsports 1953-1959 - This collection consists of Type I original photographic negatives and prints produced by Smiths Racing Photos, documenting regional motorsports in Ohio during the 1950s. The archive focuses on midget car racing, TQ (Three-Quarter) midget racing, and motorcycle flat-track racing. Documented locations and dates include the Hobart Arena in Troy (January 31, 1959), Ohio State Fairgrounds in Columbus (April 25, 1959), Springfield (August 22, 1959), Marion County Fair (August 27, 1959), Eldora Speedway in Rossburg (September 27, 1959), and the Upper Sandusky County Fair (September 19, 1959). Records from 1953 are also present for drivers Al Shaffer and Paul Parks. The archive is housed in original brown paper sleeves which contain extensive notes about the contained photo and/or negative. These handwritten inscriptions identify drivers such as Russ Hankins, Bill Ratchen, Dick Fortune, Mike Nemir, and Bob Harris, along with specific race details like 1st Heat and Winner 50 Laps. The negatives are composed of Ansco Super Hypan and Kodak Safety Film stocks. Imagery includes on-track action, winner's circle celebrations with trophies and flags, vehicle details, and track accidents. Some sleeves contain period photographic prints alongside the negatives. Newer empty manila envelopes are included for organization, featuring location and date information on the exterior. A ruler is visible in the documentation images. Ruler length: 14 inches. Pickup is Wednesday, April 22 from 10 am to 3 pm at our gallery in Lancaster, Ohio 43130 or we will provide in-house shipping for this item. We will charge a $5 fee if you want to pick this lot up another day. Once packed up we will send you an invoice for shipping & handling. Shipping questions: shipping@burnsbid.com. Sales tax is collected on this auction.