(Item 11)

Antique Willie Hoppe “National Police Gazette” Portrait (1908)

This exceptionally rare portrait features a youthful Willie Hoppe, widely considered the greatest billiard player of all time, at the very dawn of his legendary career. Published in the National Police Gazette (No. 1594) on Saturday, February 29, 1908, this piece captures the “Boy Wonder” during the pivotal year he was solidifying his dominance in the 18.1 and 18.2 balkline games.

The image is a high-quality period reproduction of an original photograph by the celebrated Vander Weyde of New York, a studio known for its masterful use of lighting and portraiture of early 20th-century icons. The caption beneath the image reads: “Willie Hoppe—The Young American Billiardist Whose Wonderful Playing Has Created a Sensation in This Country and Abroad.” Measuring 17 1/4″ x 13 1/4″, this vintage sporting broadsheet is a significant piece of archival billiard history. It serves as a primary source documenting the meteoric rise of an American sports idol whose career would eventually span six decades and 51 world titles.

Specifications:

  • Subject: Willie Hoppe (The Young American Billiardist)

  • Publication: National Police Gazette, No. 1594

  • Date: February 29, 1908

  • Photographer: Vander Weyde, New York

  • Dimensions: 17 1/4″ x 13 1/4″

A rare and pedigreed piece of early 20th-century billiard ephemera. Please email for more information.