Jump to content
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

BackinAction

Authenticate a Stick

Recommended Posts

Does anyone know where to go to try and get a stick authenticated. Here's the story: for many years my grandmother worked for the travel agency for the NY Islanders. At the end of the 1979-1980 season her boss came in with a load of Islander gear (gloves, sticks etc..) and handed them out to the employees. My grandmother got a stick and was told it belonged to Brian Trottier. She gave it to me and I hung in on my wall and have had it for 28 Years. It's a Koho Custom Pro 221, but his name does not appear anywhere and I am curious whether there are any companies that could authenticate it.

I know its a long shot but you never know.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You're prolly SOL, unless you can find a distinct marking on the stick and a photo with that same stick in Trottier's hands (friend did that with a Cam Ward stick of his)... I guess KOHO could tell you what stick he used + pattern info, but all that says is it was intended for Trottier.

are you selling it? if not, who cares?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not selling it. It has a nice looking curve so I am actually thinking about using it but want to rule out that it can be authenticated.

I think a better option would be to have some customs patterns made up and not actually use an almost 30 year old woodie supposidley used by a HOFer.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Question: How many shots can one expect to get with a 30 year old wood stick before it snaps?

Answer: Not enough to justify using it, especially if it may be a little piece of history.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

You can always search Getty Images for pics of Trottier and see if you can find matches to that stick (at least that same paint job, tape job, curve, etc.). That's about as good as you are going to get. You could send it to some game used jersey and stick dealers but I think that the cost to try to authenticate something like that wouldn't be worth the value of the stick. You are probably better of trying to match it yourself using pics from Getty Images, the HHOF photo database or just using Google image search.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Question: How many shots can one expect to get with a 30 year old wood stick before it snaps?

Answer: Not enough to justify using it, especially if it may be a little piece of history.

again going to have to agree with that this stick could be specail, and a 30 year old woodie prob like 10 shots, just get some custom blades man

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you use that, I will personally slap you. There are a million patterns out there, you'll like another one. If you MUST have that one, get customs made, or buy a wood stick, and modify it to your liking.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It can be authenticated.. the tape work on both the handle / blade / curve style would help with the process. Highly would not recommend you using such a stick til you get it authenticated.. pm me if you need help,

hockey39

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I say go for it and use it. I'm not the type of guy who really clings on to memorabilia (my gretzky autographed puck that I played with would be a great example) so if you wanna just use it, use it. If it's just going to sit on a wall somewhere it really doesnt matter if its broken or not.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This is just like in the movie The Sandlot where the kid has the Babe Ruth autographed ball, and they play with it and that dog chews it up... I don't quite know where I'm going with that, except that using it would be an extremely stupid thing to do. You're going to feel pretty stupid when you take this thing out for warmup before a game, and it breaks on the first shot you take and you've destroyed a historical piece of memorabilia just for that. Even if historical memorabilia matters nothing to you, surely common sense does?... Common sense says that you could probably sell this thing to someone who will actually appreciate it, and buy 100 new sticks with the money you'd make. Common sense says just don't be an idiot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In order to make a custom pattern of the blade you would have to cut the stick to send the blade to Sher-Wood, for example, for them to replicate it. So, there goes the Koho 221 into two pieces.

Koho was used by a lot of NY Islanders in the late 70s/early 80s because the Koho rep was based on Long Island. He had an incredible ability to service the Islanders with all product Koho. Rennie was very close with Trottier. Trottier and a lot of Islanders also wore Koho gloves, the 750. Billy Smith wore Koho goal leg pads and gloves, too. Smitty wore the Koho helmet. This was all a result of Rennie's ability to seed the team with Koho product. The NHL world was a lot different then before vendors had to pay for brand exposure. As for the stick, if it does not have a "Trottier" name stamp on the shaft, it is probably not a stick used as Trottier's pattern. All Koho Custom Pro 221`sticks would leave the factory with the player's name ink stamped on the shaft. At my old shop, we used to order player sticks by the dozen from Rennie with the player's name stamped on them. The pattern I used for a long, long time was taken from a Koho Custom Pro 221 model of Scott Kleinendorst. I still have one as an original for my pattern reference. Those Koho woodies were beautifully made sticks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I collect game worn jerseys and here are a few authenticators:

www.byronshockeyland.com

www.meigray.com (they have a vintage department and are located in NJ)

Also check out www.gameworn.net

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Why not try to write to Trottier, you may be able to find him thru oldtimer organization. Who knows, he may be thrilled someone's still interested. Or, you may get a restraining order. :-O

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here are two late 70s/early 80s Koho sticks. The Custom Pro 221 and a Custom Player Pattern for Scott Kleindorst. The 221 stick was the retail stick sold in shops at the time for about $15- $17.

s_15278672.jpg

The top of the sticks with Left Lie 6 on the 221 and Kleindorst on the custom.

s_78728765.jpg

s_71378912.jpg

The blades with the 221 on left and the custom on the right. I used this custom to make my own pattern with Sher-wood for a long time.

s_38199036.jpg

221 Made in Finland and the custom Made in Canada.

s_18339143.jpg

The blades- the 221 is a fibreglass overlay while the custom has a fibreglass wrap added on the shaft. Notice the 5030 style set-up on the custom as the shaft meet the blade.

s_20179307.jpg

The 221 has the traditional 5 lam shaft that made Koho sticks famous when they were first brought over from Finland in the late 60s/early 70s. The sticks had great feel and balance. The custom from Canada is the traditional 5030 construction.

s_12829431.jpg

The 221 has been signed by a bunch of old-timers in 1982 at Phil Esposito's first Masters of Hockey game held in Madison Square Garden. I was at an event with the old-timers a day before the game at a NYC hotel and got them to sign the stick. That is Ed Shack's autograph. Yes, "Clear the Track Shack."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...