On October 13, Antique Helper will offer an Eighth Place Driver’s Trophy from the Third Annual Indianapolis 500 Mile Sweepstakes in 1913.

This one-of-a-kind presentation frame was produced by the Heintz Art Metal Smiths. It features Art Nouveau styling with sterling silver overlay adorning the bronze racing trophy from the “Indianapolis Moter Speedway," complete with the IMS winged logo.  The frame displays a panoramic photograph of the IMS track with crowd and pit crews on race day, and is also inscribed in sterling silver overlay with car (Case), owner Alex Sloan, driver Louis Disbrow and relief driver, H.J. Kilpatrick.

Heintz Art Metal

Otto Heintz was born into a family of manufacturing jewelers.  After purchasing a small company that he renamed The Art Crafts Shop, he began producing copper items with enamel decoration around 1902.  Starting in 1906, he started to produce objects in bronze, with sterling silver ornamentation.  In August of 1912, Heintz was granted a patent for applying silver to bronze.

Heintz Art Metal frames are highly sought after among collectors, the larger examples typically measuring up to 10.75” x 12.75”. With the outer frame measuring 18 3/8" x 55 1/2" and a 4 5/8" wide border, the large scale frame offered in Antique Helper’s October 13 Art and Antiques Auction is unusual in size and noteworthy in subject matter. Similar trophies for third and fifth place from the 1913 race can reportedly be found at The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.  Each is a one-of-a-kind piece, produced by Heintz Art Metal Company for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A Racing History

Antique Helper has a history of working with Indianapolis 500 Memorabilia, starting with the Duesenberg Estate in 2006. In 2011, the company presented The Siriois Family Racing Memorabilia Auction to benefit Riley Hospital for Children with previews and pre auction events taking place at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum and The Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Clarence Cagle Estate, presented in March of 2012, represented another opportunity for the staff from this Indianapolis auction house to celebrate the event that put their hometown on the map. This auction, like the others before it, was an event steeped in auto racing history. Among the highlights of this auction was an original 1909 poster from the inaugural auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which brought a hammer price of $24,000.

The Third Annual Indy 500 driver's trophy in presentation frame by Heintz Art Metal Shop is estimated between $5,000 and $7,000.  It offers collectors a unique opportunity to own a piece of early auto racing history.

An online preview catalog for Antique Helper’s October 13 Art and Antiques Auction is available at www.antiquehelper.com.

For further information regarding the 1913,  please contact 317-251-5635 or email sales@antiquehelper.com.