Lot 746: 37 pcs. Al Keller Original Indianapolis 500, NASCAR, & Other Racing & Personal Ephemera, c. 1947-1961

Thirty-seven (37) c.1947-1961 Al Keller (American, 1920-1961) owned original Indianapolis 500, NASCAR, and other automobile racing and personal ephemera items including: one (1) set of thirty-seven official photographs of winners of the Indianapolis 500 from 1911-1953 (the event was not held in 1917-18) housed in an original orange-and-black-checkered box with text that reads “Official Race Photos” and “Winners / Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” with unused postal form on the back, each card 2 3/8″ x 3 1/2″ W; one (1) 1947 American Racing Drivers Club driver’s membership card signed by Keller (driver), Mike Joseph (President), and William Tattersall (Secretary); two (2) American Automobile Association (AAA) Race Driver pins, 1950 and 1954; one (1) 1953 racing pin with checkered flags; one (1) 1955 AAA Contest Board Racing Driver l License signed by Keller; one (1) 1955 Indianapolis Motor Speedway pin in the shape of a steering wheel and numbered 552; one (1) 1956 NASCAR member’s pin and one (1) 1956 NASCAR driver’s pin; one (1) 1956 Indianapolis Motor Speedway pin one with “Home of the 500 Mile Race” text numbered 400; one (1) 1957 Indianapolis Motor Speedway pin numbered 209 and pinned to red and white plastic Firestone mount; one (1) 1958 Indianapolis Motor Speedway pin; one (1) 1959 Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) driver’s license issues to Keller and signed by Charles Moran, Jr.; one (1) 1959 Champion 100-Mile-an-Hour Club banquet commemorative pocketknife and bottle opener engraved “CHAMPION / 100 MILE AN HOUR BANQUET / 1959” and housed in the original plastic case with same inscription; one (1) 1959 Indianapolis Motor Speedway pin numbered 531 and pinned to a white plastic D.A. Lubricant Company, Inc., Racing Division, mount with additional ADC St Louis pin in the shape of a steering wheel and numbered 40; one (1) 1960 Indianapolis Motor Speedway pin numbered 227 and affixed to an original orange paper mount with “Not Good for Gate Adm.” and “44th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes” text numbered 1 and dated May 30th, 1960; one (1) 1961 Indianapolis 500 50th anniversary pin numbered 519; one (1) Murdock Auto Racing Club Honorary Member’s Card issued to Keller and signed by Phil Boor (President), “Skids” (Vice-President), and Bill Akens (Secretary); one (1) Tangerine Tournament Florida racing patch; two (2) United States Auto Club patches; one (1) pin in the shape of an indy car numbered 98 and depicting Joshua C. James “Aggie” Agajanian, with text to hood that reads “Agajanian”; one (1) Firestone Indianapolis 500 pin with company logo and checkered flags; one (1) Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) three-year member pin; one (1) pin in the shape of a red indy car; one (1) University of Florida Flying Club pin in the shape of a blue, winged alligator inscribed “Florida”; four (4) pins with race cars in various colors before checkered flags; one (1) medallion or pin in the shape of a race car, with missing backing; one (1) pin with a driver riding a piston; one (1) personalized Art Deco”AK” (Al Keller) tie clip; two (2) tie clips with indy cars numbered 41; and (2) Homelite chainsaw tie clips. See lots 744 and 745 in this auction for other Al Keller-related items. Biographical note: “Keller raced in the NASCAR Strictly Stock and Grand National series from 1949 to 1956 making 29 career starts. He won two races during the 1954 season and is notable as the only driver in the history of NASCAR’s Grand National series to have won a race in a foreign-built car [this distinction stood for 54 years, until a Toyota won in 2007], winning the 1954 road-race at Linden Airport in New Jersey, driving a Jaguar XK120. In 1954 Keller also started racing champ cars, racing in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series. He made 32 starts between 1954 and 1959 and also in 1961. He finished in the top ten 13 times, with a best finish of 2nd in 1956 at Atlanta and in 1961 at Milwaukee. He raced in the Indy 500 five times from 1955 to 1959 and was involved in the crash that took the life of Bill Vukovich Sr. His best finish at the Brickyard was 5th in his last appearance in 1961. Keller died later that year as a result of injuries sustained in a Champ Car crash at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. He was driving the Philipp Offenhauser ‘Konstant Hot’ in the 100 Mile Bobby Ball Memorial race.” (Source: HistoricRacing.com)

PROVENANCE: By descent through the family of Al Keller.

CONDITION: Official race photos in overall very good condition, box with creases, losses, and minor tears to fold lines; 1947 American Drivers Club and Murdock Auto Racing Club cards with staining and toning; both plastic pin mounts with surface grime and accretions; pocketknife and bottle opener with minor oxidation to metal; 1960 Indianapolis 500 pin mount with creasing, tears, damp staining, and pen inscription. Other items in overall very good condition.