Scrapbook with Babe Ruth, Earhart and Edison autographs sold for $28,759

A scrapbook assembled largely during the 1930s by Hilda Jeanne Payin has sold for $28,759 at auction, bringing together signatures from some of the most celebrated figures in American sports, politics, science, music and entertainment. The collection featured baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, inventor Thomas Edison and composer George Gershwin, alongside dozens of other prominent personalities. According to the official lot description published by RR Auction, the 9-by-12-inch hardcover album contained more than 200 signatures, signed photographs, cards, correspondence and other signed pieces. It sold on October 14, 2026, including the buyer’s premium.A collection spanning several generations of famous namesThe scrapbook was more than a collection of celebrity signatures. It captured a broad cross-section of public life during the early and middle decades of the 20th century, from American presidents and pioneering scientists to musicians, actors and sporting icons.