Provenance, Photo Matching, Documentation, and Chain of Custody

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To see the documentation and creation of each one of a kind project associated with these relics, click HERE.

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To view the Heritage Auction listing of these Babe Ruth pants, click HERE. ​

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This page exists to provide a transparent record of the provenance, authentication, photo matching, documentation, and chain of custody associated with the Babe Ruth New York Yankees game-used pants relics incorporated into select Reclaim Customs one-of-one collectible projects.

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Artifact Overview

The relic material used in these select Reclaim Customs projects originates from a pair of New York Yankees game-used pants attributed to Babe Ruth. The pants have been photo matched by SIA Photo Match to images of Babe Ruth from the 1925 season and Yankees 1926 spring training (see bottom of this page for documents and photos).

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The garment features period-correct New York Yankees construction, cream-colored flannel fabric with blue vertical pinstripes, Spalding tagging, and “G.H. Ruth” chain stitching inside the waistband. The pants show wear consistent with game use and were evaluated for tagging, construction, wear characteristics, and photographic alignment.

 

Original Authentication

The pants were originally evaluated by Grey Flannel A.A., Inc. in 1995. The Grey Flannel letter described the garment as early New York Yankees home pinstripe uniform pants worn by Hall of Famer Babe Ruth, noting the Spalding label, waistband construction, size consistency, and “G.H. Ruth” chain stitching.

This original authentication serves as an important foundation in the provenance history of the artifact.

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Expert Uniform Evaluation

In 2026, the pants were evaluated by renowned vintage baseball uniform authenticator Dave Grob. Widely regarded as one of the foremost authorities on vintage Major League Baseball uniforms, Grob has spent decades researching, authenticating, and documenting some of the hobby's most significant game-worn artifacts. He previously led uniform authentication efforts for SGC and has been credited with pioneering modern imagery analysis techniques and standardized research methodologies used throughout the hobby today. His work has been relied upon in the authentication of some of the most valuable Babe Ruth uniforms ever sold publicly.

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As part of his evaluation, the garment was examined for period-correct construction, manufacturer tagging, player identification characteristics, wear patterns, alterations, and consistency with known New York Yankees exemplars from the era. This evaluation provided an important layer of expert analysis supporting the authenticity and historical significance of the pants prior to subsequent photo-matching efforts.

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Photo Match Evaluation

In 2026, the pants were evaluated by SIA Photo Match. SIA concluded that the pants were photo matched to images of Babe Ruth from the 1925 season and Yankees 1926 spring training (documentation at the bottom of this page).

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The evaluation reviewed multiple visual identifiers, including pinstripe placement, seam alignment, pocket and belt loop positioning, tagging, construction details, and visible wear characteristics. The photo matching documentation provides a higher level of specificity by connecting the garment to period images of Ruth wearing the pants.

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Fragmentation History

During his ownership, Arnold Steventon intentionally removed portions of the pants for use in personal keepsakes and collectible pieces. His intent was to allow pieces of the historic garment to be experienced and appreciated by multiple people, rather than keeping the artifact entirely hidden or inaccessible.

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Years later, prior to consigning the remaining pants to Heritage Auctions, his daughter (who inherited the pants) intentionally removed additional fragments for Reclaim Customs (video of her cutting the relics is in the photo gallery below) to incorporate into a limited number of one-of-one custom collectible projects. These fragments were removed with the same spirit of shared stewardship, allowing a select number of collectors to own a documented piece of the garment’s history.

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Heritage Auctions Consignment

The remaining pants were consigned to Heritage Auctions for public sale. Heritage Auctions photographed and documented the garment, including the altered condition of the pants following the previously removed fragments.

The Heritage Auctions images and auction listing serve as additional third-party documentation of the garment’s condition, provenance, and public offering. The pants will be a part of the Heritage Auctions 2026 August Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction.

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Reclaim Customs Relic Documentation

Reclaim Customs maintains documentation for each relic used in its custom projects. This includes, when available:

Relic size and placement

Date of relic allocation

Project or card identification

Photographic documentation of the relic

Connection to the original garment

Supporting authentication and photo match documentation

Each Reclaim Customs relic project is intended to preserve a clear record of how the material moved from the original artifact into the finished collectible.

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Chain of Custody Summary

The documented chain of custody and provenance record includes:

Babe Ruth game use during the 1925 season and Yankees 1926 spring training, as supported by SIA Photo Match

Original authentication by Grey Flannel A.A., Inc. in 1995

Ownership by Arnold Steventon

Intentional removal of select fragments by Arnold Steventon for collectible and keepsake purposes

Inheritance and ownership by his daughter (who has chosen to remain anonymous)

Additional fragment removal by Arnold Steventon's daughter for select Reclaim Customs projects

Authentic evaluation by Dave Grob

Photo match evaluation by SIA Photo Match in 2026

Consignment of the remaining pants to Heritage Auctions

Incorporation of select relic fragments into one-of-one Reclaim Customs projects

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Documentation Access

Full supporting documentation, including authentication materials, photo match evaluation images, Heritage Auctions images, provenance notes, and project-specific relic documentation, may be accessed in the gallery below.

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The purpose of this archive is to ensure that future owners, collectors, and researchers can review the available documentation and understand the origin, handling, and historical significance of the embedded relic material.