Beliveau items to go under hammer
Family auctioning off final collection that includes game-worn jersey, skates
MONTREAL Jean Beliveau has been gone for more than five years, yet rarely a day passes in which his wife of 61 years doesn’t think of his memory.
“All the time,” Elise Beliveau stated emphatically Tuesday morning. “The minute I talk too much (about him) I start crying. I have pictures of him all over the place. A friend came over and said ‘why the hell do you have all these pictures?’ That’s my business. I like it.
“I go into one room and he’s there. I go into another, he’s there. That’s what I want. He was such a good man. Not only an athlete, a good man.”
The iconic former Canadiens captain died on Dec. 2, 2014, at age 83 from pneumonia, and the family has decided to auction off memorabilia of the legendary NHL player.
The ultimate decision, following some soul-searching undoubtedly, was taken by Beliveau’s daughter Helene, who accompanied her mother to a news conference at the Bell Centre. It was her father who entrusted the collection to her, advising her its fate would be her decision following his death. Even then, she couldn’t part with it for five years.
“I just couldn’t. It’s like letting him go,” a subdued Helene said. “We have things that mean a lot to us that we’ve kept and won’t be sold.”
These are the final 79 items belonging to Beliveau that will be sold. They have been available online since Jan. 28 through Classic Auctions, the Delson company that handled 195 of Beliveau’s personal mementoes put up for auction in 2005.
At that time, Classic Auctions president Marc Juteau said he believed the collection could raise $400,000. Instead, it fetched nearly US$1 million.
With fewer items available this time, his expectations have been tempered, although he’s still expecting several hundred thousand dollars will be raised before the auction concludes Feb. 25. All funds raised — minus Classic’s percentage, which Juteau refused to disclose — will be given as an inheritance to the family’s two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Among the lots available are Beliveau’s 1958-59 Stanley Cup championship ring, the first of its kind awarded by the organization to its players while the Canadiens were in the midst of winning five consecutive titles; a game-worn road wool jersey from the 196263 season when the centre was in the prime of his career; a trophy presented to him after scoring his 500th goal, along with the skates he was wearing that night.
That Cup ring originally sold in 2005 for more than $69,000 and is being offered again by the owner. Juteau estimated the ring could command a price between $50,000 and $75,000. The minimum opening bid was established at $10,000. He believes the jersey might be sold for as much as $50,000, with a minimum required bid of $5,000.
Juteau said he and the Beliveau family have remained in contact over the years.
“Obviously it was a no-brainer from us, regardless of who made the first contact. It never stopped,” he said. “We obviously have an expertise they appreciate. For different reasons, we were always in contact. All these years later, Jean Beliveau remains one of the greatest ever. He was such a gentleman, so available and generous of his time. He was such a class act. Everyone wanted a piece of him. He was extremely generous with his time. He was just one of those very caring, very special people.”
Elise still marvels at how her husband would spend hours, personally responding by hand, to every piece of fan mail he received. She said the odd piece of mail still arrives to her condo via the Canadiens organization.