Famous Boxer Jim Jeffries at The Pickled Hutch

Every once in a while I come across that rare item that I love so much, I don't care if it ever leaves the store.  This portrait is a perfect example.  I purchased it a couple years ago. He stands quietly across from my desk each day poised toward the front door, the strong, handsome, silent type.

I had no idea when I got the painting that he was a famous boxer, I just knew I fell in love with this period portrait. The ironic part is that an ephemera dealer happened to walk in the day I brought the painting in and immediately identified him. Because in his previous life he worked in the boxing world. Go figure!  His name was  James Jackson Jeffries.

James Jackson Jeffries ("The Boilermaker") (April 15, 1875 – March 3, 1953) was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He was also a sparring partner of Gentleman Jim Corbett who taught here in San Francisco at the Olympic Club.  Jeffries started boxing as an amateur at age 16 until he turned professional at age 20.
Jeffries stood 6 ft (183 cm) tall and weighed 225 pounds (102 kg) in his prime. Despite his bulk, Jeffries was a trained sprinter who could run 100 yards (91 m) in just over ten seconds, and could purportedly high jump over 6 feet (180 cm).

He was known for fighting in a crouch position learned from his trainer which can be seen in the portrait.

The painting dates to the early 1900's. The painting is of Jeffries in his prime. It is signed and the signature was extremely difficult to read but I finally figured it out. It's attributed  to Earl Motter, an artist who lived down in the San Diego area at the same time that  Jeffries did. Jeffries was 6 feet tall and the painting is 6'8" so it is a really impressive scale.  James had a boxing barn that is now part of Knotts Berry Farm.  Pretty cool find don't you agree?