46. Spectacular 1920s “Celebrities in the World of Sport” Framed Photographic Poster - w/Ruth, Cobb, Mathewson & Everyone Else! Breathtaking 1920s poster featuring “Celebrities in the World of Sport,” a photographic collection of the greatest and most famous athletes of the early part of the 20th Century. Featuring athletes from all sports, this is an enormous piece, framed to a finished size of 30 1/2” x 39 1/4” and featuring a total of 58 celebrity athletes. The dominant image on the piece is that of heavyweight champion Gene Tonney, with the subjects largely organized by sport. Athletes of particular prominence - Babe Ruth, Bill Tilden, Charlie Paddock and Walter Hagen - occupy the spaces in the corners. Other significant names include Ty Cobb, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Christy Mathewson, Tris Speaker, Johnny Weismuller, James Corbett, John L. Sullivan, Bob Fitzsimmons, Red Grange, Jack Dempsie, Knute Rockne, Benny Friedman, Sybil Bauer, Ching Johnson, Mickey Mackay, Charles Lindbergh, Baron Von Huhnefeld, Bobby Jones, and Gene Sarazen. In our research we have found another version of this poster that has sold at public auction, with two different examples each containing printing in the top masthead identifying the piece as having been distributed by the Sout hern Agriculturalist news paper of Louisville. This particular example contains no such identification; the entire top section of the piece is blank. This leads us to believe that perhaps the piece was actually produced by a third party and sold to various publications to be used as
an advertising premium; this example was used either as a salesman’s sample or is simply a pre- production “blank” that was never distributed. While the frame prevents us from examining the edges or reverse of the piece, the presentation is extremely strong, with close inspection yielding many light wrinkles and surface abrasions consistent with long-ago storage. The most pronounced of the wrinkles are visible over the image of Glenna Collett (at the bottom of the piece), the wrinkles in that area turn into creases that prominently break the surface of the item. Otherwise, the wrinkles are noticeable upon inspection but not distracting. A magnificent display, featuring many of the most important athletes of all-time. MINIMUM BID: $400.00
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