Circa 1914 Remington/Baseball Magazine Advertising Display with Cobb, Mathewson, Johnson and Many Others

Sold For:

$1,763

Year:

1914

Auction:

2011 Spring

Lot #:

1424

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

This exceedingly rare advertising display poster is the first of its kind that we have ever seen. It is also the first advertising piece we have ever seen to cross-promote two of this country's favorite pastimes: baseball and firearms. Issued by Remington UMC, the leading firearms manufacturer of the day, the top two-thirds of the display feature "News Events in the Baseball World," while the bottom third pictures five of baseball's top stars in endorsement of Remington rifles. Noteworthy for its exceptional eye-appeal, the display features numerous photos of the top baseball players and figures of the day, including a study of the pitching arms of Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Ed Walsh, and John Coombs. The most striking image here is a large close-up of the deformed pitching hand of Mordecai "three finger" Brown, which clearly pictures his missing finger. Federal League president Jim Gilmore is pictured prominently in the center of the piece, flanked by images of Jake Daubert and Thomas Seaton, who it notes "has jumped to the Federals." Pictured along the bottom are Ty Cobb, Ed Walsh, Walter Johnson, Clyde Milan, and Vean Gregg, each of whom is seen brandishing his favorite model Remington rifle. The caption below reads "Five of the many big leaguers who shoot Remington-UMC Fire Arms and Ammunition." The large bold text in the center of the poster reads "Printed by Courtesy of the Baseball Magazine." This is the first example of this extraordinary advertising poster we have ever seen and its imagery is both striking and unforgettable. The photos (and captions) selected for this poster are certainly unusual and contribute to its tremendous display value and captivating appeal. This is a poster intended to capture and keep the viewer's attention, and it does so very successfully. This poster is a traffic stopper! Although no year is listed, the fact that it pictures Federal League president Jim Gilmore, who is described here as "the Ban Johnson of the Federal League," dates it with certainty to either 1914 or 1915 (the Federal League was only in existence for those two seasons). The poster (19.5 x 27 inches) has benefitted from professional restoration to a number of tears and/or small areas of paper loss and is linen-backed for optimal preservation. While much of the restorative work is clearly evident, it remains unobtrusive and the piece displays as Excellent. This is a remarkable baseball poster in all respects, and one that has tremendous crossover appeal for collectors in any number of diverse fields, including firearms, Remington products, general advertising, and the Federal League. Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000+. SOLD FOR $1,763