Fall 2019 - Item detail
Extremely Rare 1950s New York Giants "Three-Dimensional" Pennant
- Sold For:
- $1,560
- Year:
- 1955
- Auction:
- 2019 Fall
- Lot #:
- 2174
- Category:
- Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia
Exceedingly rare New York Giants "three-dimensional" pennant dating from the 1950s. This is the first example of this extraordinary pennant we have ever offered and we cannot recall having seen another at auction in the past 20 years. The unique design features a colorful illustration of a bearded New York Giants player holding a bat in one hand and a baseball in the other. The words "The New York Giants" are printed below and to the right of the image. The "three-dimensional" aspect of the pennant is in the use of a real, wooden bat (sliced in half and mounted by means of staples and a slit in the fabric), a separately applied cap that extends beyond the borders of the pennant, and both plastic eyes, and baseball (mounted by means of a metal fasteners). It should be noted that during the 1950s the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants also produced similarly designed, and equally rare, "three-dimensional" pennants, examples of each are also featured in this auction. (Incredibly, all three pennants were just recently discovered by our consignor at an estate sale and are therefore new to the hobby.) Another unique feature of this pennant is that the illustration and all the lettering appear to be done in colored felt, as opposed to standard paint. Given the cost of its manufacture, this was probably a very expensive pennant at the time, and one that only the wealthiest fans could afford. That fact, plus its fragile nature, probably explains why so few are known today. The pennant, which is complete with tassels, displays wear to the baseball (much of the paint has chipped away), and a number of small edge tears. Tack holes are evident in the tip and each corner. In Very Good to Excellent condition overall. This is a most extraordinary example of one of the "Holy Grails" of both pennant and New York Giants collecting. 29 inches in length. Reserve $1,000. Estimate (open).