Lot # 77: Collection of 8 1913 Felt (2-Color Lettering) Produced by the Detroit Free Press American League Pennants including Detroit, New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland & St. Louis Each Measures 10” x 30” (34” Including the Tassels)

Category: Memorabilia

Starting Bid: $500.00

Bids: 10 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Rarities Auction 2020",
which ran from 5/6/2020 12:00 PM to
5/30/2020 7:00 PM




(LOT 77)
Collection of 8 1913 Felt (2-Color Lettering) Produced by the Detroit Free Press - American League Pennants including Detroit, New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago Cleveland & St. Louis – Each Measures 10" x 30" (34" Including the Tassels)

In 1913, a series of eight different American League team pennants were made available to the general public by the DETROIT FREE PRESS newspaper for 15 cents apiece. This marketing campaign provided the collecting community a grand opportunity to gather all eight pennants at a nominal cost via this popular newspaper, as opposed to paying the substantially greater 75 cents price in general stores. Presented here just happens to be ALL 8 Pennants including banners for the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians & St. Louis Browns. Measuring approximately 10" x 30" (34" length w/Tassels), these felt pennants include two-tone sewn lettering and have miraculously eluded any obtrusive tack holes over the past 107 years.

Indeed, it is no secret that the major purpose for purchasing team pennants was to place them on the walls in bedrooms, dens, libraries or any possible "man-cave" room designed to boast these highly collectible banners, with nails or tacks typically being the primary fixtures used to affix them to a wall. Other than negligible surface wear, areas of faint soiling and some light creasing near the outermost tips, all eight pennants exhibit no glaring flaws with each one remarkably including their original 4" tassels. Over a century of time has not impeded the original bright colors with each pennant still retaining a majority of their factory issued sparkling hues. We have posted a scan of the May 17, 1913 Detroit Free Press Newspaper ad that was printed in an effort to have their myriad of readers request at least one of these wonderful felt keepsakes.

The ad is titled: "PENNANTS of American League Cities", and it includes pictures of all eight banners, a description of their quality make, a bold 15 cents EACH text, and details regarding the redemption process that required clipping the heading from the ad and sending it to a Free Press office along with 15 cents to purchase a single pennant. As in interesting side-note, Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics would claim the 1913 World Championship by beating John McGraw's N.Y. Giants in a five-game Fall Classic, thus placing the Philadelphia pennant included in this lot as a championship season banner. A significantly rare offering, it provides the extremely eclectic memorabilia collector an outstanding opportunity to capture all eight of these ultra-elusive pennants that have stubbornly defied "Father-Time" by retaining a majority of their original eye pleasing attributes!

Approximate coloring for each pennant are as follows: DETROIT (Black surface w/Golden Brown lettering); NEW YORK (Burgundy surface w/White & Gray lettering); BOSTON (Red/Orange surface w/Black & Gray lettering); WASHINGTON (Aquamarine Green surface w/Golden Brown lettering); PHILADELPHIA (Blue/green surface w/Golden Brown lettering); CHICAGO (Black surface w/White/Yellow lettering); CLEVELAND (Red surface w/light Gray/White lettering); ST. LOUIS (Rusty Brown surface w/Golden Brown lettering).

MIN BID $500
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