This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/14/2010
Among the great rarities in the category of pre-war sports advertising is the sparsely issued set of five 1928 Lucky Strike large-format baseball ad signs. Clearly intended for outdoor display, and therefore susceptible to damage caused by the elements, a mere handful of these displays exist today in any reasonable condition. Measuring over 5 feet wide by nearly 2-1/2 feet tall, the offered example features the great Harry Heilmann, "Detroit Tigers, World's Leading Batter". The piece retains outstanding original color, from the vibrant yellow background to the bright red circular "Lucky Strike" logo, to the rich lithographic tones of Heilmann's likeness. The piece has been mounted on linen and only a moderate degree of professional restoration has been performed to mask areas of surface wear and some small scattered holes. No significant inpainting has been performed to any singular area, rather relatively small enhancements have been made throughout. The moderate degree of restoration and the professional quality of that work affords the piece a fairly natural appearance at the VG-EX to EX level. The piece has been matted and framed to high standards, with full dimensions of 60" x 36".