This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/11/2022
As the day’s premier pitcher, Christy Mathewson featured prominently in many turn of the century advertising campaigns. Of those, none is as memorable or sought after as the pieces produced by the Tuxedo Tobacco Company. Mathewson’s Tuxedo trolly car ad panel is the best known, but this wonderful die cut portrait of the “Christian Gentleman” is much scarcer. Measuring 17” x 25”, this piece features a beautifully illustrated bust of Mathewson, the pitcher’s piercing blue eyes gazing directly at the viewer. The red Tuxedo script logo and rendering of one of their pipe tobacco cans complete this stunning die cut advertising piece. The surface shows soiling and toning from age, but the lithographic image remains clear and bright. Mathewson’s Tuxedo trolly car ad panels occasionally come up for auction, but we have found only one other example of the die cut ad panel. That example, from a 2005 auction, was in poorer condition that the one offered here. This exceptionally rare piece has been professionally matted and framed, further enhancing the beauty of advertising artwork.
Frame Measurement: 25.5"x34"