Michael Jordan & Summer Premium Auction Closing July 18 10PM Eastern
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/18/2020
This is a stunning, full-color 22 x 21-inch store advertising display for Chesterfield Cigarettes, featuring incredible portrait illustrations of the game's top stars surrounding a large pack of Chesterfields ... "The Baseball Man's Cigarette." Liggett & Myers (makers of Chesterfield) certainly spared no expense in the promotion of the company's product in 1948, as they recruited the cream of the crop in baseball talent to "pitch" the cigarettes. Joe DiMaggio and Bob Elliott (as noted in individual captions) were the reigning MVP's of their respective leagues, and Ted Williams was the current American League batting champion. Ewell Blackwell was the 1947 National League leader in wins, Bucky Harris had just led the Yankees to yet another World's Championship and Stan Musial, well, he was simply "The Man." This piece is widely recognized by collectors as a key, museum-quality advertising display of the post-war era, and – with its vibrant colors and appealing design, accentuated by the use of the most recognizable players in the game at the time – it's one of the most visually attractive baseball signs of any period. Who could have resisted the urge to smoke the same brand of cigarette as Joe "D" or "Teddy Ballgame?" It would have been almost un-American to do that! Although the design theme seen in this advertisement was featured heavily in the company's print campaign, and its derivatives appeared in countless magazines, the actual cardboard store display (which is offered here) is extraordinarily rare, with only a few examples known to exist. The piece exhibits a brilliant aesthetic, powered by the fiery-hued red background and superlative tones in the individual subject depictions. The piece is absolutely original with only relatively insignificant peripheral faults that include some fading on the right side, minor creasing and edge and corner wear. This is a magnificent example of one of the most desirable and classic promotional displays from the "Golden Age" of baseball advertising. Approximately 21" x 22" dimensions.