Beautiful typography Frank Nesselson Belle Vernon PA / Clothing, Shoes / Hats and Furnishings / Don’t Forget us When you Want Anything in the Clothing Line on each of the four sides. Rabbit behind to hold presumably a mirror and cove/fancy edges says that this was not a make do craft but actually built as picture frame “moulding” all those years ago. Extremely rare bit of advertising.
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Heavy cardboard gum advertisement from a trolley car (trimmed to 11” x 20”). DOWNEY GOES, DEEP-SEA DIVER, BUBBLES__”I LIKE WRIGLEY’S FOR DIVERS REASONS. IT SUITS ME RIGHT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. TWO THINGS I CAN’T DO WITHOUT; A STEADY SUPPLY OF AIR AND WRIGLEYS. Fantastic illustration of cartoon fish and a little aquarium diver holding a stick of gum underwater next to a giant SPEARMINT arrow in green. Reverse reads: BUCK BRONCO, COWBOY, YIPS “WRIGLEY’S IS MY BRAND! IT’S ALWAYS IN MY SADDLE BAG. NO OTHER GUM CAN COME WITHIN RANGE OF ITS FLAVOR. RIDE WITH WRIGLEY’S! THAT’S A GOOD STEER.” Cowboy lassoing a bull with one hand on a dopey looking cartoon horse, holding Wrigley’s in the other hand. Giant green arrow reads SPEARMINT. Seems to have been printed slightly off center, nothing is missing but an even border. Signed Art Helfant who worked for DC Comics the 40s-50s doing “filler comics.” Wonderful art work on either side. Was always two pieces, taped together. Some nicks, scratches and pinholes to be expected. $75.
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Notes on the reverse indicate this is student artwork, 1962. The artist named Gerald A. Woods, who dated these 1962, was a working professional artist in Pittsburgh PA for much of his life.
Hinged mat measures 30″ x 20″ when flat. A monochromatic blue tone Time Machine painting (10 x 15″) on one side, and four (5 x 7.5″) paintings split between Time Machine and War of the Worlds. $65.
Beautiful layered / screen printed color and flocked clouds. Measures 8×10, likely dates to the late 1930s. Nice condition, save one >tiny< chip to left. SOLD.
Say it With Printing
Great old trade sign! Probably 1930s. Heavy cardstock / masonite painted over in orange, blue and white to read “Say it with Printing – Dance Tickets – Business Cards.” Image measures 22″ x 24″. Is in original frame, which I believe was used as the top of a cabinet door. There’s a latch on one edge still. Overall measures 32″ x 36.” Killer display piece. Two bumps to sign, $95.
I like to handle only one of a kind things, and I can be certain that these fall right in my niche. A pair of canvas screenprinted banners (white, with black trimmed red lettering) that measure 26″ high by 120″ long (each) x 2. Reads: Walter L. Main 3 Ring. The Walter L. Main circus operated on and off from the 1880s up to the 1940s, I’d pretty much guarantee these are 1930s/early 1940s. These are absolutely classic, railroad car advertising banners to drape outside the show’s cars as they traveled. Own a little piece of an iconic dustbowl era scene here. Here’s what looks to have happened, they look to have been printed “Erie Litho” (a recognized circus poster printer) as back ups and never used. They clearly saw water damage to the bottom – perhaps 10″ – years ago. Would frame beautifully, or clean them up and hang as they are. The top 2/3rds looks to be new old stock, and the bottom 1/3 has some canvas flaking and staining. SOLD.
For all of you collecting antique taxidermy, here’s a killer companion piece. Diplmoma issued Dec 10, 1909 in Omaha Nebraska. In the far left corner is a gold seal that reads “The Northwestern School / Corporate Seal of Taxidermy” and a 1″ tall photo of the graduate attached to the diploma. Buck engraving at the center with “School of Taxidermy: Taxidermy Taught in all its Branches” motto atop. Incredible condition, largely clean and without flakes/cracks/or loss – just a few small stains, see photo. Frame is in perfect shape, never taken apart (the backing paper has been taped – nothing else). Measures 15.5 x 18.5″. Even without a taxidermy collection, this is perfect Victorian goth or steampunk decor – scarce. $95.
All these ever make me thing of are the shocking red and white meat cuts that Mark Ryden likes to juxtapose with Lincoln’s image. I adore these butchers’ props/salesman samples. Obviously from the 1950s, they are made of plaster and then painted (looks like airbrushed) with a million shades of white/cream/red paint. T Bone and an Eye of Round I’d guess. Round is 6″ x 7″ x 3″H and T Bone is 3 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ x 6 1/2″H. Great condition. $125.
Found in a new old stock cache in a SWPA barn, this card is new old stock from the 1880s/90s. I assume that the Professional Hypnotist card / artwork is a blank and the name and town would be printed in – Bert F. Ober, Stahlstown PA. Measures 2 3/4″ x 4 1/2″, very nice condition. $25.
Mama loves object framing, whenever I’m bored – this is what I whip up to get the creative juices flowing again. Set of a dozen modern dance (c1930 screaming art deco) tobacco cards, made by German manufacturer Eckstein-Helpus. The cards are tonal monochrome, and paired with the charcoal mat and chocolate frame are striking. The coolest part is that the second card in is a rare image of Anita Berber. Same era and every bit as high society gossip mill fodder as Mata Hari or Isadora Duncan. Berber became one of the first women to perform nude, and could in fact be found barely clothed most of her life. A short black bob and a mink stole, occasionally all she wore to a party. A drunk and a cocaine addict, she lived a high speed life – muse to many a Weinmar Period artist and early filmmaker in Berlin’s Art Deco boom…before dying of Tuberculosis in 1928 at the age of 29. Each card measures 2” x 2 ½”, the entire piece 16” x 22”. $135.
