Overview
by Carlton Hendricks
I
got this die cut football player back in 2008 from Dave Perry. I
saw it while shooting his collection in Illinois for
the finale' of my 2008 National story. I expressed interest in
it and Dave said we could probably work something out. Later
after I got home we agreed on $100.00 but I sent him $140.00
because it's just such a great piece. I knew if I saw it at
a highbrow book show or if the right dealer had it, it would
probably be priced around $400.00, maybe more. That is if it were in just a
little better shape. Both feet have been taped back on. Other than that it's in pretty
nice condition. Dave said it was an eBay pick up, and that he's
not really into paper that much.
SPECIAL
FEATURES
This
is
one of the nicest Victorian sports die cuts I've seen. I date it to about
c1890 based
on the players long hair ( early players believed it provided
protection), no head gear, and his union suit. The use of head
gear started about 1890 so this helps date it. Moreover the union suit clearly reveals it is American,
or at least was intended for the American market. Then there's the excellent illustration art
quality, particularly in the facial expression. Lastly it's
limbs are moveable and it's embossed. Both special features that
notch it up there pretty good.
 |
 |
 |
| 5
1/4" tall die cut trade cards issued by A.G.
Spalding |
THE
GENERA
To
help understand and appreciate this piece I'll explain that
there
weren't a lot of Victorian era sports die cuts to begin with.
That is, ones produced in the late 19th to early 20th century.
The most commonly seen are the Spalding's. The A.G. Spalding
sporting goods concern issued a series of 5
1/4" tall die cuts of different athletes around 1890
with advertising on the back. You see them in auctions now and
then and they go for $200.00 to $400.00 depending on condition. ![McLoughlinCoffDiecuts[1].jpg (79545 bytes)](09NationalPhotos/InitialPhotos/9AfterNet54Dinn%20-%20Copy/McLoughlinCoffDiecuts1_small.jpg) I've
also seen some similar ones by McLaughlin's Coffee
and some by Enamaline Stove Polish.  All
these would be in the trade card category. Then there were what
are called "scrap" die cuts that were produced for
pasting into albums. Scrap booking was a major diversion of the Victorian
era before radio and television. I'm not an authority but I
believe many of the scrap images were printed in Germany and
perhaps England for the American market.
|
Polo
players die cut scrap 6 3/16" wide 4 1/8" tall |
ORIGIN
Ironically,
though I say this football player is great and rare I actually don't
know what it is, what it's purpose was, who made it, or where and how
it was sold.  There's
no makers mark, and since
there's no advertising on it I don't
know if it was intended as anything more than a novelty. The
only thing I can think to identify it is the black and orange
sleeves and stockings. Clearly those are Princeton colors,
so it's possible it might have been produced and sold to
promote Princeton football. My
feeling is it may have been printed in Germany. I once had a 24
1/4" by 11 3/8" print of a cowgirl that was also
embossed. Similar quality and same c1890 vintage as this football
player. Though it looked all American as could be, it was printed
in Germany.
|
Single
Sculler die cut scrap 5 1/2" wide |
SPECULATION
Since there aren't any markings on it we're left to speculate
on who and where it was produced. My
Oct. 25th- 31st 2009 Sports Antique of the Week was a children's book
called "Freddy's Football". While researching it I
learned one of the book's authors Ernest
Nister, was recognized for producing moveable children's
picture books in Germany in the late 19th century. I also
learned of another pioneer in moveable books, Raphael
Tuck and Sons, also in Germany in the late 19th century. Our
football player die cut would probably be considered a moveable
doll, but does fall in the same juvenilia
category as moveable books. It's possible Nister or the Tuck
concern could have produced it. McLoughlin Brothers of New York
would be another candidate.
|
8
Man crew team die cut scrap 5 1/2" wide |
We
may never know for sure this pieces origins, but it's fun trying
figure it out. Here's a final tally of the clues:
*
Victorian style graphics
*
Chromolithographed and embossed
*
Hinged moveable limbs
*
Large 13" height
*
Hair and costume are American
*
Facial expression has exceptional character
*
Very rare, only known example
I've
never gotten around to framing it, but it deserves a good frame.
For the time being I just have it in a clear plastic sleeve and
stuff it with some bound Yale News books.
*
* *
|
![McLoughlinCoffDiecuts[1].jpg (79545 bytes)](AntiqueOfTheWeek/fbdc/crunched/McLoughlinCoffDiecuts[1].jpg)
