Post baseball help

[laughlinfan]

I know there is plenty of knowledge about Post cereal cards here, so I am hoping for some help. I picked this up recently in Canada, and it came from the estate of a vintage baseball collector (which of course doesn’t make it vintage or shed any light on its origins!) It measures 7 1/2 x 10 7/8, and is on a stock thicker than normal paper. I have done some online searching looking for a similar item or image, and all I was able to find was a black and white picture of a store display that included a similar image, but it looks like that was much larger.

Anybody seen this before, or something similar? Appreciate any info anybody can share!

[Mark70Z]

It looks like the ads that were on the cereal boxes, which basically stated the same thing as your example, but the image on the boxes were, of course, much smaller than your piece. I’m just guessing as a cutout for a larger display, but I’d like to hear what the knowledgeable people think...

[laughlinfan]

Hey Mark! It definitely reminded me of the small images on the front of boxes in color and style, but those would say "On back panel" like the image below. I think the layout directs people to Post cereals, which would seem to be a point of sale image, or maybe as you say, part of a bigger display. Not really thick enough to be part of a hanging or standup display, though - seems more like something to put in the window, maybe?

[Chris Counts]

I've seen another large Post Cereal Mantle/Maris advertising piece, but it didn't look anything like the Maris piece that's pictured. I'm wondering if this is a fantasy piece. There's a lot of those going around these days.

[Mark70Z]

Very similar; probably an adv piece.

[AustinMike]

I had bought a similar Mantle item several years ago. Here's a link to a thread I started here on Net54 about that transaction:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=168582&highlight=mantle+post+advertisement

Unfortunately, the picture isn't available and I don't have a copy of it, but it was exactly like yours but with Mantle instead of Maris.

[laughlinfan]

Hi Michael!

Thanks for the info - very helpful! Poking around some more, I am thinking the ad was probably not a fantasy piece, but definitely at some point somebody started reprinting them. I did find an image from an auction for a Mantle from 6 years ago. Your experience would make all of these suspicious.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[skil55voy]

The card is an advertising card for the 62 set used in grocery stores. It is similar to the large "flag" type card used on the "whirling" display.

[whiteymet]

Hi Marty:

Long time no "talk". Hope all is well with you and yours!

I too have the same Maris piece you are inquiring about. There was a companion piece with Mantle as well.

I have done extensive research on this piece after wondering like you if it is original or a repro/fantasy piece as others have suggested. I will give you my take at the end of this post.

I acquired mine from a LONG TIME major collector from the Northwest. Here is what he told me on how he got it:

I was the purchaser of several of Lew Lipset Jello and Post items when he resided in Centereach, NY. years ago before his move to Arizona. That was many decades ago. The Maris and Mantle signage placards all came from General Foods out of NY.

Some months back I was lucky enough to obtain an almost complete 1962 Post Cereal Supermarket Display kit in the original shipping carton. It was sent to a Mays Brothers Supermarket in Minneapolis, MN. Any Net 54 members from Minnesota remember May Brothers?

You can see photos of the kit here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/161320162@N07/

you can click on each photo to enlarge them then run your cursor into the top right corner to get arrows to enlarge again.

In one of the photos you will see a Baseball Merchandising Guide. This has ALL the items in the 62 Post Baseball Advertising plan for the year. This guide gives all items a 4 digit number to ID it. For instance the large 2' x 3' Mantle/Maris banners shown in my kit is Form 3083, the pennant group Form 3081. Even things like the stationary is in the guide with the number Form 3105.

All of my items from the Supermarket Display kit have these ID numbers very small by the bottom corners etc. I did not get either the Maris or Mantle like the one you have in the kit

On page 32 of the guide in the bottom right corner you can see what is labeled Ad Mats and Proof Sheets of an item that looks to my eyes to be a mock up of your/my item.

See close up below

It is assigned number 3009-M or 3009-P

Does your Maris have one of these numbers at the bottom? Look closely. Mine does not. Thus my dilemma. ALL other items in the Merchandise guide that were in the kit I have have those small ID numbers.

Other knowledgeable collectors have told me stories about many of these being available that they assume are repro's, all looking the same "aged" and with water marks etc. to make them look old/original.

I have to believe the collector I got my Maris from that he got it from Lew way back in the day out of General Foods. However the fact that mine has no number 3009 on it seems to indicate it is not legit. That mine may be one of the repro's which flies in the face of it's history and it lineage.

OR.... the fact that this came out of General Foods in NY and not Post in Battle Creek, MI may account for the lack of ID numbers at the bottom. Perhaps the items from MI came with ID numbers and the Ad Mats/Proof sheets came from NY without. The fact that the Merchandising Guide at the top of page 32 shown says "YOUR POST REPRESENTATIVE CAN FURNISH THESE...." indicates to me that the Ad Proofs/Mats were NOT included in the display kits.

The only way I believe we will ever know for sure is if someone has one with the 3009 printed on it. Then it would be easy to differentiate between the originals and the repro's (if there are any).

So, Marty, PLMK if yours has the ID number, or if anyone else out there has one with the ID number, please post it here so we can put this mystery to bed.

Until/unless one pops up with the ID printed on it, I will assume mine is original, and one of those requested of the Post Representative.

Fred

[laughlinfan]

Hey Fred!

Great to hear from you! Let me first say that the Post display you shared pictures of is fantastic! I have seen a black and white picture of the display all assembled, and it looks incredible! Will you assemble yours, or leave it in pieces? Have always had a soft spot for advertising pieces (among other things!), but they do take up room to display!

My Maris has no number. It is puzzling. I would think that if I were an unscrupulous reproducer, I would leave the number on it. I am wondering if they numbered the items that needed to be ordered or were distributed from the company, as opposed to maybe these window displays that Post Representatives had a stack of, and didn't need any identifying numbers. I agree with you, though - if one turns up with a number, then likely all of them without are not originals. Short of that, I am afraid it might always be a question. With the solid origins of yours, I would also assume yours is legit, but I don't know how it can ever be definitively established, short of some type of paper or ink testing!

Hopefully some others will have some additional info!

Thanks again, Fred!

[laughlinfan]

dup

[whiteymet]

Hey Fred!

Great to hear from you! Let me first say that the Post display you shared pictures of is fantastic! I have seen a black and white picture of the display all assembled, and it looks incredible! Will you assemble yours, or leave it in pieces? Have always had a soft spot for advertising pieces (among other things!), but they do take up room to display!

My Maris has no number. It is puzzling. I would think that if I were an unscrupulous reproducer, I would leave the number on it. I am wondering if they numbered the items that needed to be ordered or were distributed from the company, as opposed to maybe these window displays that Post Representatives had a stack of, and didn't need any identifying numbers. I agree with you, though - if one turns up with a number, then likely all of them without are not originals. Short of that, I am afraid it might always be a question. With the solid origins of yours, I would also assume yours is legit, but I don't know how it can ever be definitively established, short of some type of paper or ink testing!

Hopefully some others will have some additional info!

Thanks again, Fred!

Hi Marty:

No, I won't be putting my Supermarket display together. I think it is more important to keep it in it's original (shipping) state. I only unpacked them to take the photos you saw on the flickr link I provided in my original post.

As for the B&W photo showing a 1962 store display, is the below photo what you are referencing? This shows most of the items in my display kit. Including the super cool whirl around display with the large cards of Mantle, Pinson, Lary, Gentile, Koufax, Clemente, O'Toole, Cash, Boyer and Maris and the 2'x3' Mantle/Maris banner

Best,

Fred

[laughlinfan]

Hey Fred!

This was the photo I saw, but I like your picture of the display better!

[brian1961]

I LOVE those 1962 Post Cereal store display images. Thanks ever so much for loading them up. -- Brian Powell