Posted By:
CarltonHendricksThere are a lot of these types of signs around on eBay for golf, tennis etc. that are new, made to look nostalgic and this looks like one of them.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ST-MATTHEW-WOODED-GOLF-SIGN_W0QQitemZ160189891782QQihZ006QQcategoryZ1514Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/BORN-TO-GOLF-FORCED-TO-WORK-WOOD-SIGN-VINTAGE-RETRO-NEW_W0QQitemZ230202221377QQihZ013QQcategoryZ43411Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/MISSOURI-TIGERS-FOOTBALL-COLLEGE-SIGN-SPORTS-FOOTBALL_W0QQitemZ290191783237QQihZ019QQcategoryZ1 514QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I think they are styled after English pub signs; obviously yours is made for the Amerian market being baseball. If it were real, it would probably be considered "folk art".
You have good taste though...you appriciated the style enough to obtain it and that is a begining to collecting and learning about real ones. If something like that "was from the period" it would be a major find, $worth$ enough to choke a reindeer. Take your sign to some local antiques dealers and ask their opinion...if they say it's a repro don't get discouraged...hang it up and enjoy it....chalk it up to experience...then get back out there a keep looking for a real one! There was a sign in the coaches office when I was in high school I'll never forget...said: "If you've never failed, maybe it's because you've never tried"
Below is a sign I have in my collection that is a little similiar, details can be seen in this link: http://sportsantiques.com/folk_art.htm
