1908 Broadside - torn, stained, holes, corners missing, beat to heck…but still got it

[CarltonHendricks]

Picked up this Cal Stanford track meet broadside on eBay a week ago...got it today...Some of you may know I'm wild for broadsides...Good early ones are so rare I try to get them whenever I can...spotted this one and it had one bid sitting at $160.00...I had to wait patiently for about a week for it to close and it never moved right up to the end...Had a snipe bid loaded but was hoping to get it a little above the $160.00...wasn't to be...six seconds to go and it jumped to $165.00...and for a 10/th of a second I was all excited...I thought I got it for the $165.00...but nada...screen refreshed and took a significant jump...but still $70.00 or so under my snipe...

See the condition?...would really bother some but for the right broadside I'll take them in practically any condition...it doesn't bother me because their very nature subjects them to abuse...Matter fact I'd almost prefer them like this as opposed to mint...mint ones have to be examined closely to make sure they're real...one look at this puppy is all it takes and you know it's the real thing...Big ones...particularly ones on cardstock...are very rare because they were more subject to damage and discard much more so than something like a trade card that could easily be kept safe in an album...the bigger and older the more rare...

Another asset is it has the all important year...nothing's as nice to have on a broadside as the year...And the graphics are very good on this one...has a strong art nouveau style red border...But that's just the face value... if I only had the time and energy to look into the teams and events and winners!...to see who won what...

I'm always curious where something like this came from...where it's been....I mean it's been thru quite a journey to make it all the way to me...I lucked out and got a little of the scoop from the seller....

Subject: Re:1908 University of California vs. Stanford Track Poster
Sent Date: May-11-14 19:24:05 PDT
Hi, I see you're in Chicago..Can you give any of it's history? Where it came from? Auction? flea market? estate sale? family heirloom? thanks -Carlton

Subject: Re:1908 University of California vs. Stanford Track Poster
Sent Date: May-11-14 20:20:05 PDT
Carlton, I got it off ebay about a year ago. The person had listed it with a buy it now price that was pretty low and I was lucky enough to see it after it had only been listed for about an hour. The seller was like from Conneticut and it had been found in an attic in Conneticut which explains its condition. I will be sending it to you in the frame the seller had put it in. The glass part is plexiglass so it should protect it well and not break. I will be shipping it in a box with packing peanuts so it should be fine. Thanks

I have no intention of trying to restore it...it's so worn it is what it is...I think it will look real good once it's matted and framed up nice...

[ethicsprof]

great pick up!
congratulations.
your excitement readily comes through your writing!
all the best,
barry

[rjackson44]

Pretty carlton hope the stang is good

[CamaroCPA]

Nice!

I really like it because my other hobby is running! (Not track but long distance road/trail running.)

[baseball tourist]

Great item Carlton! Your collection of rare broadsides must be impressive. How many do they number now?

[ooo-ribay]

I like that it was held on a "cinder path" and not a track.

[Jay Wolt]

Carlton, nice pickup!
$1.00 admission in 1908 was pretty high in those days

[Tay1038]

Sweet Broadside!