I have never seen anything like that, but the “red flag” for me is how crisp and new the lettering looks, as opposed to the fabric. Hopefully, I’m wrong.

1941 All Star Pennant
 

Hi, asking for a "friend." He has this pennant and wondered if anyone had any details on it beyond the obvious. How rare is it, what might be its value, etc.

Thanks.

Charlie

There was an auction awhile back where a Boston bar sold off a bunch of allegedly vintage pennants. Something like McGreevy’s? Anyway I thought I saw something like this pennant in the auction, which did contain many other pennants which clearly weren’t authentic. Not to say this one isn’t but hoping someone else knows more about what I am talking about …

Yep now I see it on Liveauctioneers. I have serious doubts that this is circa 1903, but it could be an old homemade pennant. It appears that the lettering is glued on and not sewn. That’s a red flag. Also a Boston Braves pennant from the same bar was auctioned, same type of canvas-like material, and it has the exact logo used on a late 40s pennants made by Keezer.

That being said it appears that you have a nice item that hung for a long time in what seems to be a legendary bar. So with documentation it still presumably has value. I’d still be interested in what others think but I feel confident saying someone made this many years ago specifically as an ornament for the bar.

Agree

Now I remember… yeah, the McGreevey stuff. But do we even know for sure it “hung for a long time”?

No, just a guess. I will say, the staining looks sort of deliberate, odd that it is mostly along both long edges.

The description of the item does not elude to it being “original” i.e. circa 1903. Just that it hung for a long time. I gotta believe, if they thought themselves that they had a 119 year old pennant of the first ALWS team, they would know to put it in a separate auction. Something like this, if it was original? Probably looking at a hundred grand.

Speaking of which, what is the most money known to be spent on a pennant? If my memory serves me correct, a 1919 White Sox “grommet style” pennant sold in auction for $34K. Any others in contention?

I believe the McGreevy items were mostly made in the last 20-25 years. That bar opened around the early 2000s I think. I would be very cautious to value any of their items beyond what modern reproductions and fantasy items go for.

Alan

Ah did not know that. I assumed this was some sort of legendary tavern.