Interesting to note that only the latter variant bears the "Detroit Free Press" label on the reverse. I agree, however, that both are likely from the same promo set.

This inconsistency adds a minor wrinkle into things as the provenance isn't going to be quite 100% without that label. (Although I'll happily accept a "BROOKLYN" pennant without one!)

That eBay seller Vintagebaseballco has some great older Tigers pennants and memorabilia! Over the years I've purchased a few nice items off of him.

Good stuff....but not cheap!

Agree... High quality stuff, and at least half a dozen examples I'd love to have.

But most of it looks to be at least 25% above market value (even to someone who consistently overpays like me :rolleyes: )

He's selling a 1935 Tigers Champions pennant. INCREDIBLE quality!

Here’s one of his. Is that a double spine?

Tiger stripe?

By the way, I posted some new content earlier this month on each of the below sites. I think some of you will enjoy it....

One of his pennants has this maker's tag. Kyle?

No, but it does look that way upon first glance. The inner stripe is painted on, and the outer spine is sewn on. This is a mid-size pennant.... really an odd size, as it's in-between a mini and a 3/4 sized pennant.

Thanks Mark. Very odd looking pennant which I had never seen before.

I know you guys run in the high end, vintage pennant market, but was wondering if you could help me on a cheap, modern one. I started in on MLB All Star Game pennants a while back to match my run of programs and buttons. Figured I’d start on the cheap end and work back to give me something to do. Is there a reason why I’ve never seen a 2012 Kansas City All Star pennant. I couldn’t bring one up in a search anywhere which I thought was odd...? Any help would be appreciated!

Can't help you with that. My searches also turned up nothing.

BTW, others do, but I don't "run in the high end." I run in the slums.

Ha! My apologies, Rob. Though, I've seen some of your stuff and you "slum" it like no one I've ever seen before!

Ryan...

I don't know why that would be. Seems odd that Google wouldn't have a single image of one. I don't really follow any pennants made after 1970, so can't be of much help here.

Is there any chance that a pennant was never made for this game?

Well that's what I wondered, Mark. Seems strange that they would just not produce one for 2012. They have them for every other year I think for at least the last 60, including a 2020 game that never happened. Hard to figure!

Will be moving back to Thailand soon so had a bunch of pennants framed as I have very cheap and good framer here

This is all I can find for 2012...

Beautiful collection. And moving to Thailand. Even more awesome.

You had far better luck than I did, Rob! So they do exist at least. Now to find one. Thanks for tracking those down.

Awesome collection, Jeff! Especially love that Tigers pennant. If by chance that doesn’t clear customs I could probably find a buyer for it ... :)

Safe travels!

You have some real beauties! I especially like the 1958(?) Dodgers/Bosox(?) Tokyo pennant.

That Calgary hockey pennant is awesome.

Mini Pennants
 

Mini pennants can’t hold a candle to full size pennants in terms of artistic value or content, but they do take up a lot less wall space.

Mike those are very nice, but I kinda feel bad for the cubbie in the front of this one ...

I have a large version just as bad.

Enticing ebay offering... make sure you scroll all the way down.

I think that's actually a new selling technique. It's called the pennant crotch-shot. It draws immediate attention to the listing, and has a 60% higher sell-rate.

Seriously, my wife has always referred to this website as "nerd porn". I hate to admit that this finally serves as proof!

Seller (who seems like a decent guy) is insisting that this pennant is not a repro, I can spot it from a mile away. Anyone think I’m crazy?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-St-...feQNM&LH_BIN=1

Sure looks like those Mitchell and Ness tassels, too close to the middle

Although it does have the Sports Service (or whatever it is called) baseball at the bottom. Not sure if I have seen that on a Mitchell and Ness.

Obvious repro, 100%

I agree 100% repro. Also, the colors are wrong in the bird and the “years” are a tell tale sign.

New acquisition ... the Yankees pennant. Common design of course but the condition is virtually perfect and the colors really striking. Hard to find a stadium pennant where the grass is actually green ... seems like you only see it elsewhere in Comiskey/Sox Park pennants. I guess the green paint faded easily?

Additionally this pennant is 100% cloth, including spine and tassels. The LA Dodgers pennant (which I’ve had) is similar. They seem to be better quality, double stitched like Keezer so that the threads and tassels don’t come lose. So I wonder if this Trench or a well made knockoff.

Looks to be by Mitchell and Ness. For what it's worth, however, Mitchell and Ness has made reproductions featuring the original concessionaire's marks, such as the Sportservice baseball mark.

The felt looks to be way too soft/plush to be the original. It's also super clean. And, I'm not aware of Trench ever making any commemorative pennants, such as this, for a former ballpark. That's a Mitchell and Ness thing for a modern-day consumer.

I can't tell for sure but I'll bet you the graphics are flocked....

I've been doing the same thing, Greg....

Since vintage pennants have dried up, it's near-impossible to acquire new ones. So I have been upgrading some of my old "Stadium" Pennants. The grass on many of them typically faded to pale yellow over the years, so finding those green ones is a real treat. I just recently found my favorite version (Mr. Red over Crosley Field), but it's hung up in "Postal Hell" right now.

Separate note... I do believe your Uncle Sam Yankees is a knockoff (and not Trench). The tassels are clearly different, as is the artwork. When you put them side by side, it's very clear.

Yes I think you’re right, but the differences seem a little bit more subtle to me. Like with uncle Sam his eyes are a little bit different. Everything else seems pretty darn close, almost within production variability. I think it’s a matter of the tassels and spine being cloth and also the way it was stitched that suggests a different company. The strange thing is that this is extremely well made from vintage cloth (I don’t recall any reproduction on cloth.) Colors are crisp and precise. Now compare that to the LA Dodger Emmet Kelly pennant pictured that looks sloppy.

I wonder if this is the Reds pennant you’re waiting on? One of my favorites, even if Crosley is just one big gray blotch.

Yes you're right, Greg...

Those two Yankees pennants are much closer than I had remembered. It's the difference in the paint they used, more so than the design. The Trench knockoffs lean more towards an opaque "neon" quality than the deeper, more traditional paint used by Trench. And Trench had a higher quality screening process. The Trench graphics have superior definition and the registration is much more crisp and well-defined, with less bleeding.

Some examples of same design/different paint/inferior screening below...

In the Pirates example, the Forbes Field artwork is identical (although AdFlag changed the Pirate quite a bit- note his body, arms and hands are identical, but the head is different). And note AdFlag's blurry face, mound and foul lines.

In the Reds example, AdFlag copied both Crosley Field and Mr. Red verbatim. You'd think there would be legal consequences, but perhaps the intellectual property laws were different back then. And note how much more precise / better defined the face and stadium are in the Trench version.

On second look, I do see one difference in the AdFlag Reds Pennant.... The puff of smoke at the end of the bat is bigger.

Comparing these pennants is a lot like those "Find the Difference" pictures in Highlights Magazine.

I spoke to Mr. Storm last month about Trench's screen printing process; and, how he felt about other makers stealing their designs. His answers were very surprising....

https://pennantfever.weebly.com/blog...torm-interview

Great article, Kyle....

It's interesting that Mr. Storm had so little reverence for the actual product they manufactured. Seems almost unthinkable that he was solely focused on profits, to the point that he cared so little for the product itself. Obviously he was 100% businessman, and 0% collector. The CEOs of today routinely tout and purport to love the products that their companies put out.

It's also amazing that he said Trench employed only two artists, and pretty much downplayed their work, to the point of just tracing photographs. It's a shame that he could not come up with either of the artists' names, as their work was so well executed, and was such an influential part of so many childhoods.

Anyway, I learned a lot, and really appreciate the time and effort you put into gathering this information (which would otherwise be lost to time and undocumented). Great job as always!

Great article! I agree with Mark, your research is a real asset to the hobby.

Those are also some of the better knockoffs ... I like Mr. Red’s blonde mustache better!

Awesome article, Kyle! I also enjoyed the previous musings of the heavy hitters :p

Glad you all enjoyed that piece. Mr. Storm is a terrific guy and we should all be grateful that he took the time to share his insight with us.

Of course, the collector in me was a bit surprised (disappointed?) to hear how little he valued the products his company made--and especially the work that went into making them. I simply wasn't expecting that.

BUT, if you're a businessman, then your business is staying in business; and that means you have to be willing to look at your operation in a critical, objective, and emotionally discharged fashion. He also had 300 employees to think about. They depended upon him to make difficult business decisions that would keep the plant running, and their paychecks coming.

I really couldn't fault the guy for putting the business ahead of all other concerns. Had he continued making pennants the old fashion way, Trench would have likely folded by the 1980s, as plenty of other pennant makers had.

Anyway, I appreciate the positive feedback. I'm happy I could share his story with you all.

Good points Kyle...

I wonder what Mr. Storm thinks of Mitchell & Ness knocking off so many of his classic pennants. Perhaps he's not even aware of it, since he's not a collector... But it certainly is a testament to his company's legacy and their contribution to the hobby.

Wow. That article explains so much. Thank you.

All right... we need a confession here.

Who got the seller of the oversized teens Pirates pennant to end his auction and sell it outright? That was the best pennant to hit eBay in a loooong time. :mad:

Uh oh .... (disclaimer: eBay permits this now.)

He told me he doesn't end auctions early.

Translation: I didn't offer $1250.

LOL

Has anyone seen this one? Attachment 420922