Lithographic mounted cabinet card of Chief Bender - help identify
 

Those of you who have followed along with my framed Chief Bender quest know I am always looking for interesting and possibly unique items. Well here is my latest find and I need help with any information you may have about this item. It came from the personal collection of Lew Lipset.

It is by the Atlantic Lithographic and Printing Company as shown on the label on the back of the mount. The mount is 6 x 8 and the card itself is 3.5 x 5.5 and on heavy stock. The card is loose from the mount but the glue spots on its back coincide with spots on the mount. My guess is it is circa 1910 based on the uniform, an older Bender and the Reach American League baseball in the background.

Has anyone seen this card or others similar to it?

Looks like original artwork for use perhaps as the cover art for a Sporting Catalog
 

Nice pickup! Congrats!

Reminds me of artwork used to promote Sporting Good companies catalogs. I remember Chief Bender being on the cover of the 1912 Reach catalog if my memory is correct.


Patrick

Very cool cabinet type card....

Is it actually printed or is it original art? The notice on the back would make me believe that it's either original art or a proof submitted to the customer, Maybe Reach?

Really cool either way.

Steve B

very cool...I love the stitching on the ball! I feel like I have seen similar ads with the reach ball in the past but not sure if I've ever seen anything quite like that!

bender
 

very interesting piece!
congrats

best,
barry

Couple of references to Atlantic Litho, signed "permission" cards allowing them to print a ballplayer's image. But no hits on other examples of the pieces themselves, maybe never issued?

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/...2010/1274.html

http://www.historyforsale.com/html/p...art=1&page=182

Interesting thoughts. It was sold to me as being original art which would dovetail nicely with the information on the back including the word "Sketch". How can I readily distinguish original art from a print?

Reach did use Bender on the front of its 1913 catalog as shown below (That was based on a Van Oeyen Bender photo I have seen in Mathewson's "Pitching in a Pinch" book of 1912). Was this an original art submission for that catalog that was ultimately not selected?

The permission slips are interesting. Has anyone seen any Atlantic Lithographic issues?

My guess is that this is a one of kind item.