Quote:
Originally Posted by MEARSAUCTIONS
This is a magazine stand or store front advertising display sign used at the Point of Purchase for retailers which sold Sport magazine. There were displayed on outdoor vendors newsstands or at drug stores, bookstores, or anywhere else that sold newspapers and magazines.
I have seen examples which have been pasted over with several months worth of advertising.
These were very popular with newsstands that sold magazines, comics, and pulp magazines.
This example is unique in one regard, which most likely was a practice exclusive to Sport magazine.
For comics, pulp, and many magazines, a "Proof Cover" was produced and supplied by the distributor. These "Proof Covers" were mounted on a board which may have a tag line such as "Brand New Stories" from the Street & Smith Nick Carter Pulp Series.
The pulp proof covers and most magazines I have examined are unique in the respect that the advertisement is printed with the exact same paper stock and design as the actual item's front cover.
Proof covers are unique with the fact they they are one sided, with the backside being blank. Again these are factory printed and differeniated than just being a torn or removed front cover. My guess is your example is blank backed. The major difference of this Sport cover is that it doesn't have the standard front cover graphics (title, price, date, tagline) as found on pulp, comic and other magazine advertising pieces I have seen.
The fact your cover is mounted on the board supports it as being an authentic advertising sign. I have provided some exemplars from my research library for comparison. Any questions may be directed to Troy R Kinunen at troy@mearsonline.com |
Wow Troy, Absolutely amazing write up. The artistic flare on the boards you shared are very nice. I wish Sport magazine would've spruced theirs up a bit!
The cover being Blank, just a picture of Red with no words or brand overlay is what puzzles me the most as well.
I was able to find the used pictures Copywrite date on Gettyimages, and it was taken in 1950. Coincidentally this is the same year Red hit his famous game winning 14th inning home run in the 1950 all star game that July 11th. However I couldn't find any mention of Reds name on the cover of July, August or even Septembers Sport magazine cover (lists player names of Full color Portraits inside on the cover) and he most certainly would've been listed. Judging from the display he should've been a cover after all.
My guess is possibly the display was created Very shortly after the all star game. And to sport magazine would've been almost 3 week old news by the time August rolled around. So maybe to them no longer would warrant a cover spot and major article. And was just used to bolster sales for July's issue.
This is all just spitballing and it could well be that this image of Red is in a future issue in 1951 or 1952 that I'm unaware of, though I do know with 100% certainty this photo does not exist on a magazine cover. So that also wouldn't make much sense.
In any case I very much appreciate your Reply!