Hey, pennant guys

[thetahat]

Originally Posted by Domer05

The first pennants to be screen printed first hit the market around 1910-11. It was obviously seen among pennant makers as a superior way to make a pennant because you could do so much more in terms of artwork using this method, which permitted very detailed graphics. More importantly: it required significantly less sewing and therefore required less time and money to produce such items.

But, these advantages notwithstanding, sewed letter pennants never entirely vanished. In fact, Collegiate-Pacific continued making them through the 1970s; and Winning Streak still makes them today (kind of).

Some manufacturers had no choice but to continue making sewed letter pennants. That's because the first companies to successfully adapt screen printing for making novelty pennants guarded the process behind it with utmost secrecy. They didn't just do this to maintain a leg up on their competition; they needed time to apply for and secure patents, because they correctly foresaw the value in the process itself and its adaptability for other other applications, namely, advertising posters; and eventually, apparel.

I've identified about 4-5 pennant makers from the early 1910s that were among the first to make screen printed pennants. The one most of you may be familiar with is The Reproduction Co. of New York City. They made some of the most recognizable collegiate pennants from that era using this new production method.

I have seen numerous pennant catalogues and advertisements from makers well into the 1920s offering both "sewed letter" and new "art process" (screen printed) pennants for sale. So, unfortunately, just because a pennant is sewn letter doesn't automatically mean it was made pre-1910. I wish it were that simple....

This is great and it makes sense. Perhaps it is more indicative of pennants with elaborate sewn graphics like the ones pictured here ... someone could have saved a lot of time and money with a screen, if they had access.

I guess the first “series” to use screen print are the “B.B.C.” pennants which definitely date to 1910-14, due to the Phillies “daisy” pennants. One was in Hunt Auctions a few days ago, just beautiful .. but $9K including BP. Yikes!