2013 National Sports Collectors Convention Story

PART 1

2013 NATIONAL SPORTS COLLECTORS CONVENTION

Net54Baseball.com Dinner

The Three Bills Room

Corey Leiby Collection

PART 2

2013 NATIONAL SPORTS COLLECTORS CONVENTION

POST-CON ROAD TRIP

John Gennantonio Collection

The 2013 National

By Carlton Hendricks

PAGE 6

BOOTH OF JAY KEMPLIN

From Farmer City Illinois

Next we come to the booth of Jay Kemplin from Farmer City Illinois. Jay's booth was one of the most fun of the show....see photo grid at bottom of page for a walk thru. There was a lot of neat stuff the average bear could afford. First up was a c1890, 30" tall by 20" wide advertising poster for Old Virginia Cheroots, $895.00, Great illustration of Uncle Sam. Next was c1930 porcelain tobacco jar with a red and blue University of Pennsylvania Athletic Association flag illustrated on the front, $50.00. Next was a large signed color photo of Evel Knievel, $350.00.

Mickey Mantle Viceroy Cigs Sign $4995.00.JPG (183376 bytes)

c1960, 41" x 20" Cardstock advertising sign for Viceroy Cigarettes

Next up was a real head turner...A large 41" wide by 20" tall signed advertising sign for Viceroy Cigarettes featuring a crew cut Mickey Mantle, $4,995.00, see photo above. What a piece! Autograph was a little faded but nice and big. Poster condition was a little rough but I saw an easy restoration, as most of the area right of Mantle was in good original condition.

Next in Jay's arsenal was an unframed cardstock advertising poster for Coca Cola, which featured Chicago Cubs icon Ernie Banks a.k.a."Mr Cub", see photo on left. The poster showed Banks finishing a swing and featured an illustration of an 8-pack of Cokes in bottles. The price tag said "RARE $3,250.00", which is exactly what it was...very rare....never seen it before. Side note: I once escorted Ernie Banks to his room at the hotel I work at in California...was remarkably likeable. Then two weeks later I saw him again at the 1989 National in Chicago...my first National...I saw him walking around the show and reminded him I helped him to his room a couple weeks prior in California...he remembered me. I was carrying a 1930's tin toy called Home Run King I got at the show...he was checking it out and liked it.

Last mention for Jay's booth was a terrific die cut easel back advertising sign for Moxie featuring Ted Williams, 14 1/2" wide by 9 1/2" tall, $1,250.00. Must be a very tough sign as I don't recall ever seeing one before. Below are a bunch of shots of Jay's booth.

A Walk Thru View Of Jay Kemplin's Booth






End Of Kemplin Booth

Roger Till Vintage Sports from Lewistown Illinois had a large Old Gold Cigarettes advertising sign featuring an illustration of a baseball player sliding into home, 38 3/8" wide by 28 3/4" tall, $700.00. The catcher's leg and arm almost appear cut off, as if the sign could have been trimmed....but priced at $700.00 maybe not. Next Roger had a c1930 Babe Ruth's Baseball Game, board game by Milton Bradley, 19 1/4" wide by 10" tall, $325.00. Not bad condition. Last mention for Roger's booth was an c1950-60's cardstock advertising sign for Courtley Men's Toiletries featuring Babe Ruth. Or I should say an illustration of a painting of Babe Ruth calling his shot. The sign was rendered in a unique die cut design which appeared separated into two parts against draped fabric, but was actually one large piece. Courtley Men's Toiletries was inscribed at the top part, the illustration of the painting below...A die cut painter's palette which appeared attached to the bottom of the "painting" acted as a legend titled "A great moment in masculinity", 40" tall by 25 1/2" wide, $900.00. Obviously from an era when masculinity had the definition to be employed as a marketing tool. Below a walk thru of Roger's booth.

BOOTH OF ROGER TILL WALK THRU

Old Gold Sliding Into Base.JPG (181381 bytes)

END OF ROGER TILL BOOTH

Jeff White left, John Kanuit right

FOUR-SPOKE FOOTBALL HEAD HARNESS

BOOTH OF JOHN KANUIT

Next up is the booth of John Kanuit of Vintage Sports Collector from Palos Verdes Estates California. So I walk into Kanuit's booth and he's negotiating the sale of a four-spoke football head harness with his pal Jeff White, see photo collage above. So Kanuit is talking it up to Jeff...and Jeff's hesitating...Jeff's a National regular...comes out from Los Angeles most years and hangs with Kanuit...always takes home nice stuff. So I see this fours-spoke...and it's like...what the!?!?...I'm think'n...that's an 1890 four-spoke football head harness!!!!!...if he doesn't buy it I'm all over it...Naturally I made it a point to not look interested...but interested I was...Next thing you know Jeff's pulling the trigger!...and there went what would have been my piece of the National!...Oh well I've got a better one...

Next up in John's booth was a c1930 crew neck Princeton letterman's sweater, $350.00. Next was a pair of c1900 quilted football pants. Label read Western Costume so likely a movie prop, $350.00. Next was maroon and black colored c1930 friction style football jersey, $750.00. A real beauty, great condition. Next up was another pair of quilted football pants...those ones had a Metro Goldwin Mayer tag inside, $350.00. Next was a September 1903 Spalding paper bound booklet "How to play football", 6 5/8" tall by 5" wide, $125.00. One of the players on the cover had on a pneumatic football helmet. more shots here and here. Next was a November 1890 calendar page featuring a color illustration of a football game in progress, 6" wide by 5 1/2" tall excluding mat and frame, $225.00. I have one of these and if I recall it was issued by an insurance company. Next was an 18 3/4" tall megaphone with ARMY inscribed vertically in shadowed letters, $125.00. I bought it.

Next was another football jersey, c1930, black with maroon trim, number 4 on the back $750.00. Had a Spalding tag. Next was a University of Chicago track or basketball jersey with a great label that read "Shea Knitting Mfg., Chicago. undecipherable 10, 1916- April 8, undecipherable", $275.00. Next was another c1930's football jersey...this one with a crotch snap, maroon with white trim, worn by Reston c1935, $475.00. Next was another football jersey, gold color with blue stripe on sleeves, and dark brown friction strips, used in the movie "leatherheads" but was left out, $295.00. Next was a c1935 McGregor basketball, $300.00. Next up was a c1930 advertising stand for displaying Hutch brand basketballs or footballs. The stand was made of cardstock and had color illustrations of athletes on each side, a little worn but still very presentable, 8 1/2" by 8 1/2" by 8 1/4" tall, $175.00.

Next up was a brown color c1915 Princeton style football helmet, $1,600.00.00. Other than missing the strap, good shape, had all the original padding inside. more shots here and here Next was a large c1890 baseball player doll wearing a red uniform with pillbox cap, $700.00. additional shot here Next was a c1920 piece of sheet music "On the Gridiron" with illustration of player kicking the ball, $45.00. Next was a vintage 22" wide by 14" tall, baseball game broadside for the FED. LEAGUE ALL STARS VS. IND'P'L'S CARDINALS. Printed in red on cardstock, $550.00. Huh...so that's how you abbreviate Indianapolis. Next was somewhat of melon style football, $375.00. side shot here Last mention of John's booth was a little bronze plaque 5" tall by 4" wide that featured a c1920's football player running with the ball...with the word "CITY" above., $175.00. additional shots, here, here, and here

BOOTH OF JOHN KANUIT WALK THRU








END OF JOHN KANUIT BOOTH

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