Went for a boatload of money on Ebay this morning. Seller's description:
"This photo is from a group of 7 standee photos titled "lightweight champions". (See the entire collection listed individually elsewhere in this auction). The collection consists of vintage c. 1928 glossy photographs of 7 lightweight champion boxers each of which is encased between 2 cardboard photo mat board frames. They each measure 8x14". Attached to the verso is a cardboard stand that when folded out allows the photo to stand on its own. The photo housed between the 2 pieces of mat board is viewed through an oval-shaped opening that measures about 5 x 7 1/2". At the top of each individual mount is printed (not hand-done but press printed so these were obviously mass produced) "lightweight champions". Beneath each champion's photo is their name and the years in which they held the world lightweight title. (McLarnin lost in his fight with Mandell and was only a favorite to become a lightweight champ at the time these were produced). They all have their share of wear especially around the edges and corners of the front mat board and some have minor stains or holes. They must have been published/produced around early may, 1928 as the Jimmy McLarnin standee states that he "fights for the championship may 17th -?". (that was the original date set for the McLarnin vs. Mandell lightweight title fight. It ended up being held on May 21, 1928). The photos themselves are in excellent condition having been protected through these last 84 years by their encasement between the mat boards. There is nothing on them to indicate what company produced them or where they were made. It is my guess that they might have been produced in New York City and distributed as promotional advertising pieces to the places in New York City where tickets to the fight could be purchased or to the places where Mandell vs. McLarnin posters may have been hung. I do not know how many other lightweight champion's photos might have been part of the original set (you would think that Mandell should have been in there) nor have I found any boxing collector, boxing dealer, or boxing history expert who has ever seen any part of this nice old set of standees. They are certainly rare in this form. See my last scan in each lot to see what they look like as a group. They came from the personal collection of 1920's Wisconsin/Minnesota boxer Jack Ennis."
Anyone ever seen anything like them before?
11-10-2012, 09:19 AM
OK, So What Were These?
Linear Mode
