c1930 Keds Basketball Shoes Advertising Display - Sports Antique of the Week March 24th- 30th 2013

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Sports Antique of the Week

March 24th- 30th 2013

THIS WEEKS FEATURE

c1930 - 15" x 10" On Cardstock

KEDS BASKETBALL SHOE

ADVERTISING DISPLAY

- With Original Keds Shoe -

SOLD FOR $777.00 ON FEB. 1ST 2013

IN LEGENDARY AUCTION

Deaccessioned from the Dreier Collection

www.legendaryauctions.com

Photos courtesy LegendaryAuctions.com

FRONT

BACK

Display auctioned with original Keds basketball shoe

his Keds basketball shoes advertising display was auctioned by LegendaryAuctions.com of Lansing Illinois on February 1st 2013 for $777.00, Lot 429. I would date it from about 1925 to 1935. I believe it was designed to display one of the shoes it advertises. I have a similar sign for Goodrich shoes with a die cut football player that also appears designed to hold shoes. If you aren't familiar with this kind of sign it may be hard to comprehend because of the way its photographed. To make it even more so, the easel is missing on the back. When properly displayed, the white part facing the basketball player would be folded back and the easel on the back, which is now missing, would swing out and hold up the folded back section. A shoe would then be placed on the folded back section for display in the store.

To understand how great this sign is you should first know vintage basketball related signs hardly exist, much less die cut ones. Graphically it's exceptional, the knee pads, the 1930's haircut and so on, spell it out....you know you're looking at early basketball. Not only is this the best looking basketball sign I've ever seen...I would venture to say, I believe it's the only die cut vintage basketball sign I've ever seen. So needless to day it's definitely rare!

LegendaryAuctions.com Dreier Collection Pamplet

Pamphlet open to page

with Keds Basketball Sign

Pamphlet page close in

of Keds Basketball Sign

I first saw this exceptional display in a teaser photo collage of things to come in an upcoming LegendaryAuctions.com auction. The photo was in a pamphlet that Legendary Auctions sent out in January 2012 which announced they would be auctioning the sports collection of Chad and Doug Dreier. I zeroed right in as soon as I spotted it. The pamphlet didn't mention the sign. Later I attempted a preemptive strike and sent Legendary's president Doug Allen an email trying to buy it outright but never heard back, see below:

From: Carlton Hendricks
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2012 11:47 PM
To: Doug Allen
Subject: Keds Basketball Sign et Basketball Bronze Statue

Hello Doug,
Carlton Hendricks here..how are you?...Last January you sent out an introduction booklet for the Chad Drier Collection...a very attractive booklet by the way. On the second page of the PHASE II THE FRAMEWORK chapter there is a photo at bottom left of Dr. James Naismith...and to the viewers left of Naismith is a Keds basketball sign featuring a player making a shot, see attached photos. May I ask, is that for sale?

I’m also looking for a 24” tall x 18” wide c1915 bronze statue of two basketball players sculpted by M. Peinlich and produced by Dieges and Clust...If the Drier family is selling one from their collection please advise.
Thanks
-Carlton
www.SportsAntiques.com

Chad father, Doug son...Chad had been in the home building business. I quote the Legendary profile of him: "If you know the name Chad Dreier, it’s likely because of his celebrated tenure as President, CEO and Board Chairman of the Fortune 500 company Ryland Homes. Between 1993 and 2009". [Unquote] The story went on to expound on his accomplishments in the home building business and give insight into his great collection...Below the complete second paragraph excerpted, but you can read the whole story here.

....Meanwhile, outside the corporate limelight, Dreier was quietly constructing one of the premier collections of sports cards and memorabilia in the world. In fact, were it not for his humble nature and desire for privacy, Chad Dreier would already be hailed as a true titan in the hobby realm. Instead, this unassuming California family man chose to erect his prestigious pantheon, brick by exquisite brick, with little or no media fanfare. Although the private Dreier Museum has received such visitors as Ernie Banks, John Wooden, Kobe Bryant, Tim Brown, Roy Williams, Kirk Douglas and Gene Simmons, very few people outside Dreier’s personal circle have been aware of, let alone had direct access to, his unsung “Smithsonian of the West” nestled in the hills above Santa Barbara, CA

Excerpt LegendaryAuctions.com

Finally came the day almost a year later...I received the LegendaryAuctions.com February 2013 catalog and there it was...opening bid was $500.00. It was the first chance I had to look it over other than the teaser photo...And look it over I did...every inch...And I learned why it was shot flat...the easel was missing and it couldn't be stood up. Tucked in with the excitement I was finally going to get a crack at it was the gnawing reality the easel would need to be replaced before it could be displayed.

I've replaced easels before..it takes a little skill and patience. First you have to source the correct and right size easel...Then once you're ready to attach it you need to focus and get it right. You have to make sure it's on square so the part that swings out connects at the right place and angle. You're gluing it so there's no forgiveness...once it's on it better be right.

Moreover once an easel is partly missing it's better if it's all missing...because ideally to keep it original as possible you need to remove the old one completely so the new one goes where the old one was...just like it originally was...And of course that means you are altering it's original state...all fun and games...

Then to make things more interesting the white part that folds down had a die cut slot in the middle that originally acted as a catch. The catch would likely have attached to a small die cut hooked section at the top of the fold out easel. So what does all that mean?...It means you're not going to be able to order an OEM type easel (original equipment manufacturer)....which means...you will have to fabricate one...And what does all that mean?....means possibly a lot of monkey business...or in other words...If I got it for the $500.00 minimum....then paid the 19.5 percent buyers premium....plus shipping...I'd have a $750.00 project....Oh boy!

I tell ya...I came so close to placing a bid...Collectors know how it is...I requested my Legendary password and was ready to join the fray....At the time there were no bids and I think I even had the $500.00 typed in the form and fingers poised to push the launch button!....but the thought of buying an expensive "project" kept me hesitating....finally as the days wore on the liability of the easel combined with the purchase price put the kaba$h on it....I made my decision and decided to pass...

Do I have any regrets...actually no...Had it been bigger like 24" or taller maybe I'd have bid....Do I think it's worth $777.00?....you bet I do...As stated it's extremely rare and it's got a lot of eyeball...no question it's worth $777.00...matter fact I could see it creeping up into the $2,500.00 range pretty easy. We're talking about one of the best...maybe thee best basketball sign extant on planet earth...Just not for me at this time....too much excitement, I'm just looking to backstroke right now.

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