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1889 Cap Anson/Buck Ewing "Burke Ale" Beer Poster.. ...
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Description
1889 Cap Anson/Buck Ewing "Burke Ale" Beer Poster.
Best-In-Class Expert Analysis/Summary:
If you asked experienced sports advertising enthusiasts to create a list of premier pieces, this 1889 Cap Anson/Buck Ewing "Burke Ale" poster would undoubtedly rank near or at the very top. In fact, its appeal and historical importance extend beyond sports in general. At the time of this writing, this poster symbolizes the first time a baseball player was paid to endorse any kind of product, alcohol-related or otherwise. Guinness Brewery was able to secure the two biggest stars of the American Association in Cap Anson and Buck Ewing to help promote their "Finest Pale Ale" and "Extra Foreign Stout" products under the "E & J. Burke" label, a controversial move at the time.
The combination of the Guinness brand, star player endorsement, and the stunning stone lithography by Wagner & Co. Lithographers, resulted in one of the most significant visual treasures ever produced in the advertising world. Only a handful of these 18"-by-24" (unframed) posters have been discovered, and this example is, without question, the finest of the few known by a wide margin. While the poster was professionally cleaned many years ago, it has not been restored in any way, which is miraculous considering its condition. The beautiful graphics alone make this poster exceptional in its category, but its added value as a time capsule for America's National Pastime and society itself cements its place in the upper echelon of vintage advertising pieces.