Lot 377. 3 Humorous Bowling Prints, 1 by Bernhardt T. Wall and 2 by G. R. Cheesebrough. Both are American illustrators. In the early 1900s, Wall designed more than 5,000 comic cards and was recognized as the “postcard king.” Cheesebrough is a Minneapolis artist who combines humor and stylized techniques. In Wall’s 1905 print, titled “The Disciple of the Bowl: Watch the Strike,” a grizzled hobo bowler with Harvard and Yale “credentials” prepares to send the ball down the alley. His lone suspender (the left one apparently is broken) holds up pants with holes in them, and his shoes are shredded. A kerchief that is blue with white polka-dots is around his neck. He also wears a red sweater with a white “H” for Harvard and a blue hat with a white “Y” for Yale. He chomps on a cigar. The illustration is copyrighted 1905 by J. Hoover & Son, Philadelphia. Wall’s postcard career originated with Ullman, which hired him in the late 1800s to create illustrations to help sell its picture frames. After a postcard company stole Wall’s designs and used them on its cards, Ullman joined the competitive postcard market and became one of the market’s prolific producers. The artwork here is about 16” x 17” and simply framed. It is printed on thick paper. There are some stains along the bottom edge, and the right bottom corner is detached. Except for the corner, the appearance is vg. Wall’s creation would have made a great cartoon character and, nicely framed, will serve as a humorous conversation starter in a home or office. Cheesebrough provides two illustrations. One titled “Pin-Up” shows a woman bowler who likely would not have been a choice for Hugh Hefner’s magazine. The other, titled “Turkey Roll,” features a man who seems to have had his share of turkey, and beer. Cheesebrough has illustrated a number of books. These prints are about 11 ½” x 15 on a 16” x 20” backing. Both are ex-m.
Minimum Bid $15
Lot 378. Rare 1920s-30s Dur-a-Bilt “Defender Military” Bowling Game. This bowling set earns the “military” designation because the pins are toy soldiers. The 6 ¾” pins, which come in five colors – yellow, red, blue, green and orange – are vg. All show some paint loss; 90 percent or more of the paint is present. The box is plain and g. Unusual, rare game.
Winning Bid $35
Lot 379. 10 Vintage Planters with a Bowling Theme. Four of these planters or flower pots have bowlers in action. Three have an early 1960s Samson Import Co. copyright, and one has a Relpo Pottery label. The planters from 1960 and 1962 each have a different male bowler, while the 1963 edition features a female bowler. These planters are ex-m to nm and approximately 5.25” tall. A planter from Rubens Originals is about 5.75” tall; the planter itself is a bowling ball with three pins at the front. Ex-m, paint on one pin is incomplete. A baby with a bowling ball is the focus of a pink planter; nm. A planter from Lofton is in the shape of a western hat with a bowling ball and pin at the front, ex-m+, while a 10” ceramic bowling pin is at the front of another planter, ex-m to nm. Two planters are from Relpo Pottery. One is a bowling ball with three pins, nm, and the other, a briefcase or bag with a bowling ball and pin, ex+. The tenth planter has bowling pins in a triangular alignment, about 4.5” tall and 5” on each side, vg-ex. A plastic Pin-Money Pete Bowler’s Kitty Bank by Spare-Time has taken up residence in this planter.
Minimum Bid $20
