Author Topic: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster  (Read 18378 times)

Offline erik1925

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1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« on: July 22, 2017, 05:24:02 PM »
My family and I were in western NY state last week, and we happened to wander into an antique shop, many of which dot that part of the state.

I had just walked in, and this poster was hanging on the wall & caught my eye. It's an advertisement for Mecca Cigarettes. It's in its original, 1912, embossed MECCA CIGARETTES oak frame with glass. On the bottom, lower right border is printed: Copyright 1912 The American Tobacco Co.

It measures 39x22 inches, and the art is by famed artist F. Earl Christy. 

https://www.thespruce.com/collecting-f-earl-christys-illustration-art-148633

I did a little research on this and 99% of others I found online were a smaller size, measuring approx. 11x20.

Needless to say, the classic Christy artwork, the beautiful image and intense red MECCA logo, all grabbed my eye, so I snagged it.

And it's in beautiful condition, especially for being 105 years old.





« Last Edit: July 22, 2017, 05:46:58 PM by erik1925 »


-Jeff

Online 50s

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2017, 08:12:08 PM »
Wow, looks amazing. I hope it is real for you. Interesting it has its own tailored frame. Does the frame seem that old too?


Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2017, 09:59:55 PM »
Wow, looks amazing. I hope it is real for you. Interesting it has its own tailored frame. Does the frame seem that old too?

Hey Steve,

Thanks.

Ive no doubt it's real. Like I had mentioned, I found a couple others in this same, larger size, (auctioned over the years) also with the same, hand hewn, oak frame that also had the Mecca name embossed into the wood at the top. And the paper, light paper toning and print style is not modern or a repro. The majority of others I found online were the smaller, 11x20 format.

Likely, these were framed by the Mecca Cigarette Co. and then sent out to drug- and tobacco stores to be hung up to display. There is an old wire hanger on the back, and the backboard is held in place with multiple small nails around the entire frame edge.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2017, 08:18:13 AM by erik1925 »


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Offline mcfree

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2017, 09:29:42 PM »
Good catch! Very cool poster. I don't smoke, but I would hang that on my wall. Very nice.
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Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2017, 11:13:05 PM »
Good catch! Very cool poster. I don't smoke, but I would hang that on my wall. Very nice.

A very late reply (i got involved with completely re-painting my parent's 86 yr old English Tudor style home) but thank you, Michael.

I'm not a smoker either, but the ad sure makes it look enticing. :)

As mentioned, I found this in a small shop in western, NY. And we drove it and ourselves back to OH. Because it is framed with glass that is also from 1912, the challenge will be to figure out how to get this to Los Angeles. Im sure the glass is quite fragile and Im thinking that to have it properly packaged and shipped will be pretty expensive.

The last think I'd want would be to open a large, well packed parcel and find a major crack in that glass.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2017, 11:34:39 PM by erik1925 »


-Jeff

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2017, 02:19:44 AM »
Don't ship the poster under glass in the frame, the poster might get sliced and diced if the glass breaks

Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2017, 12:11:58 PM »
Good point, Steve. Thanks.

Next time Im there, I will take the wood panel backing off to see how the poster is actually held inside the frame. I'd like to keep the original glass, too, as it's an important part of the overall, framed piece.


-Jeff

Offline brude

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2017, 09:47:55 PM »
What a beautiful find!
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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2017, 10:23:31 PM »
Maybe cut a sheet of alumium (or something similarly light, thin and tough) and somehow put it between the poster and glass to protect the poster
« Last Edit: November 11, 2017, 10:29:06 PM by 50s »

Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2017, 11:10:04 PM »
Thanks, Ted.



And yeah, Steve, I'll have to try and figure something out. Once Im back there and able to open the frame, I'll have a better idea of what to try and do, hopefully.


-Jeff

Offline okiehawker

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2018, 08:59:53 PM »
Thanks, Ted.



And yeah, Steve, I'll have to try and figure something out. Once Im back there and able to open the frame, I'll have a better idea of what to try and do, hopefully.

Great find, Jeff!  Has this beauty made it to your home in L.A.? 

Okie

Offline Hicks77

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2018, 10:40:44 PM »
Wow, great Jeff!  Congrats  thumbsup.gif

Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2018, 10:43:47 PM »
Thanks, guys.

And it's still back East, Okie.  :-[
« Last Edit: July 08, 2018, 10:46:01 PM by erik1925 »


-Jeff

Offline okiehawker

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #13 on: July 08, 2018, 11:16:39 PM »
Thanks, guys.

And it's still back East, Okie.  :-[

Lots of folks driving to L.A., Jeff.  Maybe a forum/Craigslist ad asking to send a poster hitchhiker?  Okie

Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #14 on: August 05, 2018, 04:47:00 PM »
A little bio on F Earl Christy, for anyone that might be interested.

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/collecting-f-earl-christys-illustration-art-148633


-Jeff

Offline okiehawker

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2018, 01:50:08 AM »
A little bio on F Earl Christy, for anyone that might be interested.

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/collecting-f-earl-christys-illustration-art-148633

It's amazing to me how young so many artists started getting work 100 years ago, Jeff.  I guess the demand for artists was very high then simply because all the publications, advertising etc. wanted/required hand drawn art.  Okie

Offline erik1925

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #16 on: August 06, 2018, 03:22:20 AM »
It's amazing to me how young so many artists started getting work 100 years ago, Jeff.  I guess the demand for artists was very high then simply because all the publications, advertising etc. wanted/required hand drawn art.  Okie

And before I read more about him, Okie, I always wondered if he was related to Howard Chandler Christy. Seems he's not, but both artists did such fine work in their careers.


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Offline okiehawker

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Re: 1912 Mecca Cigarettes Advertising Poster
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2018, 06:53:59 PM »
And before I read more about him, Okie, I always wondered if he was related to Howard Chandler Christy. Seems he's not, but both artists did such fine work in their careers.

I initially suspected that relationship as well, Jeff.  Okie