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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: jondar on July 12, 2009, 02:54:37 PM

Title: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: jondar on July 12, 2009, 02:54:37 PM

Hello, nice to be here.  Hoping someone can give me an idea if this item has any value.  It is an old theatre poster from 1898.  It is framed.  It is about 12" X 40". Will try to post pictures.  It advertises the coming play which will be performed at a local theater,  all receipts will be given to the Fire Department and will be used for the taxidermy of a deceased fire horse named Joe.  Yes, I'm serious. I was able, with a World Almanac to pin down the date of the performance, then to the state museum and on microfilm find the newspaper of that date.  I typed out what the news article said and pasted it on the back of the frame. I have tried to further research this topic without success.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  The pictures, if I am able to post them are not of professional quality.

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: jondar on July 12, 2009, 02:57:01 PM

Sorry, didn't get the picture of the poster in , will try again.    Jon

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: regularjoe2 on July 12, 2009, 08:35:14 PM

Welcome to the forum , jondar .

Do you know what city this is from ( I couldn't seem to read much from the image ) ?

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: jondar on July 13, 2009, 06:32:46 AM

Yes, it's Kansas City, MO.  In rereading the copy of the newspaper article I see it was 1894 instead of 1898.  There is a Fire Museum located in downtown KC, they may have some information.

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on July 13, 2009, 07:29:27 AM

I wonder where Joe the beloved Fire Horse ended up?!! Very cool bit of history there! I bet the fire museum will be interested to see it!

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: jondar on July 13, 2009, 11:14:20 AM

Yes, I wonder that also.  I live close to Dyche Museum at Kansas University, and they have Commanche, the only living thing (well he wasn't, there were other wounded horses) found on the Custer Battlefield.  They did a great job and he looks like you could just throw a saddle on him.

In Joe's (Actually he went by the name of Little Joe) I would think he went into a museum and may, ironically, have been destroyed by fire at some later date.  But I'm going to continue my search and see. According to the newpaper account, Little Joe and his partner (name unknown) appeared in London and other places after winning some sort of contest.  Further I Knoweth Not.

Jon

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: KC on July 13, 2009, 11:40:52 AM

Welcome jondar!

Great piece of history and more so for the local area.  

Title: Re: Old Theatre Poster - Any value?
Post by: jondar on July 13, 2009, 12:00:49 PM

Thank you!  I just found, reading more closely the newspaper article, Joe's partner was named Dan. I bet, if a two horse team they were side by side in the harness.  If a four horse team they were the ones in front.  I'd bet further that the contest was pulling that pumper from one point to the other in the shortest time.  The KC wouldn't stand for Kansas City would it?