c.1917 Billiards For Brain and Stomach Fag Butte Montana Pool Hall RARE

Date: c.1917
Artist: Unknown
Size (in): 42" x 28"
Size (cm): 106.7 x 71.1
Condition: B
Linen backed: No

This is an extremely rare poster advertising the game of billiards printed by Cross & Banta of Chicago. This poster touts billiards and bowling as a health builder that defeats “brain and stomach fag”. A cartoonish illustration compares one vigorous and healthy man being accepted for military service while his companion receives the bad news that he’s unfit for service with admonishment that he needs to build himself up by playing more billiards.

This poster is unique in that it seems to be simply promoting the game of billiards rather than advertising billiard equipment. The lower margin of the poster is overprinted with the name and address of Mark Schilling, 32 East Broadway, Butte, Montana and indicates “We have superb equipment, high class patronage and perfect ventilation” . This poster isn’t dated but the reference to military service suggests it is probably WWII era and issued around 1917 or so.

This original antique poster is unrestored and shows moderate handling wear and a faint trace of staining near the upper right hand corner and in places along the right margin. A small tear of about an inch and a half on the upper left hand corner has been stabilized with a small piece of acid free archival tissue applied on the verso and there are a few small quarter inch tears along the bottom edge as well as some toning from age. We have never encountered another example of this rare Billiards poster. Overall condition is very good.