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Our February 2016 Artifact of the Month is a breathtaking Winchester football display from Hunt Auctions' 2016 Superbowl Live Auction held on February 5, 2016. When put together, this remarkable 5-panel display measures nearly eight feet long and three and a half feet high. The three center panels feature the image of Winchester's Official Intercollegiate football over a football stadium. The two side panels feature Winchester football equipment line from 1923. Most Winchester sporting goods advertisements include display numbering that contains the date of the display. This particular set has "15-H Football Display" on each panel. At the top of each panel is printed "Football Display to be shown week of September 13 thru 19."

The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was founded in 1855 by Oliver F. Winchester of Boston, Massachusetts. Winchester introduced the world's first successful repeating rifle in 1866, and became known as the world's leader in the manufacture of arms and ammunition. After World War I, Winchester began manufacturing tools, hardware and sporting goods. In 1922, Winchester merged with Simmons Hardware Company, forming the Winchester-Simmons Company. The merger dissolved in 1929, and Winchester declared bankruptcy in 1931. From the mid-1920's until 1931, Winchester produced beautiful lithographic cardboard advertising pieces for display in their retail store windows. Many of the pieces were broken into 5-panel displays that fit within articulating wooden frames that Winchester supplied to its retail stores. Today, these beautiful sports-themed works of art are highly sought by sports equipment collectors.

1923 Winchester 5-panel Sporting Goods Display, Hunt Auctions 2016 Superbowl 50 Live Auction, February 6, 2016

Over the past 10 years, several other Winchester sporting goods display pieces have sold at auction. The following is a sampling of these pieces. Click on the images for links to the auction result pages.

September 1926 - Winchester 3-panel sports display with Theodore Roosevelt quote, Hunt Auctions, 2006

1928 Winchester Baseball Equipment Ad,
Hunt Auctions, 2010

1923 Winchester Baseball, 3-Center Panels out of 5, Hunt Auctions, 2009

1924 Winchester Baseball Goods Display, Hunt Auctions, 2010

Winchester Football Equipment Ad,
Hunt Auctions, 2011

1923 Winchester Baseball Bat Ad,
Robert Edwards Auctions, 2006

1924 Winchester Baseball Goods Ad, Robert Edwards Auctions, 2006

AntiqueFootball Artifact of the Month