At this year’s National, I finally came across a piece I’d only seen in old auction catalogs: a 1958 National Bohemian Beer advertising display featuring the Baltimore Colts. After years of looking, seeing it in person was a thrill; it was bigger, cooler, and frankly more affordable than I expected at $150.
Mastro Auctions sold this example back in April 2003.
Here’s its description:
A companion piece to the slightly larger red-background 1958 Colts advertising display, this 17″ × 20″ easel-back display piece has a wood-patterned, simulated picture frame border. All of the vaunted Hall of Famers and All-Pros are present in the 49-man roster, pictured on a grassy field against the backdrop of a cloudless blue sky. The display, manufactured by ‘The National Brewing Co.,’ features a listing of the depicted players, along with an advertising box that reads, ‘Sponsored on Radio and Television by NATIONAL BOHEMIAN BEER from Chesapeake Bay…..land of pleasant living.’ In terms of preservation, the piece is in practically untouched NM/MT condition. The edges and corners are unbelievably crisp, and the unblemished surface boasts a brilliant sheen and phenomenal clarity. Whether you were a first-hand viewer of the historic Championship Game or simply an avid NFL fan who has the legendary highlight reel images indelibly etched in your mind, this unique and pristine piece is a desirable Colts’ keepsake with terrific aesthetic appeal!
That description captures the spirit of the piece perfectly. It shares the same feel as the better-known red-background version, which refers to the Colts as World Champions. That detail makes me suspect this one came out after the first one I shared.
Here’s an example that Mastro sold in that same April 2003 auction catalog, and its description.
The 1958 NFL Championship Game is widely considered one of the greatest games ever played. When the dust finally settled in venerable Yankee Stadium, the Baltimore Colts had staked an epic 23-17 victory over the New York Giants in the first sudden-death overtime game of the NFL’s 38-year history. This commanding 19″ x 28″ easel-back advertising display of the 1958 Colts’ squad features all of the game’s biggest heroes: Unitas, who led two masterful drives toward the end of the game, the first setting up a game-tying field goal to send the game into OT, and the second grinding 80 yards down the field for the game-winning touchdown; Hall of Fame defensive tackle Gino Marchetti, who played exceptionally before breaking his right leg in a horrific fourth-quarter collision; Hall of Fame wide receiver Raymond Berry, who finished the game with 12 catches for 178 yards; and runningback Alan Ameche, who rumbled into the end zone for the historic game-winning score. The 44-man line-up also contains Hall of Famers Art Donovan, Lenny Moore, Jim Parker and Weeb Ewbank, not to mention All-Pros Gene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb, Art Spinney, Bill Pellington, Andy Nelson and Carl Taseff. Along the top of the full-color display is the heading “WORLD CHAMPIONS,” below which resides the image of the team and the names of all pictured team embers. There is an advertising slogan for “National Bohemian Beer” at the bottom of the piece that reads, “Sponsored on radio and TV by… National Bohemian from Chesapeake Bay….land of pleasant living.” The display has a very fresh appearance and minimally grades in EX to EX/MT condition due to a few areas of slight rippling around the periphery, none of which touch the impressive team photo image. An extremely eye-catching advertising artifact of this most legendary of Unitas-led Colts’ squads!
I found a cleaner image from eBay, its list price is $310.
A third version, blue and labeled “1958–59 World Champions,” appears to have come out last in sequence. This framed one sold for $118 in November 2016, showing they’re still within reach for collectors today.
For fans of the Baltimore Colts and vintage advertising, these National Bohemian beer displays are wonderful crossover collectibles, part football history, part local brewing culture, and entirely charming.
Please let me know if you have more information about these pieces, and happy collecting!
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