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Tar Heel Archives - Premium Vintage Ephemera & Collectibles Tar Heel Archives
Premium Vintage Ephemera & Collectibles
1913 Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Formal Bowling Advertising Postcard
Step into the most formal bowling alley in history. This advertising postcard for the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. shows a crowd of high-society folks hitting the lanes in full ballgowns and tuxedos. During this era, Brunswick heavily marketed bowling as a refined, respectable parlor sport for women and the upper class in order to strip away its gritty saloon reputation. This specific piece is a rare survivor of a limited 5,000-copy production run printed on November 11, 1913, as indicated by the printer\'s code (Index A 1370 (11-11-13) 5M) on the back. Regarding condition, there is a crease running from the seated man in the tuxedo across to the woman in the black dress sitting next to him. The back remains clean with an ornate eagle shield header and pre-WWI stamp box.
As an authentic vintage piece, this item may show typical signs of age, which can include minor edge wear, soft or bumped corners, slight yellowing, and light surface blemishes. Please carefully examine all provided high-resolution photos for the most accurate and definitive representation of the item\'s condition prior to purchasing. Trivia Corner
The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. were originally giants in the billiards industry. When bowling started gaining massive popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they capitalized on the market by heavily promoting it as a refined, upper-class social activity. This explains why everyone in their early 1910s advertising is dressed for a state dinner instead of a sports tournament.
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