Oct 15, 2020 - Sale 2547

Sale 2547 - Lot 108

Price Realized: $ 625
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 300 - $ 400

ANTHONY (TONY) FREDERICK SARG (1880-1942)

NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR. Walking cane with pull-out map. 1939.


Cane is 35 inches, 89 cm long. Map is approximately 13 1/2x20 inches, 34 1/4x50 3/4 cm. In-A-Cane Display Co., Boston.
Condition B / B+: darkening along vertical lines through image. Printed on fabric, rolled into a wooden cane.

Tony Sarg, was a German-American puppeteer and illustrator, born in Guatemala. Having grown up around his grandmother's puppet collection, this hobby quickly became his profession; he was later described as "America's Puppet Master" and the father of American Puppetry. Sarg's first World's Fair experience was with a puppet show in Chicago in 1933. He then began to pursue illustrating more intently, taking design commissions for magazines, games, department store interors, and eventually for the New York World's Fair of 1939. Sarg created the fair's official illustrated map, as well as scarves, handkerchiefs and other linens with fair-related images. This Sarg map is cleverly rolled into the side of a World's Fair souvenir walking cane, to be pulled out as needed. It even features a vignette advertising it's own use.