PENNANT FACTORY
Homemade pennants inspired by designs of the past
The styleIn previous posts, I covered certain pennant styles that were popular during the past century: date pennants; photo pennants; burgee pennants, even 3-D pennants. Today, we'll cover a favorite of mine: the Monogram Pennant. Monogram pennants were quite popular around the 1910s. At that time, only a select few pennant makers were able to screen print their pennants. The majority that lacked access to this novel production method were forced to make their pennants the traditional way: entirely from felt. Among the many sewed letter pennants these makers produced, the Monogram pennant was quite popular.
A pennant commentator once said some of these monograms look more like a map of the Tokyo subway system than the initials of a school. I couldn't agree more. Nevertheless, they look pretty cool when sewed in felt. Here's some of my favorites: A few weeks ago, I received a package in the mail. Inside, I found this: This beautifully made Yale University monogram pennant came to me courtesy of the Tinges Family. According to them, the pennant was purchased in New Haven, CT in the 1920s by their uncle while passing through town. Patricia and Bob: Thank you for sharing this family treasure with me. Your generosity has inspired me to write this post so that others can come to appreciate this forgotten pennant style of yesteryear. *** For some time now, I've been wanting to make my own monogram pennant. Like many of my previous projects, I was hoping to make a Notre Dame monogram pennant. For better or worse, most of the monogram pennants from my alma mater made at the turn of the century featured only a two-letter interlocking "ND." Borrrrrrrring, right? C'mon, Stanford, had those beautifully complex four-letter monograms. I needed a minimum three-letter monogram to really get into this project. So I scoured the internet for something special.... Okay, these weren't bad options: All of the above are beautiful pennants. No question about it. But, none of these monograms were really anything to write home about. So I kept looking. And, in my online search, I came across an old letter from Knute Rockne, typed on University of Notre Dame letterhead, dated September 27, 1921. And wouldn't you know it? Coach's own letterhead featured this three-letter, U.N.D., monogram: Ah ha! This was what I was in search of. There had to be at least one pennant made featuring this unique three letter monogram, right? Turns out ... there were two! Above: The '13 football team from the University of Notre Dame stopped in Kingston, NY for this photo, "En route to West Point," on November 1, 1913. Later that afternoon, the team defeated Army, 35-17. The photo depicts members of the team, as well as boosters, clutching a pair of matching three-letter monogram pennants. Captain Knute Rockne is pictured, second face from the right. Source: Univ. of Notre Dame Archives. I could hardly believe my eyes when I stumbled upon this old photo! If anything like these pennants had survived the past 108 years, they'd surely be in a museum. Sadly, I searched Worthpoint, eBay, and every auction house website for a survivor ... but found nothing. Even the school's archives--which do contain vintage pennants and banners--did not contain a three-letter monogram pennant like this pair.
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AuthorIn 2018 I started a separate website called Pennant Fever dedicated to 20th century felt novelty manufacturers. It focuses on these companies' history, products, etc. Eventually, my interest in these businesses inspired me to start making my own pennants. THIS site you're currently viewing, Pennant Factory, is where I'll showcase some of the felt projects I've taken on. Most are reproductions of real pennants once for sale to the public. I've done my best to re-create the originals as authentically as possible based upon surviving photos, known dimensions, etc. Others are my original work, intended to look like the styles of yesteryear. Some turned out better than others. See for yourself. Enjoy! -KRB Projects:
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February 2024
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