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HISTORIC SUTRO BATHS ADVERTISEMENT & ADMISSION TICKET – FRAMED SAN FRANCISCO MEMORABILIA
An exceptional piece of San Francisco history featuring a beautifully presented Sutro Baths “Grand International Tug of War” advertisement accompanied by a yellow “Sutro Baths – Admit One” admission ticket.
Both pieces are displayed together beneath protective glazing in an attractive gold-tone frame with dark matting.
THE HISTORIC ADVERTISEMENT
The advertisement promotes a Grand International Tug of War competition held at the legendary Sutro Baths in San Francisco.
Featured details include:
* $1,000 in advertised prizes
* Afternoon performances on Sundays, December 13 and 20
* Seven evenings, December 13 through 19
* General admission: 25 cents
* Reserved seating: 50 cents
* Printer’s imprint: The Louis Roesch Co., San Francisco
The display also includes a separate Sutro Baths “Admit One” admission ticket with decorative borders and printed admission conditions.
SUTRO FAMILY PROVENANCE
This framed display was personally inherited by the current owner from the late Leslie Sutro, a member of San Francisco’s historic Sutro family.
The current owner personally remembers seeing this exact display hanging in Leslie Sutro’s home as early as 1989.
The advertisement and ticket have remained together in the same frame for at least 37 years, to the current owner’s knowledge.
Whether the items were originally passed down through earlier generations of the Sutro family is unknown.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Sutro Baths was one of San Francisco’s most extraordinary landmarks, constructed by Adolph Sutro, entrepreneur and former mayor of San Francisco.
Opened in 1896, the elaborate public swimming and entertainment complex attracted visitors from around the world before being destroyed by fire in 1966.
Today, the surviving ruins remain a celebrated part of San Francisco’s history.
SIZE & CONDITION
* Overall framed dimensions: Approximately 10¼” wide x 14¼” high
* Frame depth: Approximately ¾”
* Display weight: Approximately 1.56 lbs
* Attractive gold-tone frame with dark matting
* Both paper pieces remain enclosed beneath protective glazing
The advertisement and admission ticket exhibit aged-looking paper coloration. The frame has minor surface wear, and the paper backing on the reverse has visible tears and imperfections.
The display has not been opened or disassembled. The exact age and authenticity of the paper pieces have not been independently verified.
OFFERED AS FOUND
This collectible is being sold in its existing framed condition, exactly as photographed.
No restoration, reframing, or removal of the original display materials has been undertaken by the current owner.
Please review all photographs carefully for appearance, details, and condition.
An attractive collectible for San Francisco historians, Sutro Baths enthusiasts, California memorabilia collectors, and admirers of historic American advertising.
A distinctive display with a personal connection to the Sutro family and decades of known ownership history.
