Anyone know the history behind this "Welcome To The Motor City" cloth banner?

[Jingles in Boofland]

I wonder if anyone knows something about the image I've attached of a cloth [[probably cotton) banner that says" Welcome To The Motor City", along with a classic, art deco-ish, winged-wheel logo - It could be anywhere from the late 1930s through the 1950s in terms of the style of design and lettering - I bought it about 25 years ago at a flea market outside of Cheyenne, WY, - It measures 34" x 46" -


I am not trying to sell the banner, or use this forum for that purpose; I'm just curious about the Detroit history behind it; where and when it was used, what it represented; was it for an auto show? Was it a welcome sign/banner used by the city for tourists [[when Detroit had tourists!)? Amazingly, I haven't been able to find anything about it on the web - Maybe it will resonate with someone's memory in this forum.

[gnome]

Are the letters sewn on or are the letters imprinted? Is that a swallow-tail bottom? any gromets?


The moniker "motor city" goes back at least to the 20s.

Oh, yeah, we get plenty of tourists, many of them Booflandians. You can identify them by their cross-eyed children.

[Jingles in Boofland]

All of the graphics including the lettering were probably screen-printed, no sewn-on lettering or logos; it is a swallow-tail bottom; there are no grommets, unfinished zig-zag ends like they were finished with a pair of tailor shears -

[gazhekwe]

Is it felt? The graphic looks kind of Art Deco, late 20s to early 30s style.

[Brock7]

According to this listing at an auction sight "May be from Motor City Speedway in Detroit?"

It's listed at this site as well where it sold for $55 with buntings. I'm not sure if it's the same auction item on both sites.
http://www.proxibid.com/asp/CatalogPrint.asp?aid=25063

[Jingles in Boofland]

Actually the material is cotton with a linen-like texture, but still soft and in very good to excellent condition - I thought it was in the Art Deco style as well; probably like looking for a needle in a haystack in regard to finding out anything about it though - Maybe I'll try the historical society if they don't charge a fee.

[Jingles in Boofland]

I saw both banners [[just like mine) in the link you provided, but I didn't see any history behind them, nor the prices that they sold for - I know the Worthington site you have to "start a free trial" in order to see the selling price.

[Brock7]

I saw the selling price here:
http://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetai...63&lid=7015923

You might try emailing this guy a link and see if he recognizes it.

http://alblixtracinghistory.typepad....g_hist/page/3/
This site is a tribute to my dad, Al [[Ace) Blixt, who photographed and wrote about auto racing in the midwest from the 1920's to the 1950's. I have also included some of my own racing photos from the 1960's. -- Al Blixt, Jr.

You might also try to look up Local Motor City Speedway expert, Steve Wolski mentioned here:
http://www.metroparent.com/Metro-Par...e/event/12437/

He's posted his email in the top comment here:
http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com...id=1652&type=9

[Jingles in Boofland]

Thanks Brock7, all excellent links.