RARE Orphan Boy Advertising 1904 World's Fair Grand Champion Mule Tobacco Mascot

Description

1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair
The Jackstock Show
The Jackstock show at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair included classes for both jacks and jennets. There were twenty-seven different sections making it one of the more popular displays at the fair.
The most famous display of jacks came from Missouri's  Limestone Valley Farm of  L. M. Monsees and Sons.  Mr. Monsees and Sons had been stock breeders for a quarter of a century and had shipped high-grade jacks to almost every state at that time.  Their winning ways continued at the World's Fair where they won the major prizes.
They brought their Missouri-bred grand champion jack, Orphan Boy.  Orphan Boy became universally recognized when he placed first in all  classes he was entered in at the World’s Fair.
Orphan Boy became one of the most famous animals shown at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair over the next several years.  Limestone Valley Farm, Smithton, Pettis County, Missouri,  was his home.  Orphan Boy was used as a herd sire and his owner Mr. L. M. Monsees described him thusly:
Orphan Boy 696
"The undefeated and grand champion show jack of the world.  In 1903, he was first in class and champion at the Missouri State Fair. In 1904 at the great St. Louis World' Fair, he won first in class for best jack four years and older, first at head of herd for jack and four jennets; he also won senior champion and grand champion over all ages, winning a total of ,500  besides several diplomas and medals. Orphan boy 696 is without a question one of the greatest breeding jacks living... He can show more colts with 34 - 35-inch ears from tip to tip than any jack I ever saw, and with size and individual quality in perfection.  His colts all have plenty of vim, style and action.  Orphan Boy 696 was bred by Col. W. P. Hayes, Bloomfield, Kentucky...  He is a Black Jack, white, or nearly white points; 15 3/4 hands high and in fair flesh weighs 1,100 pounds."
Orphan Boy was not only well-known among jack and mule breeders, but he eventually became the logo for a tobacco company:  Orphan Boy Smoking Tobacco.
I have not been able to find another one of these specific items after many years of research however there is a lot of information available about Orphan Boy, Limestone Valley Farm, the Moonsees family and the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair Jack Show.
This is a very rare historic piece for collectors of many types of memorabilia such as:  advertising, mule farms, breeders, owners and mule fans, tobacco enthusiasts, animal lovers, World's Fairs, agriculture and a host of other categories.
This piece is double sided with each side showing Orphan Boy with advertising information for Limestone Valley Farm and their mules.  It opens up with more advertising inside and explains how to make the mule stand up if you lay it down with a rubber band across its back (we did not try this due to the item's age). It does have a rubber band still attached which it had when we aquired him.
He stands approximately 3.25 " tall from the bottom of his hoof to his back and 5" across from the tip of his ears to his hind end.
Please review the pictures very carefully and contact us with any questions you may have as this very rare collectible does sell as is with no return.
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