Levi's Round-up of Cowboy Lore (Carte/Map)
Monterey, CA: Levi Strauss Co., 1970 printing with small 'e' in Levi. Color pictographic map. Image size 30 1/4" x 22 3/4". Through the years many of Jo Mora’s cartes were printed by The Trade Pressroom in San Francisco; sample press sheets of various jobs were stored in the building’s basement (a common practice for printers, keeping the best samples for future reference). The owner of the company, upon retiring in 1980, sold the building. As the deadline to vacate the building neared, employee Lindsey Fross salvaged various Jo Mora cartes that had been stored since each series was produced. These cartes were rolled and preserved in mailing tubes until 1998 when they were unrolled, slipped between acid-free cover stock and re-wrapped. They have remained in this state until now and have never been circulated, folded, mounted or exposed to direct sunlight. For that matter, they have only seen the light of day for a few minutes as they were repackaged for storage. This carte has been stored flat; the colors are bright and strong. Item #8710
Considered by many to be Jo Mora's most popular carte and was proposed by Mr. Mora to the Salinas Rodeo Board of Directors to be used as advertising to promote the Salinas Rodeo. As with all his cartes, it is packed with historical information and details, creatively and colorfully illustrated.
In 1950 Jo Mora Jr. sold the right to reprint the second version of Jo J. Mora's Cowboy carte to the Levi Strauss Co. for advertising the cowboys favorite blue jeans. Straus made several changes to the carte, most noticeably, they added five inches to the top of the carte to add their title and a large belt buckle award for the best all around cowboy. (Grandeau & Shorts Cartes 6c; Gilmore M12)
In the late 1960's, the Byrds rock group produced "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" with the album cover taken from this carte.
Price: $800.00