You're bidding on an antique broadside-type poster - 18" X 24" - publishing mark of Sears, Roebuck & Co., Chicago at bottom and Feb. 1898 copyright dates within. Poster advertises an entertainment - "All About Alaska The Klondike Gold Fields And The Wonderful Talking Machine". It appears to have been a lecture with slide views, followed by the playing of various music and vocal programs apparently to promote talking machine sales, although note no brand indicated. Two great images on the poster - a Klondike miner bringing up the first pan of gold, and some very delighted and well-dressed people spiritedly enjoying a talking machine in a Victorian parlor.
"To Klondike and return in one hundred and twenty minutes, and stop at all principal stations - A Grand Illustrated Lecture and Musical Entertainment - The Talking Machine is truly one of the most wonderful inventions - It Talks, Laughs, Plays, Sings... The lecture will be illustrated throughout with 50 Magnificent Views projected from the Magic Lantern. A most interesting and instructive lecture will be given, describing the frozen north country, its people, their methods of living, the newly discovered gold fields, their fabulous wealth, how to reach them, a description of the different routes, the expense of the trip, etc...
"The views will include the map of Alaska, most important coast towns, Dawson City, the Yukon River, the steamboats, the Indians, the miners, sluice and hydraulic mining, the gold mills, working at night, a dog train with sleds, etc... The views will be projected by a powerful light onto a screen, with 100 square feet of surface, enabling everyone to see while comfortably seated in any part of the hall... there has been a large amount of money spent in collecting authentic and reliable information and in securing the Magnificent Photographic Views...
"We will also render a high class musical programme, consisting of the latest musical selections, as played by the best bands and orchestras of this country, vocal selections, as sung by the most noted comic and sentimental singers, speeches of our most noted men, dances with calls, etc... The reproduction of the voice in either song or speech is so natural and the articulation so distinct that anyone would believe it a human being except that they knew the difference, and its reproduction of instrumental music is phenominal... Special arrangements have been made for magnifying the sound so that all may hear the entire concert while comfortably seated in any part of the hall... we promise you a royal entertainment. Don't fail to come and bring your friends, and especially the children"
Condition is good for age and type. Possibly lightly age toned, but surface is clean. Note some small tears at edges - mainly, one about 3/4" at center-left edge that slightly encroaches the miner graphic, another that is about 1 1/2" at lower right edge but at a slant within the margin. Some other, more minor bumps/tears contained within margins - also note some light dog-earing at top corners and some residual tape at bottom edge on back side - otherwise creased as published. SEE PHOTOS, SOLD AS IS AS FOUND.
Great piece, though, both of gold rush memorabilia and very early talking machine/phonograph advertising. Please review photos carefully to make your own determination of condition and appeal, and don't hesitate to ask any questions prior to bidding - thanks for looking!