Early ads show these with a post war Mesinger B1, the early Schwinn tank decal, and NO decal on the guard. V/r Shawn
View attachment 1642993
Interesting advertisement:
@Freqman1. Yet, there appears to be more that indicates an Illustrator's error. Pin Stripes on the chain guard are too fat and lack the angled brush tip mark. Pluss there's a double stripe which I believe is more indicative in earlier pre and post war Guards. The Phantoms are an extension of the prewar Deluxe autocycle series and moreover a successful name. I think too, not just the name but black and red bicycles of all types seem to stand out as most attractive.
Prewar there's differences in these pinstripes and about 1946, post war the stripes had a small change on Autocycles that are the same as 1949's phantoms. Here's 46 Autocycle as shown in the catalog. Unless my eyes fail me, its chainguard paint scheme is the very same as 49 Phantom.
So, would you also say that; first issue were so unique to that regard? I'm thinking; with a 3 year margin, at least,
them there pin stripes in the ad; you're looking at an Advertiser's Illustrator error, eh?
For the sake of a debitive issue of discussion, you can take it up another level too. The 1995 Phantom repops where Schwinn tells the story, there's a claim that they'd found the 52 paint template or mask. I mean, through the years this scheme was applied, there are small differences in that brush mark but, I believe it's just a matter of wear on the mask and or typical mass manufacturing differences and that B/C they're hand applied, each worker's stripe and mark can be variable.
At my best guess, it's possible the advertiser's illustrator was lazy, unskilled and lacked attention to detail or, and may not have rights to reprint Schwinn's own illustration. Likely, moreover, that Illustrated affection, including the lack of usage of Schwinn's font in the name 'Phantom' in the print's heading,, an actual bicycle like it doesn't exist beyond this print and the 'artist's' imagination.