Mel Ott Religious Card ID Assistance?

[mrmopar]

I found a small lot of completely unrelated baseball items on ebay while doing my daily Steve Garvey search and this Mel Ott postcard sized item was included which really caught my eye. The lot was not listed for long and had a cheap BIN price, so I went for it. It is not in perfect shape, but it just might be worth the price of the lot.

It is about the size of a postcard and has a slightly glossy surface with blue type. On the back, it appears that Blue construction paper was used, but it doesn't seem like this was glued on. If it was, the person did a fantastic job. I don't want to try to peel from a corner or edge just to find out. It may just be originally how this card came.

Is anyone familiar with this item? If so, can you tell me the approximate time frame or range it might have been available or made/issued? If it was some sort of Sunday School/church promo type item, it could have been used for several years I suppose. He managed from 1942-1948, so it seems reasonable that it could be from this time period, but I just don't know.

Any help is appreciated.

[docpatlv]

It's an ink blotter from the 1940s I believe. I picked one up fairly recently as well. Probably not too much value wise, but a neat item.

Mike

[mrmopar]

Thank you. Ink Blotter sure opened up the results in a search, where post card didn't do much. Helps to know what you have.

Looks like mine was pasted into a scrapbook and done well. I'll just leave it as is. Not bad considering the lot was $10.

http://www.b-lauctions.com/site/bid/...sp?itemid=5176

[Leon]

I consider ink blotters as cards and think they are fun to collect. As the description in our auction said, there are different players and different kinds of testimonial cards like that.....Here is one like the one shown with a neat Lutheran stamp on it and a different one altogether.

[mrmopar]

So, is that blue backing on mine original? As I read more about these last night, it said they were made with an absorbent type of paper on back to pick up excess ink. It would seem that the glossy front side of the card would not be very absorbent, but the softer blue paper on back certainly would. Seeing your Siebert leads me to believe that is how it may have come.

Other than a narrow indentation (I don't want to call it a crease, as the surface paper is not broken) that runs along the length of the card and the normal rounding and softness of the corners through age, it seems like it's in pretty good condition. No ink blotting on the back.

I'm glad I hit the BIN button on the lot.

[Leon]

I have seen many different ink blotters with different type backs. It is consistent with the intent of an ink blotter to have an absorbent back and a coated front, so the ink wouldn't bleed through to the picture. Many times they bled through anyway. A large percentage have the blue coated back....

[JLange]

I'll be darned...I had no idea that ink blotters shared this blue backside detail in common. Mine is a 1951 ink blotter for "Ohio Loan," and includes the Cleveland Indians home schedule for the season. A little newer than the ones posted, but construction and style appears consistent!

[4815162342]

Leon, I remember when you posted the Mel Ott blotter before. I didn't know that you had more than one from the "set". How many different players are there? I'm very interested in these, as it brings together two important parts of my life.

[irishdenny]

This reminds me... Ya know, I have a Mickey Mantle Pamphlet that's similar to the Mel Ott one that you posted... I'll try to dig it up and post a scan of it!

Been meaning to ask if any our members ever seen one before?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

Leon, I remember when you posted the Mel Ott blotter before. I didn't know that you had more than one from the "set". How many different players are there? I'm very interested in these, as it brings together two important parts of my life.

I don't know if there are more from the set. I never even put 2 and 2 together before I posted those, to see they are from the same set. I suspect there are others but don't recall seeing them. I have seen several of the Mel Ott ones so I assume they are the most common.

[milkit1]

saw this today at lunch. nice to see others that appreciate old players.