Are these Cut-Outs from a Book or Some Type of Premium?

[leftygrove10]

I picked up some pictures recently of Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson, Eddie Plank, Joe McGinnity, Burleigh Grimes, Waite Hoyt, Carl Hubbell and Ed Walsh, Sr. See scans below. These pictures are on thin stock (like that of a magazine or book) and have a blank back. The pictures measure 4 1/2 by 7 3/8.

I suspect that they are from a book (Spalding Guide, perhaps?) or magazine, but picked them up just in case they happened to be some type of rare premium. Most of the pictures have nice, straight borders almost as if they were cut at the factory. Once again, they have blank backs.

Can any of you provide information on these pictures? (Some of them are really neat!) If they are from a book or magazine, please tell me which one (if possible).

Thanks for your help!

[bcbgcbrcb]

My strong guess would be cut-outs from a magazine or similar periodical. The players are from different eras but all of the photos seem to originate from the same place. Wish I could help you identify the source.

[novakjr]

The fact that they're blank backed should signify that they aren't from a newspaper. Being blank backed doesn't necessarily count out books or magazines though, since they often had pictures that were intended to be cut out. Now, I'm also going to guess that these aren't career contemporary pieces either. Mostly because there are players represented from different eras. I'd guess not contemporary for any of them, probably modern pieces, late 60's at the oldest. These are all just guesses though, I honestly haven't the slightest clue what they are. They're still cool pieces, and I bet they'd look great matted and framed.

Sorry, just realized that I basically said the same thing as Phil, just worded differently..

[leftygrove10]

Thanks for chiming in. I don't know what they are either, but they are really neat -- especially the Plank and McGinnity. What has me confused is the blank back. I have some cut-outs from a Spalding guide, but they have print on the back. I'm also not sure about the year. I haven't done an exhaustive search on the players careers, but the more recent players played in the 30's I believe. So conceivably, they could date to the 30's. I just don't know. The 1960's is possible, but I think they could be older than that.

Anyone else have any input? Frank Ward? Rhett? Leon? Dan McKee? Anybody else?

[Leon]

Hey Brad

I wonder if they could be some kind of commemorative set that was put out on thin sheets and made to be cut out into individual cards? Otherwise they resemble some of the 1929 Premiums I have seen of Phili. Are those dots at the bottom of a few of them where they might have been made to cut? They aren't truly a period set as the players played in too diverse of years. Besides the other players Plank only played until 1917 and Grove started in 1925. I can't imagine a magazine or periodical picture having a blank back, maybe 1-2 but not all of them. Once again, since I don't think you will find them to be from a period when all of the players in the "set" still played I feel the value would be a bit less than otherwise. You might study the printing characteristics to better date them.

[leftygrove10]

Thanks, Leon... Like you, they also reminded me of the 1929 Philadelphia cards that you showed in your post above. However, the Grove has a different pose between the two cards and the stock is a lot different. The style of the cards themselves are similar, but not identical.

In regards to the dot pattern that you think you see at the bottom, I believe that is an optical illusion. The cards are in protective sleeves. The cards are firm against the bottom of the sleeve and you often get that pattern near the bottom when you scan the cards. The same thing can happen when you scan PSA graded cards.

When I get a minute, I will pull the cards back out and have a look to make sure there are no dots. I will also measure each card to see if there is a variation in size. When I quoted the size in my post at the top, I measured just one card and quoted the size from that.