Unknown Cabinet Cards / Photo's

[RUSH2112]

Cabinet card may or may not be the proper term. They are real photo's applied to a heavy backing.

6 3/8" x 8 1/2" photo's on spepia toned thick cardboard backing.

Backings are 7" x 9".

Players:

Crouch

Blakely with "T" on hat

Stamped on back:

Royal Canadian Tobacco Company

Loaned for Display Purposes Only

Can't find much on these items. Not sure if there was a set issued or if these are just promotional items. Or possibly a couple prototypes for an envisioned set by the tobacco company.

Any thoughts about these items most welcome.

[fkw]

never seen them before, but they look to be mid 1930s.

The first player looks to be Linc Blakely of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the IL ca1935-36, he also played for the Cin NL team in 1934.
He is also found in the very rare 1936 R314-5/V352 World Wide Gum premium set as "Lincoln Blakely"

The 2nd player looks to be Jack Crouch also of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the IL ca 1934-36, he also played for the Stl AL and Cin NL teams from 1930-33

[tjb1952tjb]

Good name for a catcher: "Crouch"

[drc]

It appears they were display photos. Perhaps the company was a team sponsor and the players were used in advertising. If they were premium issues or whatever for the public, they wouldn't state they were on loan on the back.

I don't think not knowing how they were used/issued diminishes them. There's some mystery to a lot of valuable baseball cards-- starting with the T206 Wagner. The tobacco stamp identifies who made them-- and that's really the most important thing.

[cdn_collector]

Never seen those before, either.

But if you want to send them my way, I'll gladly frame them and hang them in my office while they are 'on loan'

Regards,

Richard.

[rhettyeakley]

Frank, actually that is the exact image used to produce the R314 Canadian of Linc...

[RUSH2112]

These photo's have been indentified as store displays to help promote the sale of the tobacco products. Thanks for all the help.

[Matthew H]

Originally Posted by RUSH2112

These photo's have been indentified as store displays to help promote the sale of the tobacco products. Thanks for all the help.

If they were used as displays to promote tobacco products you would think there'd be advertising on the front somewhere.

[drc]

I have some 1940s NYC department store window display pieces that are just 8x10 photos with no text. As they were in the window, there would have been the merchandise and perhaps text ads with them. The department store's name is stamped on the backs.

Movie still photos displayed throughout the theater to promote the film often had no text. As they were displayed amongst the posters and lobby cards and were in the theater where they movie was to be shown, everything didn't need the name of the movie on it.