Plow Boy Tobacco Cabinet Backs

[Vintagecatcher]

Just added a Tom Needham Plow Boy Tobacco Cabinet to my catcher type card collection. I noticed there isn't a lot of information out there regarding this set. I do know that a few board members are working on the set, and hopefully, they will respond to this thread.

After searching the web for information, it struck me that there are a variety of backs available in the set. Perhaps more than what is normally discussed.

To quote Lew Lipset's The Encyclodia of Baseball Cards...Lew writes..."The backs of the cards contain advertising for Plowboy with a notice to save the coupons. A second, more difficult back lists Spaulding & Merrick's name and address and a list of gifts that can be obtained for coupons."

Lew further describes the backs as..."Plowboy Back Normal and Plowboy Premium Offer Back."

My first scan is on my card's back, what Lew refers to as the "Plowboy Back Normal." The second scan shows what Lew refers to as the "Plowboy Premium Offer Back."

What I find interesting is that the second "C" has a slice through it like a plow cut on Lew's "Plowboy Back Normal," wheresas, the "C' is solid on the Premium Ad back.

After further review another back exists, where the "C" does not have a "plow cut" through it on a back the the "Plowboy Normal Back." See image #3. I also found an example that was blank backed without any advertising on it.

So there are at least four back variations available with the Plow Boy Tobacco Cabinets.

My question is was the plowcut on the 2nd "C" a planned marketing design or did an object interfere with the printing process to create the break in the letter "C."

My personal thought is that it was a planned design variation. What do our experts think?


Thanks,

Patrick

[uffda51]

Interseting post. I have two Plowboys, both with this back.

[nolemmings]

I thinks it's probably just a print defect created by an interfering object. Here is an example of a similar "break" created in the "C" on some Herpolsheimer cards:

(the last one is "normal" and far more frequently found)

[sb1]

I have several of all three of the printed backs.

As Todd stated, it is just a function of production and nothing done on purpose. It slips my mind right now, but there is another small T or E card set where about half of the backs come with or without a broken serif on the S, same thing the printing block broke and no one bothered to fix it.

Now for an unabashed plug, as we are here. I have several to trade for ones I need!