Ty Cobb 1907 rare rookie postcards - Their origin stories told

[SAllen2556]

Here's the 1908 ad from November 3rd which mentions the updates to the set.
Edited to add: I found no ad whatsoever from 1909.

Detroit_Free_Press_Tue__Oct_13__1908_.jpg

[insidethewrapper]

Scott: Great ad ! Is that from the Detroit Free Press ? It's a 20 card set but they only listed 19 players ( they omitted - Fred Payne in the ad) to make 20 .

Still looking for the 1909 issue to see if it lists the Team Photo as part of the set. Let us know if you or others find anything from that year.

[breck]

Can anyone read the date on this postcard.

[griffon512]

Originally Posted by breck

Can anyone read the date on this postcard.

oct 7, 1907

[Leon]

Originally Posted by SAllen2556

Here's the 1908 ad from November 3rd which mentions the updates to the set.

Attachment 299683

That is a neat ad!!

[insidethewrapper]

It appears Dietsche advertised in the Detroit Free Press greatly in 1907 and very little in 1908 and not at all in 1909. I did findone ad that "may" be referring to the Dietsche set, but who knows ? Little advertising in 1909 and therefore very little product sold it appears.
Attachment is from DFP Sunday October 3, 1909.

[insidethewrapper]

Been some questions about the Dietsche Postcards so I bumped this one up again.

[timn1]

Jim (and others),

Superb material here! Thanks so much for sharing it-

Tim

[T206Jim]

Time to update this thread with my latest find fresh from the National.

Here is what I believe to be a partial 1907 RPPC showing the first incarnation of the 15 card initial set with the Cobb Fielding pose.

RPPC.jpg

The back looks like this. The other RPPC back is the one off of the well-known 1907 team pose RPPC shown below for comparison.

RPPC backs.jpg

RPPC fronts.jpg

Here is the back of another copy of the Detroit team RPPC, listed online, showing the AZO four diamond box.

AZO.jpg

My guess is a collector bought the advertised Dietsche set when it first came out, including the Fielding Cobb, before the Batting Cobb was available. He wrote the names and positions of the players, arranged them in a group of 15 with the manager Hughie Jennings in the center and overlaid the Detroit Tigers 1907 over the Jennings postcard. He then photographed them, created the RPPC and sent it to a woman (note the "Miss" in the address portion on back). Somewhere along the way the likely blank white front excess was trimmed away.

The back of the subject postcard has the same back as the 1907 team RPPC as shown above. The AZO four diamonds stampbox was only printed from 1907-1909. The AZO four triangles from 1904-1918. My guess is 1907 as it is very unlikely he would have bothered to do this at a later date.

At the very least this is one of the earliest examples of a baseball collector at work. I have never seen another example of a photo of an early card collection. At best, I'll kiddingly suggest it is a 1 of 1 version of the 1907 Ty Cobb Fielding RPPC. Whatever it is, I'm excited to find it!

Now here is where I'd love some help. Can anyone find me one of the 15 cards depicted in the RPPC with an exact match for the handwritten name and position? Do these copies still exist, I'd love to own one or at least see it and check if it has a postmark on the back.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by T206Jim

Time to update this thread with my latest find fresh from the National.

Here is what I believe to be a partial 1907 RPPC showing the first incarnation of the 15 card initial set with the Cobb Fielding pose.

Attachment 324883

The back looks like this. The other RPPC back is the one off of the well-known 1907 team pose RPPC shown below for comparison.

Attachment 324885

Attachment 324882

Here is the back of another copy of the Detroit team RPPC, listed online, showing the AZO four diamond box.

Attachment 324884

My guess is a collector bought the advertised Dietsche set when it first came out, including the Fielding Cobb, before the Batting Cobb was available. He wrote the names and positions of the players, arranged them in a group of 15 with the manager Hughie Jennings in the center and overlaid the Detroit Tigers 1907 over the Jennings postcard. He then photographed them, created the RPPC and sent it to a woman (note the "Miss" in the address portion on back). Somewhere along the way the likely blank white front excess was trimmed away.

The back of the subject postcard has the same back as the 1907 team RPPC as shown above. The AZO four diamonds stampbox was only printed from 1907-1909. The AZO four triangles from 1904-1918. My guess is 1907 as it is very unlikely he would have bothered to do this at a later date.

At the very least this is one of the earliest examples of a baseball collector at work. I have never seen another example of a photo of an early card collection. At best, I'll kiddingly suggest it is a 1 of 1 version of the 1907 Ty Cobb Fielding RPPC. Whatever it is, I'm excited to find it!

Now here is where I'd love some help. Can anyone find me one of the 15 cards depicted in the RPPC with an exact match for the handwritten name and position? Do these copies still exist, I'd love to own one or at least see it and check if it has a postmark on the back.

nice pickup...I almost snagged that!!!! it's a cool piece...even just 1/2 of its original size...a cheap way to pick up a rare cobb rookie!!!!!