Do you happen to own any of these cards?

[Howe’s Hunter]

Since I started my collection of Howe McCormick stamped T206s over three years ago, I’ve been lucky enough to acquire quite a few, but not all – I wouldn’t expect to. But what I have tried to do is keep a running list of the whereabouts of the cards I know exist, just so I know what is out there, what back, etc. just in case I find myself in a position where I can try and work a trade or outright purchase of one of the cards.

Quite a few of those are owned by forum members, including:
Brian has a Hindu-backed Killian/pitching;
Both Jeff and David own a Lundgren/Chicago;
Jim has a Burch/Brooklyn/Batting–Hindu;
Pete owns a Kitty Bransfield with a Hindu back;
Mark has a J. Ross Helm–Hindu;
and Andy’s first T206 was (and is) a Merkle/portrait–Piedmont.

A dealer in the Northeast has two cards that are being “held” for me, assuming I can ever save enough for the two highly-graded HoFers, and an eBay collector of all things Cleveland owns a J.J. Clarke, but told me after two e-mails to never contact him again – he only buys, never sells.

That means I know the whereabouts of 10. There are 18 more I know exist, as I’ve had to pass on them in auctions, and have not been able to track down where they are now. No, I’m not in a position to be purchasing them, or trying to find trades at the present time. I just would like to know where they are, in case I do find myself flush with cash some day and can try and add them to my collection.

Most would have come from Jim Schneider/Greenmonster Auctions on eBay between one and two-and-a-half years ago. Those would include: Coles/Augusta–Old Mill; Reagan/New Orleans–Old Mill; Violat–Old Mill; Ames/glove–Piedmont; Birmingham–Piedmont; Covaleski/Phila–Piedmont; Elberfeld/N.Y. Amer–Piedmont; Joss/Glove–Piedmont; Lajoie/pitching; Mathewson/Glove–Piedmont; Owen/Chicago–Piedmont; Parent/Chicago–Piedmont; McCauley/Portsmouth–Hindu; and Molesworth/Birmingham–Hindu.

TnT Sportscards in Pittsburgh sold these two just before I started my collection: Warhop–Piedmont and Willis/batting/StL.

Mintbid, from the Chicago area, sold a lot of six cards on eBay last October that included an Elberfeld/fielding–Old Mill.

A Perdue/Nashville–PSA4–Hindu was in Goodwin’s recent auction, and went for a quite a bit.

I’ve got scan for most of the cards I’ve missed, and would just be interested in hearing from anyone who now owns one or more of these cards so I know where they are.

Like I’ve said, I owe a lot to the folks on this board for pointing out cards I might have otherwise missed, and for working with me on deals that get them in to my hands. My appreciation to all of you.

Ed

[JasonL]

as this strikes me as a neat quest to be on...

And I have to say that I can't fully understand why anyone who owns one of these wouldn't part with it for you to add it to your collection. They are T206s after all, so why not sell or trade and then replace???

Best of luck to you in the rest of the journey!

[ethicsprof]

no, but i'm always looking out for you!!

best,
barry

[Jaybird]

can you post a scan of the back of one so we can keep a look out for you? Just curious to see the stamp and know what we're looking for.

thanks,

[Howe’s Hunter]

They come on either Piedmont, Old Mill or Hindu cards. Nothing else that I've seen so far. And I've received them from as far as Maine to California, Minnesota to Texas. For a guy who never left Gainesville, his cards have traveled much further.

Thanks to all board members for keeping an out for these. I really do appreciate it.

Ed

[FrankWakefield]

Well I parted with mine, to help Ed out... and I've emailed him a few times when I saw one about to sell. Helping him with this is minimally intrusive to our collecting, and a great boon to his collecting. Let's help him out!!!

[T206Collector]

I really don't understand the thought process behind holding on to one of these, unless it is a hard-to-replace back, or super sharp HOFer. Virtually all of these are reasonably easy to replace. And it is not like Howe McCormick is more valuable to anyone else.

Anytime I've ever owned a McCormick, I've always traded to Ed immediately.

Does no good in my collection. Means so much to someone else.

[Orioles1954]

Whenever we get a huge T206 lot into Huggins and Scott, I also check the backs. I've seen lots of other guys not named Howe lately

[tbob]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

an eBay collector of all things Cleveland owns a J.J. Clarke, but told me after two e-mails to never contact him again – he only buys, never sells.
Ed

Ed- he wouldn't swap you for a better condition Clarke without the backprint? That's weird.
Good luck on your endeavor.
Bob

[Howe’s Hunter]

Only the one guy has ever said he wouldn't trade me or sell me a card with the stamp. I didn't want anyone who I have listed above to think I was calling them out or anything like that. I just am slow to find replacements of equal or greater value, usually because of costs involved (there are a lot of Hindu backed cards on that list). Everyone on this board has be supportive and encouraging of my collection, and I appreciate that. I just posted this in hopes of finding the location of the 18 that I have missed, thinking maybe some on the board had been the purchasers.

And yes, Bob, I found a PSA 6 Clarke on eBay and offered to buy it in exchange for the one with a stamp, that at best might grade a 2. That's when he told me to never contact him again. I can understand that...it's part of his collection now. It just makes it more interesting to see if he ever shows up on eBay to sell all the stuff he has, and maybe I can pick it up then.

Again, thanks to all on the board for your help.

Ed

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

It just makes it more interesting to see if he ever shows up on eBay to sell all the stuff he has, and maybe I can pick it up then.

Be patient. He's not going to be buried with it, and chances are he'll have to sell or give it up eventually. If it was the last known Howe McCormick back stamp, then it would be really crazy frustrating. Given how many you still need, you can bide your time accruing the others and see what's shaking with T206Creep in a few years.

[vintagechris]

How did you find out about this person's life? I hyave a T206 with a Russell W Sewall stamp on back and would love to find out something about him but have been unable to.

I think when some people get cards with a stamp like that on the back, it sometimes means more to them because it connects them to someone who owned it and may have been the original owner. I know that is why I like the Sewall stamp and don't plan on selling it.

Anybody know anything about Mr. Sewall?

[Howe’s Hunter]

Just pretended I was a long lost relative looking for great-uncle Howe. Didn't find a whole lot, since I didn't go with the deluxe, cost-you-a-couple-hundred-bucks-a-year membership, but do have copies of his name on the 1900 census, his draft notice, his military discharge papers, the 1930 census that list his wife and child's name, his death certificate and photos of he and his wife's grave.

I call it a hobby. My wife calls it an obsession.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

... and an eBay collector of all things Cleveland owns a J.J. Clarke, but told me after two e-mails to never contact him again – he only buys, never sells.

Ed,

Those effinn' Cleveland collectors are crazy. Maybe Rob D. knows him?

[Howe’s Hunter]

but Rob D. claims they are not one and the same...

[JasonL]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

but Rob D. claims they are not one and the same...

They are both named rob and they are both in Cleveland?? It must be him! I mean, how many Robs could reside in Cleveland!!?!!?? I think we've found our man!

[Rob D.]

Unless Nap Lajoie played under the pseudonym J.J. Clarke for a season, I have no Clarke cards in my collection.

Actually, Ed asked me a couple times previously if I know this guy, but at the time I don't think Ed knew his name. Now that you do, Ed, if you'll e-mail or PM me with that info, if I do indeed know him I have no problem contacting him.

[Howe’s Hunter]

The reason I posted this in the first place has paid off. A board member thought a couple of the cards I had listed as belonging to someone sounded familiar, and through a bit of checking he found possessed three of the cards I had listed as being in someone else's collection. He also knew he had owned one other that he recently traded at the National. A description of it, and I had another to add to the list of unknowns, when all of the sudden, it was being flipped on eBay after having been graded. After what, three weeks, I now have possesion of three cards that were on my known list, and another I didn't even know about when first posting.

Thanks to everyone on the board for their help in this little project of mine.

Ed

[ethicsprof]

always great to hear stories about the very best efforts of this fine board.

glad things are going so well with you and Howe!


best,
barry