today's puzzle : the history of ray o prints

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Posted By: hankron

I am not saying the cards aren't genuine, but can anyone pick out the curious part in Leland's description of the cards' history?

http://lelands.com/bid.aspx?auction=405&lot=1524

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Ray-O-Prints are scary. They are made using a blank piece of paper and a developing piece. Theoretically, anyone with the developer piece could make an infinite number of cards.

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Posted By: leon

they look old but the description could have just as well said "from a recent production run" instead of "find"........I bought one once and returned it as it looked too "new" for 1930's.....later

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Posted By: J Levine

Did Ray-O-Prints come with a "deluxe velvet collector's case?" Sounds sort of reprintish to me...

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Posted By: petecld

David,

I don't if this is what you're thinking about but I find two things interesting:

1. Why the "cards" were found at the point of distribution but are already developed? Didn't they just distribute the negative and a blank piece of paper and the consumer developed the card?

2. The photo quality is poor and the images have quite a bit of dust marks and scratch lines that would reflect damage and dust on the negative. If these are original and were found at the point of distribution then would the negatives not be in their best condition since they would have been new?

Things that make you go "Hmmmmm".

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Posted By: JUlie

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Posted By: hankron

Pete's #1 got it exactly. The description says the cards were yet to be distributed. But the distributers wouldn't be distributing finished cards, but kits for the kids to develope their own.

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Posted By: hankron

The MP & Company Ray O Prints were sold to kids as little packaged kits, so the boy or girl could make a photo at home. The kit, identified by the advertising on the packaging, included a negative, a piece of blank photo paper and a holder for the photo. As the negative could make countless additional photos (just get more photo paper), it's recommended that the collector buy the card when it comes with the original kit. Though rare, a complete kit does pop up every once in a while.

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Posted By: Chuck Ross

I have a scan of the envelope the kit came in. It's on my hard drive, but when I try to upload it I don't see the "Insert Object" button below the post text window. Can someone give a rookie a clue?

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Posted By: Michael Poland

and I will host it for you.

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Posted By: Michael Poland

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Posted By: hankron

It is important to note that, even without the kit, it is possible to identify the vintage Ray O Prints. So it's not the kiss of death if a collector has a vintage card without the kit.