Special thanks to everyone on the board who helps with my collection
 

And today, special thanks to Erick Summers.

I get private messages or emails quite often when someone sees one of Howe's cards available, and I tell everyone, whether you are the first or the 50th person to tell me, I appreciate it. Today, I got a message as soon as I got to work from Erick and it started the same as all the others ....

I always just look at T206s ending today, so you probably are already on this one:

Thing was, I had looked at that lot the day it started on eBay and, blame it being tired, old age, old eyes, whatever, I didn't see the stamp on the back of the card in the group shot. With just a little more than five hours before it ended was the first time I saw that it would fit in my collection. Quick bid placed, a GavelSnipe just to make sure, and it should be soon joining the others.

Thanks to Erick for today, and to so many others on the board who point them out, let me know they found one and, in some cases, find one in their collection and just send it, saying it belongs with me. I can't express well enough how much the support and help has meant to me.

I've been on the board since basically the beginning, and have only met one member face to face. I look forward to the year when I finally get to a National and have the opportunity and pleasure of meeting a lot more of you guys who have been so helpful.

Thanks again.

Ed

It's always great when collectors help other collectors. I can't say how many times I get emails for a heads up. It's always appreciated. Good luck in the hunt Ed, your journey is a fun one.

How many are you up to now, Ed?

When this one arrives next week, I'll be at 278. Never thought I would be at a number anywhere near this. Eight years ago, thought maybe 20 or 30 by the time I reached room temperature.

Congrats Ed, I love the Howe collection!

And Erick probably has the best eyes in the hobby for T206s. He ain't called the Hound for nothin'!! :D

best collecting focus in the hobby! keep up the good work!

Sure you've seen it.....

https://www.hugginsandscott.com/cgi-...l?itemid=90779

4 of em.....

Jennings 1 hand
Marquard throwing
Atz
Merkle portrait

Very neat to try to put someone's collection back together. How did you get started with collecting his back stamped cards?

Travis, here is a copy of the short story I posted about a year ago ...
 

In 1991, while traditionally collecting T206s, I purchased a Hindu-backed card sight-unseen, and upon arrival, it had a rubber stamp on the back of Howe McCormick. Move forward to late 2006, I see another card on eBay with the same stamp and decide to buy it. Mention it here on the board, and I start to hear from many collectors who have one or two, and decided to try and reassemble his collection. Sold the nearly 200 I had at the time in 2007 and since then now own 267, am awaiting one in the mail next week, and know of another 38 that exist with his stamp, but aren't in my collection. There are even more out there I am sure, as they show up in bunches on occasion.

Born in 1896, he lived in the store his parents owned in a neighborhood that had a McCormick Street, named after his grandfather, who was a prominent Presbyterian minister at the turn of the century. Went to U of F, served in the Army in WWI, was discharged, married, moved out of the store and had a daughter. Last census info I've found was from 1930, when his occupation was listed as salesman. Died in 1976, his wife a couple years later. Haven't found any living relatives through several attempts at Ancestry.com.

I just found it interesting to find two cards that far apart that had the same stamp and decided to try and see how many there were. Had no idea it would go this far, or bring me in contact with so many of the wonderful members of this board who have helped along the way. My continued thanks to all.


TO CLARIFY: that was about a year ago. I have been able to contact Howe's second cousin who is still living in the Gainesville area (sort of) and stay in touch with him.

Thanks.

+1 It's always fun to read updates on your quest.

This may sound weird but I almost feel like your collection is mine as well, or maybe more like it "belongs" to the Net54 boards in general since it seems we were there when the collection started. I obviously have zero dollars invested like you do but I do have a great interest in these stamped cards and seeing them all together once again and am always on the lookout for more. I think many of us are "invested" in your pursuit without having any money invested.

Good point, Andrew
 

Hadn't really thought about it in that way before, but you are correct. This collection wouldn't exist without this board, and so it does belong to everyone here.

Just hope it's O.K. that it stays with me for a while longer. ;)

LOL. I think it is only appropriate that it stays firmly in your grasp! But thanks for letting us watch the collection grow.

Big smile
 

Awesome, that is the only way to describe this thread and Ed's quest. With far to many negative stories in this crazy world, it is great to read about the Net54 community coming together to help Ed complete a collection. Anytime we do something without thought to our own gain that positive karma is felt and reverberated throughout our community and makes us all better people. I cringe every time I read a negative thread or watch the infighting. While sometimes it is necessary to share a negative experience to bring awareness to the greater good, it's stories like this one that continue to keep me motivated and excited about being part of the Net54 community. Today I am proud to call myself a Net54er.

With that said, I commend all of you that have contributed to helping Ed reassemble the Howe McCormick collection. My only selfish hope is that I can come across one of these cards and put my own metaphorical stamp on the reassembling of this very cool quest.

Thanks Ed for letting all of us be part of your collection and your humble appreciation of everyone who have helped out is a beautiful tribute to the attitude that I feel Net54 is ultimately all about.

Kudos to all of you,
Jeff

Just like the first post in the thread ...
 

Nope, I hadn't. First I'd heard of it or seen it. Thanks, Jeff.

always glad to help when i can.

Ed, I've always loved your collection as I have been fascinated with the Howe stamp since the early 90s.
I always feel bad having one that I keep from you but it was my very 1st T206 and I still can't part with it!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

So basically the collection will never be complete. Interesting. Any word on how many cards were in the collection?

Thrilled to have found some for you in a venue you hadn't seen before.

Well, Bobby, I've never been able to find any record of how many he might have had. Seems the collection was already broken by the time he died in '76 (I do have proof that his cards where in other collections before that time), and with all relative except the second cousin no longer living, doubt I'll ever find anyone with a list of the cards he might have had at one time. Part of the fun of this is not ever knowing if I am done or not. I have to keep searching.

Andy and I had traded emails at one time, but guess I didn't realize he still had the card we talked about. With his, and the four in the upcoming Huggins and Scott Auction, that would be another 35 that I know exist, but aren't mine. Of those, I do know the owner of 8 of those. The rest were lost on eBay or other auction sites and I wasn't able to contact the new owner at the time.

So just like in the last week, when six I didn't know about show up, I'm sure that will continue on and on.

Again, thanks to everyone of the board for their help in putting the collection back together. And Andy, if you wouldn't mind, could you send me a scan of your card (or at least the front/back combo) for my data base. Thanks again.

This is the kind of stuff that makes collecting fun. Who would have thought that you could have found so many cards with the same stamp.

Time to speculate on how his collection was dispersed since it's known that his cards were in other collections before he died.

How about....

His mother tossed them out while doing a spring cleaning (a long time ago).... :p

You know, Fred, you may not be too far off. Hadn't thought of it, but his army enrollment paperwork I found on Ancestry.com lists the address on the cards. Two years later, the census lists a different address for he and his wife, but the same address for Mom and Dad and the store.

Hummmmmmmmmm.....

I agree Fred. ..The journey is so much of the fun.....I think all of the cards got sold at a garage sale by his mom many years ago. :)

Maybe Howe's daughter, who never married or had kids, did have a kid, and he found the cards in the attic of grandpa's house, tucked in a box, under the floor ....

Andy:

How could you be the one to prevent a collector from achieving his dreams. :D

Have a happy holiday and see you soon

Rich