Ca. 1907 Nap Lajoie - Nickel Theatre Trade Card
 

Just looking for any information. Picked it up at the DallasCardShow today...
One of the grading companies wouldn't grade it, not sure which one, because they didn't know enough about it.


Ca. 1907 Nap Lajoie - Nickel Theatre Trade Card, 4x6

https://luckeycards.com/nap.jpg

The picture appears to be reverse-image of a photo taken of Lajoe in 1901 when he was on an "All American" barnstorming team. I've reversed the AA image, for comparison.

If it's phony, it's a clever one. Without seeing (or smelling) it, I'll go 50-50.

It's 100%. That isn't a question. Any seasoned collector will know immediately, when held, that It's real.

And now I found out sgc was the tpg who couldn't grade it.

Ummmmm. No way being phony. Completely disagree. I’ll take two of those phony cards please. Nice score Leon

I think Hank is just being cautious as we all should...., I hope someone will know something else. Thanks for the assist on the picture too, RuKen. ..

and wiki is our friend. I think the 1907 date written on it will be accurate..

The Nickel Theatre was the first movie theatre in Newfoundland. Part of the five-cent picture show craze that brought daily movies to almost every city and town all across North America, the Nickel opened in the Benevolent Irish Society's St. Patrick's Hall on July 1, 1907, one of a chain of B.F. Keith's Nickels in New England and Eastern Canada. Three more five-cent shows opened in St. John's by October 1907, all in large pre-existing community halls like the Nickel, rather than the small storefront nickelodeon typical of the time in the United States, Ontario, and larger cities in Canada. The Nickel is remembered fondly as the beginnings of moviegoing in Newfoundland, its name used today for the local film festival. While cinema had debuted in December 1897, and moving pictures played in St. Patrick's Hall before 1907, the Nickel indeed offered the people of St. John's daily public amusement for the first time.
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There were several theaters with that name around that time, as the nickel movie was very popular. Although his first name is spelled incorrectly on that card, the only film in which Lajoie is known to have appeared was a 1902 or 1903 silent titled "Game of Base Ball," which was just a movie of an actual game between Philadelphia and Baltimore. So perhaps this was given out at a showing of that film at that theater a few years after its original release, and maybe there are more out there of other players from that game.

Given this information and the 1901 photo, is there a chance the 1907 written on the back is when someone owned the card, not when it was produced? Also, to Steve's point, I found another Nickel Theatre with a baseball tie. An excerpt from this article states the following...

In the summer of 1907, the Providence Nickel Theatre projected all the baseball scores baseball scores on the screen as soon as they were "received over the wire."

(https://books.google.com/books?id=ED...seball&f=false)

This is an incredible piece. Glad it's in your hands, Leon!

This is neat. I've never seen one like it. What are the dimensions?

I found that article about the Newfoundland Nickel theatre, and I was going to post it, but soon realized (through same search) that there were many nickel theaters, short for “Nickelodeons” that sprang up in the 1890s and 1900s. I have no clue, but I doubt that card is from a theatre in Newfoundland in 1907- I just feel it’s unlikely baseball became that popular in rural Canada by 1907 that they printed a card of Lajoie to give out.

Anyway, very very cool card. And that picture is great too- I definitely think the card is from that picture, which may link it to Philly; although Lajoie was long gone from Philly by 1907, which may explain why the letters are not on his shirt in the PC, so maybe look for a nickel theater in Cleveland

And see this article for info about Nickel Theatres in Pittsburgh and later Cleveland

https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/cu...ters-1905-1907

Great, Leon, glad to hear it. So TPGs won't slab anything they've never seen before, is that it? If any seasoned collector would know immediately, why wouldn't the TPGs? Clearly, I'm not the only one being cautious here.

I missed the obvious bold print with size earlier. Reason I was asking is because I knew I had seen promotional post cards from this period issued by theaters. This image was printed in the Richmond(Indiana) Palladium Daily, 1909.

Fake!

("Fake" is the new hip teen slang for "not fake.")

Really cool pick up Leon. I like this thought and want to add that the first thing that hit me was this photo was used because Horner's portrait of Lajoie wasnt available yet. It was taken at some point in 1902. So I'm thinking this card is closer to 1902 1903.

That is really neat. I enjoy different ad backs especially theatre ad backs.

I received this email potentially dating the card to the original 1907 date that is written on it.

Leon,

As a Cleveland type collector, I too have never seen your card, but I think I unlocked the puzzle. At first it looked like maybe a Philadelphia one, since he played there before Cleveland, but I found a Nuckel Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island.

Lajoie was from Woonsocket. Rhode Island’s favorite son at that time. The Nickel Theatre was a new name in 1906, matching your card hand date.

So I believe it is legitimate and a trade card traceable to Rhode Island.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/6599



Thoughts?
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I saw that too and it might be right. I was thinking somewhere around Philadelphia or in the vicinity of his hometown above anywhere else.

I agree with the above mentions that this could potentially be connected to a moving picture that Lajoie was in, most likely produced by Siegmund Lubin. Lubin was one of the early pioneers in the film industry and was anchored in Philadelphia. Some of his baseball moving pictures focused on the success of the Athletics, so they probably had the most demand in the Philadelphia and surrounding rural areas. If the card was given out around his hometown, it may have been connected to a showing as well. It could also have just been a promotion not related to a moving picture he was in.

The 1907 date aligns with the rise of nickel theatres and the distribution of souvenirs by theatres. From the best I can tell, nickel theatres were not much of a thing until 1905, then really hit their stride by 1907. I would feel pretty confident about the 1907 date on the Lajoie card.

Check out the Lubin postcard example below. I’m not saying they are connected at all, but there are some interesting qualities.

Intriguing item.

Thanks for all of the info, guys. I just learned the only tidbit he had, from the person I got it from. He said it came from an estate in Brockton, MA. ...not too far from where we are talking about..

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I wonder if that piano player had exceptionally long arms?

Brian

Here are more cookie crumbs back to the Rhode Island area as well. Another example of this card was owned by a fellow originally from Woonsocket. There certainly aren't a lot of these out there, but a few of them seem to have been hiding in the bushes up in New England.

Clipping is from The Atlanta Constitution 11 Oct 2001

Ok that is great nugget of research Trey.

That is great, Trey. Thanks for finding it. Certainly is more legit with more than one example known. Although maybe this is that one? It is postcard size but they aren't really postcards. I call them trade cards...semantics maybe.
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Great find Trey!

Did nobody answer Don? We have the "Q" where's the "A"???

I missed that part, huh? It wasn't anything that interesting. The answer basically said that it's hard to catalog postcards and value is partially determined by quantity, quality and condition. Lemke put a value of $200-$300 on it. The clipping is below.

Nepoleon?
 

I don’t want to read into this too much, but I am bothered by the misspelling “Nepoleon”. By 1907, Lajoie was 2 yrs into his player-manager role in Cleveland. He arguably had the greatest name recognition on the team just from that, but by this time the team was also being referred to as the “Naps” as well. Who misspells his name in that situation? Sure mistakes happen, and it could absolutely be just that, but come on, man…they’re the Naps, not the Neps! For this reason alone, and with no other info backing it up, I don’t think this item is from Lajoie’s time in Cleveland. My vote is that this hails from his Philadelphia years, before 1902.

And, amazing card, by the way!