c.1910 Baseball Magazine Pamphlet w/Cobb-Wagner Horner Portraits, M113(?) Reference
 

I picked up what I thought was a really neat piece in the last REA auction - a c.1910 investment pamphlet from the Baseball Magazine Company promoting shares in the company. Here was the REA description -

"Exceedingly rare soft-cover pamphlet issued in promotion of "The Baseball Magazine Company," circa 1910. This 32-page pamphlet was produced by the Baseball Magazine Company (Boston, Massachusetts) to inform potential investors of the company's offering of shares to the public. The highlight of the pamphlet, as far as baseball collectors are concerned, is the final few pages, which feature the iconic portrait images of Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb taken by noted Boston baseball photographer Carl Horner. The pamphlet also includes a full-page image of Frank Chance and his wife seated in their automobile. Also included is a "Stock Subscription" blank form (5 x 7 inches) for one to purchase shares in the company. The offered pamphlet (6 x 9.25 inches) remains in a remarkable state of preservation, with only light handling wear, and is in Ex-Mt condition. This is the first example of this pamphlet we have ever seen."

I mostly stick to cards but I thought it was a great way to get period-piece Cobb and Wagner Horner portraits for pennies compared to a T206 or cabinet. And I had what I thought would be a neat display idea. I won the pamphlet and it arrived looking great.

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The pamphlet discusses the history of the magazine, announces the issuing of shares, and discusses why it's a good investment. (I scanned the entire thing if anyone is interested in seeing it.) Then it describes the various departments in the company. One in particular caught my eye - the Baseball Art Department. It discusses how the company began issuing posters of baseball players in news stands. I assume these were M113 posters?

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There were also a few photo pages towards the end of the pamphlet, including the Cobb/Wagner portraits, Frank Chance, and fans leaving a game.

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Although the pamphlet was interesting, I was mostly interested in displaying the Cobb & Wagner portraits. I had the pamphlet framed with the portrait page open, using the T206 card background colors for the mat on each portrait. Fortunately, the pamphlet opens flat, so we were able to frame the entire pamphlet without any adhesive and without removing any staples/pages or altering it in any way, so it could always be taken back out. I think it looks really neat - interested to hear what others think!

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It's a stunner! Looks terrific and it's really great that you were able to keep the Pamphlet intact while maintaining the ability to mat/frame it so nicely. Taking the Pamphlet apart or cutting out the photos would've been a deal-killer for me.

Well done... awesome display!

Very nicely done Dan I think it came out great. I echo Mark as it would have been ashame to damage the pamphlet.. I think it came out great... Nice to catch up with you guys at the Raleigh show.. I enjoyed the company...

Very nice.

Thats outstanding and I love that you could do it without separating them form the magazine

Beautiful!

Looks great Dan, glad you got it!

I have to admit that I initially treated your post much like I treated Playboy magazine in my youth : fixated on only the pictures.

Now that I have taken the time to READ your post (there really were good stories in Playboy, too) I am amazed by that particular quote, which is absolutely regarding the m113 posters.,

The stuff about the player posters is amazing and definitely about the m113s. If the pamphlet is indeed from 1910 then that fits pretty close with what we have discovered about the poster release schedule. The first Cobb was originally advertised in the August 1909 issue of Baseball Magazine (although the Standard Catalog lists a 1910 release), which fits in roughly with the "since last June" line in your picture, especially if you factor in poster placement in news stands and their subsequent sales.

Doug

Very cool and a clever display!

Thanks all for the kind words. And to Jeff for the pre-auction advice and Doug for the M113 information. I agree that having to separate the pages would have been a deal-breaker. I called REA before the auction closed to confirm that the portraits were on facing pages, and that the pamphlet laid completely flat, so I was fairly confident that it could be framed intact.

Even though the pamphlet isn't dated, there is some pretty conclusive evidence that 1910 is the correct year. There are multiple references to the Pirates being the prior year's champions, and the stock order form says "Special offer of Oct. 1910."

Thank you for the pictures Ben.

I completely agree that there is no question the pamphlet is from 1910.

Can somebody with better knowledge of "lawyer speak" than I explain how the lines "since last June" (in reference to June 1909), and "special offer of Oct. 1910" fit into the same pamphlet?