Hi Jimi
I saw your PM to me; however, I was away for most of the weekend. Jimi, I do not do PM's. So, if you would still like to contact me here is my email address......
tedzan11@comcast.net
Your question is a great one. I hve tried to research where some of the T-brands (T206 & T205 related) were distributed. I haven't found any really good source
indicating as such, as of yet. Also, your observation....."It seems rather random to me.".....is a pretty good one. I have noticed one puzzling exception. American
Lithographic did not print Ty Cobb with the Factory #649 (Rochester, NY) T206 cards with Brown HINDU backs, or SWEET CAPORAL 150 overprint backs. DITTO,
for the T205 Ty Cobb with HASSAN (Factory #649) and HINDU. I find this very strange ?
However, I can give you a starting idea based on several finds I have been fortunate to acquire these past 33 years that I have been collecting T206's (and to a
lesser extent, T205's). I realize my 5 original finds are anecdotal, but for whatever they are worth, I have listed them......
1.....original all PIEDMONT collection of 400+ different T206 cards from South Carolina
2.....original PIEDMONT (240 cards) and OLD MILL Southern Leaguer's (28 cards) from North Carolina
3.....original all SOVEREIGN collection of 222 assorted T206 cards from Erie, PA
4.....original all SWEET CAPORAL (Factory #30) collection of 184 - T206 cards from Suffolk County, LI, NY
5.....original all SWEET CAPORAL (Factory #25) collection of 252 different T206 cards from Media, PA (South of Phila.)
Other finds (not mine) that I either acquired cards from, or was a witness to........
5.....original all SOVEREIGN collection of 262 different T206 cards from Upstate, NY
6.....original all SOVEREIGN collection of 340 assorted T206 cards from Connecticut
7.....original all DRUM collection of 41 - T206's, and 8 - T205's from St Louis (Ron Oser and I cataloged them at The Philly Show several years ago).
8.....original all PIEDMONT collection of 600+ assorted T206 cards (including approx. 20 rare PIEDMONT 350 cards) in nearby Atlanta, Georgia
These instantly come to my mind; but of course, there are many more that give us an idea where some of these T-brands were distributed. And also, there are
the more recent COUPON and RED CROSS finds from the Louisiana region that tell us a lot about those cigarette brands.
TED Z