Posted By:
barry arnoldTed,
This ABCD connection is most interesting and may well be as seminal a contribution to the hobby as your Primacy of Piedmont theory.
I would like to reraise Jon Canfield's question, if I may. In your initial
premise, you maintained that the 4 backs have identical stylized Frame and
lettering. You go on to say that it is probably safe to conclude that that same artist at ALC designed these four backs---the design is exactly the same...just the brand name differs.
Jon agrees that D,C, and B are perfect matches but underscores that while
AB is close, there are differences... .
Your response to Jon is that your 1st order of comparison is the Frame design.
Since it is clear, I believe, that Jon's nuancing of the ABCD connection is correct, do you continue to maintain that the same artist designed these 4 backs? Do you think that the differences which Jon elucidates simply point to the AB's being printed at a different date from the other 3, providing corroboration for your point regarding BCD's printing simultaneity.
great work, Ted
best,
Barry