Posted By:
Scot
Jamie,
In my mind the scarcity ranking data that you cite show strong evidence of linkage between Hindu no-prints and relative abundance. My guess is that the up-to-eight SAL, SA and VL subjects that are Hindu no-prints were released contemporaneously with the six TL subjects (which of course are also Hindu no-prints) some time in late 1909 or early 1910--after completion of the Brown Hindu print run--and experienced a longer print with Piedmont 350 and possibly Old Mill Southern than their roughly 34 earlier-launched SAL, SA and VL brethren. If true, this would explain the relative abundance of these up-to-eight SAL, SA, VL subjects.
An analogy can be made to 150/350 and 350-only subjects. Brown Hindu is a 150 series back and thus the roughly 34 SAL, SA and VL subjects that appear with Brown Hindu are akin to 150/350 subjects that were shortprinted with 350 series backs (i.e. Piedmont 350 and Old Mill Southern). The up-to-eight SAL, SA and VL subjects (and the six TL subjects) that do not appear with Brown Hindu are akin to 350-only subjects that received a full print run with 350 series backs (i.e. Piedmont 350 and Old Mill Southern). Since the Brown Hindu back is much scarcer than the Piedmont 350 and Old Mill Southern backs, the latter 8 + 6 = 14 SL subjects are more abundant overall.
Scot