Well it took me about 3 months, but I found my envelope.
And no postmark on it, Quarter Man, just like I recalled.
I think I have 20 different of these. Some have Metropolitan Studios with a copyright c. Some just have Metropolitan Studios. Some have neither. That Dean put up by MarkGarcia 12 weeks ago, that's the 33 Goudey pose, it looks like they used the photo in the Goudey premium and zoomed in a bit; note the man standing in the stands (ever wonder why ball fans sit in the stands?). That placement is identical in the Metro Studios and the Goudey premium.
About half of mine have Metropolitan Studios on them...
The back of the envelope is blank. The front is in the photo. No postmarks. The printing along the bottom edge contemplates getting the set by mail. The top left corner print is positioned for a return address. And I think I've seen a postmarked envelope...
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1638925335
Breadon, the club owner, has a professional portrait that is NOT Metropolitan Studios.
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1638925484
Jim Lindsey seems to me to be a photo different from the Metro poses, I get the feeling that they were scrambling around to find photos of these guys, and this set wasn't together by 1931 World Series time. If it were, why wouldn't they have October 1931 photos of everyone??? Lindsey pitched a fair amount in 1931, and got into 2 games in the 1931 World Series. So it's not like he was home recovering from an injury at the end of the season, he was present and playing.
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1638925749
Gabby Street managed St. Louis one game in 1929, and then all of 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933. His last ML at bat was 10 days shy of his 49th birthday, for the Cardinals in 1931. His Metro Studio is unusual.
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1638925960
And Jesse Haines, his card shows the Metropolitan Studios that is familiar, that's the pose used on most of his gum cards and Exhibits...
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1638926015
So, these guys definitely look like some photos were taken at the ball park before a game. At least a couple were studio posed (Breadon and Rickey), and then Metro Studios lacked photos of other players and had to scamper around and find photos.
If anyone has postmarked envelopes for the Metropolitan Studios, please post images. I really think that after winning the World Series in 1931, everyone scattered with their money from the World Series shares, and the photos used were gathered in winter of 1931 and spring of 1932. Maybe envelopes of photos were distributed to season ticket holders, and were for sale at souvenir stand, news stand, or the downtown Metropolitan Studios.
And I don't know how to turn those images around, I had already turned one and the others looked straight.