New theory why American Beauty cards are narrower than other T206's

[tedzan]

Recently, Judson Hamlin posed the following questions on the American Beauty 460 thread regarding the 74
confirmed cards......
" Now let me ask a question: Does finding 74 AB460's mess with your sheet size theory?
If they were all single printed, we'd have two spares (6 sheets + 2) hanging out at 12 cards across a sheet.
Do you think some were double printed? Did they squeeze more than 12 on the sheet if they planned on the
cards being more narrow? 13 cards across would presumably yield 78 cards. "


OK, for some time now, I have speculated that American Litho. (ALC) printed T206's on sheet arrays that were
12 cards across by X number of rows down. I've based this theory primarily on the fact that standard lithograph
presses (circa..early 20th Century) were designed with an 18-inch press track.
Therefore......
12 cards x 1 7/16 inches width = 17.25 inches....resulting in a format of 12 cards across an 18-inch wide sheet.

Researching the settled survey data of either of the three American Beauty (AB) confirmed backs, I have obser-
ved the following......

AB 350 frame = 194 cards
AB 350 no frame = 38 cards
AB 460 = 74 cards

Add one more AB 350 (frame) card to 194 (either a currently unknown card or a double-print) and we get 195.
This number very neatly is divisible by 13. The same follows for the other two AB backs. So, what Judson has
suggested, and what I am saying......is that ALC printed their entire series of AB cards in a format of 13 cards
across an 18-inch wide sheet. This required that these cards be cut narrower by 1/16th of an inch than a stan-
dard width T206 card.

13 cards x 1 3/8 inches width = 17.875 inches

Jon Canfield has shown that the AB cigarette packs were no "slimmer" than any the other ATC packs; therefore,
I think this new scenario of "13 cards" may explain this age old mystery. But, of course another question that
arises (assuming this scenario is factual), is why did ALC print the AB cards in this format, while printing all the
other T206's in 12 card arrays ? I think that can be answered by further study of each of the other T-brands'
total card make-up.

Hey guys, just presenting some thought-provoking stuff for you to ponder. I anticipate some pros & cons here.


TED Z