1906 White Sox Postcard Identification

[Brownie33]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone might know the details on this 1906 White Sox Postcard. It looks just like the F.P. Burke team photo postcard, but it’s an American League Champions variation and doesn’t include the copyright information.The stamped date on the back align with the Burke versions as well.

[steve B]

I'm thinking those must have been prepared ahead of time.

A rough guess, they clinched the pennant on the 2nd, leaving 11 days between clinching and when it was mailed. That's pretty quick turnaround. If they're typographed, it would have been much easier.

[Tom S.]

Neat postcard Nate!

I have one that's similar, but it has a purplish tone to it...

[Brownie33]

Originally Posted by steve B

I'm thinking those must have been prepared ahead of time.

A rough guess, they clinched the pennant on the 2nd, leaving 11 days between clinching and when it was mailed. That's pretty quick turnaround. If they're typographed, it would have been much easier.

The stamped date on the back I find super fascinating. As you laid out it poses some cool questions and also the day before they won it all. I wonder if the lack of the copyright is because they tried to rush these into production before the WS.

[Brownie33]

Originally Posted by Tom S.

Neat postcard Nate!

I have one that's similar, but it has a purplish tone to it...

Your copy is so nice! Thanks for sharing. Where did you pick up your copy from? I was lucky enough to find mine at a card show in RI.

[Tom S.]

Originally Posted by Brownie33

Your copy is so nice! Thanks for sharing. Where did you pick up your copy from? I was lucky enough to find mine at a card show in RI.

I won it at auction (I forget which auction house it was) back in 2017.

[2dueces]

I have the same one. I’ll have to look at the date stamp tonight

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Brownie33

The stamped date on the back I find super fascinating. As you laid out it poses some cool questions and also the day before they won it all. I wonder if the lack of the copyright is because they tried to rush these into production before the WS.

I think that's possible.

Not knowing how it was printed, it could go a few ways.
Lithography, they would have had to make a new master, or at least new masters for the league champions caption. If it was me I'd keep the picture and names/copyright as one master making the missing copyright odd.

If it was typographed, the picture would have been a print block, and the captions probably set with type. maybe with the names as a block, and copyright as it's own block. Setup to add the champions caption would have been very quick and easy. Leaving out the copyright could have happened very easily.


Typographed stuff usually has the text slightly indented into the stock, and thicker ink around the edges of each letter.

Other processes like typography with offset, or rotogravure, or even typographed from electroplates are things I'm not sued to seeing on cards, but could have been used. With a range of setup times. Electroplate would I think be least likely.

[Brownie33]

Really interesting! Didn’t realize how many different processes there were for postcard printing. I appreciate this insight as I find it really thought provoking.

[steve B]

Pretty much any method can be used for anything. Some methods aren't good for only making a few of something some are a bit better. Mostly because of the cost and time to set up to make it.

The new stuff that's digital straight on to the press that makes the plate on the press is amazing. Most of the 1/x shiny stuff would not be all that workable without it.