American Beauty Dimensions

[rdwyer]

What are the average dimensions of an American Beauty T206 card?

[frankbmd]

36-22-34

[rdwyer]

I edited the post by adding T206 card, because I knew someone couldn't resist. How about a real answer, please.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I believe I have read they are about 1/16 narrow, so that would make them 1 3/8 instead of 1 7/16, by 2 5/8.

[rdwyer]

Thank you for the info.

The card looked trimmed. But measures up correctly. Just miscut on the front.

[Leon]

The packs being thinner has been an ongoing thought concerning the reason for their thinness..

[tedzan]

Richard

I have collected American Beauty T206's for over 30 years, I have 44 - AB 350 frame....18 - AB 350 no frame....and, 70 - AB 460 cards.

My guess is that American Litho started cutting the AB's thinner in anticipation of the narrower AB packs. It's my understanding that the
narrower (8-cigarette) American Beauty packs were to be introduced sometime in 1911.


Widths of the AB cards vary all over the place. This Davy Jones is the "fattest" of my AB cards (exactly the width of a normal T206 card).


..v.................... 1 7/16" ......................v
.




While AB 460 cards cards tend to be the narrowest......

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TED Z
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[parkerj33]

Maybe everyone else already figured this out....but is that why they went to a no-frame version? So they could cut it thinner and not risk cutting into the frame or having the frame look misplaced? Is the printing timeline such that the ab350 frame versions were printed first and then after realizing they need to trim them thinner, they adjusted the back to remove the frame?

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by parkerj33

Is the printing timeline such that the ab350 frame versions were printed first and then after realizing they need to trim them thinner, they adjusted the back to remove the frame?

Jim


You are correct that the AB 350 frame versions were printed first. The timeline of the AB 350, BROAD LEAF 350, CYCLE 350, and DRUM cards is the Summer of 1910.






The AB 350 (no frame) cards followed (circa Fall/Winter 1910). The AB 460, LENOX, and UZIT cards were in the final T206 print runs circa Jan-Mar 1911. Notice that
all 4 of these backs are without frames.






The timeline for the PIEDMONT 460, Factory 42 cards is somewhat uncertain.....possibly very late 1910, or early 1911.

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TED Z
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