T220 Silver - Uncut Edition

[G1911]

It's been over a year, but I think I have finally made some very small progress on the mystery of the Donovan/J. Corbett short printing while reviewing the Dingley Tariff and the long-standing theory that the cards are short-printed because there was some kind of prize associated with the set, like some Gum card sets and others did.

The primary import of this tariff act is that it banned tobacco cards entirely in 1897. In 1902 it was amended by Congress to only ban those that were "immoral" - this is why the 19th century tobacco card focus on provocative images of women are about the only topic T cards stayed away from - because it was illegal to insert them.

Because I am an idiot, I only just realized that the verbiage in the act regulating coupons and prizes seems to relate to this SP problem in T220-1. The 1902 amendment also lightens regulations of coupons and prizes, but it stipulates that, in addition to the prize not being "immoral" either, shall not include in tobacco packages "any paper, certificate or instrument purporting to represent a ticket, chance, share, or interest in, or dependent upon, the event of a lottery." A short printed card inserted randomly for a winner to pull and redeem, by itself or with a set, would seem to fall under the meaning of a lottery at that time, a card as an instrument used as a chance to win a lottery. As the ATC was quite careful not to openly violate direct laws and give the government even more opportunities to come after them, I think this explanation can now be dismissed positively.

Perhaps one day a source will appear that gives us the answer as to why these two were short-printed. It looks like we can dismiss the insert/prize explanation, leaving us with the fact that the proofing stage had them printed in equal quantity as the other cards, alongside evidence that Donovan knew the man who produced the set and was anti-tobacco, but really nothing else. Not a lot to work with still. But it's something at least.

[Pat R]

Just a thought Greg but after they were printed a lot of the Donovan and Corbett cards could have been separated for some kind of promotion. I'm sure you know it was common to give out photo's/cards at movies, fights and other events back then. I'm not sure if there would have been a lower survival rate or not or possibly a lot of them were never given out and didn't survive.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Pat R

Just a thought Greg but after they were printed a lot of the Donovan and Corbett cards could have been separated for some kind of promotion. I'm sure you know it was common to give out photo's/cards at movies, fights and other events back then. I'm not sure if there would have been a lower survival rate or not or possibly a lot of them were never given out and didn't survive.

It very well may be. I would think, at the remove of over a century , that handouts for an event like the T206 Cobb with Cobb story, would be printed on their own to avoid having a worker have to sift through the massive post-cutting stacks, but not everything is efficient. I have this on my list of possibilities but have yet to find any evidence for/against.

Are there other example of the ATC 1909-1912 cards being used like this? I am familiar with the Cobb with Cobb - I don't think I am aware of another but you know far, far more than I do and it would be interesting to learn. I would think it probable that salesmen/representatives/executives would sometimes hand out regular cards without special differences like SP's or the Cobbie's, but my guesses don't mean much.

In all likelihood I will never find the proof on these, the T226 Red Sun SP's, the T227 Brown/Rodgers, but the 'pulled' or extremely short printed cards and why is one of my favorite areas of the T cards. It is such a fun mystery, even if I never learn the answer from someone or some source.

[G1911]

Would anyone with a better eye than me be willing to take a crack at what it says in the bottom left corner?

This is a page from Fullgraff's personal book, from the original sale. It looks like a name has been written in the bottom left, which might be of immense value to set research if it could bee discerned and I had somebody to track down in the archives. My AI tools are not able to read it - the quality is what it is, I don't have a higher resolution available unfortunately.

Thank you.