Mystery postcard - Eastern Exhibit variation?

[nolemmings]

I see where your Babe Ruth is indeed darker looking. I no longer collect these, but the eastern exhibits I owned looked like the one on the left below--one of these just ended on ebay and the other is there now:

So those that look like the one on the right are not B&W but are instead considered a different shade of sepia?

[frankh8147]

I'm very interested to see how the Exhibit experts here weigh in on that; nice picture- that would make for a very wide range of color between true Eastern Exhibits'.
On the other hand, The Exhibits without the company mark on the back seem to be the same shade of black. My only guess would be that the Eastern Exhibits were made like the 48-49 Leaf cards with wide variations based on how much tint was left in the machine. That said, a true B@W (which I have only seen without the Eastern back) with a standard Eastern back would be pretty definitive evidence. I would really appreciate seeing those cards when you get them back. -Frank

Originally Posted by nolemmings

I see where your Babe Ruth is indeed darker looking. I no longer collect these, but the eastern exhibits I owned looked like the one on the left below--one of these just ended on ebay and the other is there now:

So those that look like the one on the right are not B&W but are instead considered a different shade of sepia?

[Exhibitman]

The plain PC backed cards are true black and white. Very clearly so when viewed in hand. Those two Schangs look different but scans can distort color, especially with different adjacent colors. I once bought what looked like a sepia Cassius Clay exhibit on eBay and was [pleasantly] surprised when a green card arrived. If anyone has a raw pair they can scan together that would be the ideal test.

[nolemmings]

Please let me offer a theory about the card queried by the OP, which theory may have been discussed over the years but I do not recall it. It has to do with Louis Hurwitz, to whom I made reference a few posts back. Some may know that Mr. Hurwitz pirated Exhibit cards for his own purposes, resulting in a lawsuit by the ESCO owner Meyer. The background for what transpired is laid out in a published opinion for those who care to read it– it is short and interesting. Meyer v. Hurwitz, 5 F.2d 370 (E.D. Penn. 1925). As a result of the published opinion, an injunction was issued halting Hurwitz from continuing; I suspect the ultimate outcome of the litigation also required him to relinquish any rights in Eastern Exhibit cards. This could explain why many Eastern Exhibit identifications are canceled and replaced by the well-known Chicago ESCO line. I believe that the thinner exhibit-looking postcards were also Hurwitz’ creation, and that the tints, whether they are different shades of sepia or both sepia and black and white, are also attributed to Hurwitz. Keep in mind I have neither much time nor money invested in collecting Exhibits, but I wanted to get some feedback on this theory, so it can be explored further and/or ruled out.

In the court case from 1925, the judge observed that Hurwitz “began the manufacture and sale of cards substantially similar in subject-matter and in many cases identical with the pictures theretofore and then sold by [Exhibit Supply Co] and so designed as to permit of their being dispensed by the machines in the hands of [ESCO’s] distributors; it being necessary in the use of the cards in the machines that they be of precisely the correct length, breadth, and thickness”. Hurwitz “then adopted the trade name of Eastern Exhibit Supply Company”, which he changed after protest from ESCO to “United Post Card Supply Co.”. According to the Court, Hurwitz then solicited ESCO distributors and sold his own cards to them at a lower price, thereby damaging ESCO through lost business and profits. Importantly to our discussion, the Court also noted “[I]t appears in some instances that cards furnished by Hurwitz have, through lack of thickness identical with that of the plaintiff's cards, caused the machine to fail to function as the plaintiff's cards cause it to do, whereby the intended purchaser, who has deposited his coin, has failed to receive the expected card.” Of course, this too would damage ESCO’s reputation, whose apparently failing machines prominently displayed a notice stating “Man'f'd byExhibit Supply Co. not Inc. Chicago, Ill.”

The long and the short of it was the judge used “the power of a court of equity to restrain such unfair practices”. Hurwitz was shut down. Since this opinion only addressed the issue of a preliminary injunction it is unclear what other damages or relief that ESCO obtained as part of the final case disposition, although such relief (or some settlement) may have included the right of ESCO to obliterate the Eastern Exhibit tag line on the back of the postcards and replace it with its own. It also explains why the Eastern Exhibit company cards were short-lived. Finally, the facts as described might also explain the origin of some of the “thinner” cards that jammed the ESCO machines, although these seem to lack the company ID tagline on the back–maybe they were precursors or were part of Hurwitz’ efforts after he changed his company name. The case does not discuss the issue of various tints to the so-called Eastern Exhibit cards, although one could speculate that Hurwitz was responsible for them through various print runs. Given that ESCO showed a willingness to fight in court, it seems unlikely others would have wanted to get into the business, so if not him, who?

[nolemmings]

BTW, among other interesting tidbits from the case opinion is the statement that Mr. Hurwitz did not begin his involvement with the exhibit machines and cards until “late 1923 ”. Is the current thinking about a 1922 release date for these Eastern Exhibit cards in error? Sorry if this takes the thread too far off topic.

[pencil1974]

Finally got my graded order back from SGC today.

Here are the two Eastern Exhibits one Sepia on the left and the Black and White on the right. Its not a startling difference because there is so much white in this particular image but I did a close up shot too and you can see the difference in color. Backs included to show they are both Eastern Exhibits.

Added to say if you look under a loop you can see the difference a lot more as well.

[frankh8147]

I still think there is a difference..would love to hear some other opinions, this thread really interests me..