The various Tobacco Factory's and their associated T206 T-brand's

[trdcrdkid]

I love all this stuff. It reminds me of the work done by bibliographers studying printed books from Shakespeare's time, reconstructing where and exactly when various books were printed, and which compositors set various pages.

One thing that stood out to me in the discussion of how many T206s were printed was Scot Reader's statement that "it has been reported that in 1910 and 1911 bird and fish subjects were distributed in some Old Mill, Piedmont, Sovereign and Sweet Caporal packs instead of baseball subjects". This is more than just "reported"; as Ted notes, it's well documented that bird cards (T42 in the ACC) and fish cards (T58) were distributed with some of the same brands as T206, and that T59 Flags of All Nations cards were distributed in packs of Sweet Caporal Little Cigars and Sweet Caporal Tobacco Wrappers, along with nine other brands. All these sets are extremely common, and are among more than 100 different sets of non-sport T cards distributed in the 1909-11 time frame.

Robert Forbes and Terrence Mitchell's book "American Tobacco Cards" has checklists for almost all of these sets, along with information about the tobacco brands advertised on the backs and the factory numbers associated with each brand. I went through that book and, for each of the factories where T206s were packaged, I made a list of the non-sport T card sets also packaged at that factory. Following is a list of each of the factories Ted discussed in this thread, with the T206 brands packaged at that factory, followed by a list of the non-sport sets also packaged at that factory, and the brands associated with each set at that factory. (As with T206s, some of the popular sets had certain brands packaged at some factories but not others.) Factories 25, 30, and 649 appear to have been among the busiest factories for packing tobacco cards, though some of the busiest factories, such as 7 and 593, did not package T206s. Factory 6 appears to have been used for various brands of scrap tobacco, and Factory 17 for cigars.

Factory 25 (Piedmont, American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Sweet Caporal, Sovereign, Carolina Brights, Old Mill)
T27 Actress Series (Fatima)
T32 Artistic Pictures (Richmond Straight Cut)
T42 Bird Series (Cycle, Old Mill, Sovereign, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal)
T58 Fish Series (Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Sovereign)
T59 Flags of All Nations (Hustler, Recruit, Sweet Caporal Little Cigars)
T86 Moving Picture Stars Series (Egyptian Oasis)
T97 Riddle Series (Perfection)
T106 State Girls Series (Fatima, Richmond Straight Cut)
T119 World Scenes and Portraits (Piedmont)

Factory 30 (Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi, Uzit, Lenox)
T29 Animals (Hassan)
T30 Arctic Scenes (Hassan)
T35 Ask Dad (Sweet Caporal)
T36 Auto-Drivers (Hassan, Mecca)
T42 Bird Series (Mecca)
T43 Bird Series (Mecca)
T53 Cowboy Series (Hassan)
T54 Cross Stitch (Egyptienne Straights)
T56 Emblem Series (Hassan)
T57 Fable Series (Turkish Trophies)
T58 Fish Series (Sweet Caporal)
T69 Historic Homes (Helmar)
T73 Indian Life in the 60s (Hassan)
T76 Jigsaw Puzzle Pictures (Turkish Trophies)
T77 Lighthouse Series (Hassan)
T79 Military Series (Tolstoi, Lenox)
T80 Military Series (Tolstoi, Lenox, Uzit, Cairo Monopol)
T88 Mutt & Jeff Series (Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, Sovereign Little Cigars, Sovereign Cigarettes)
T97 Riddle Series (Perfection)
T107 Seals and Coats of Arms (Helmar)
T118 The World's Greatest Explorers (Hassan)
T121 World War I Scenes (Sweet Caporal)

Factory 42 (Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, American Beauty)
T42 Bird Series (Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, American Beauty)
T97 Riddle Series (Perfection)
T106 State Girls Series (Perfection)
T114 Up To Date Comics (Fore 'n' Aft)
T119 World Scenes and Portraits (Piedmont)

Factory 17 (El Principe De Gales)
T68 Heroes of History/Men of History (Royal Bengals Cigars)
T70 Historical Events Series (Flexo Giants, Buffo Grand/Poncico/Le Roy Breva/Le Roy Major)
T99 Sights and Scenes of the World (Royal Bengals Cigars)

Factory 6 (Polar Bear)
T59 Flags of All Nations (Scrap Iron Scrap)
T68 Heroes of History/Men of History (Natural Leaf Scrap)
T99 Sights and Scenes of the World (Pah Handle Scrap)
T105 Assorted Standard Bearers (Honest Scrap)
T113 Types of Nations (Scrap Iron Scrap)

Factory 33 (Ty Cobb)
None

Factory 649 (Hindu, Sweet Caporal)
T25 Actors (Between the Acts)
T29 Animals (Hassan)
T30 Arctic Scenes (Hassan)
T36 Auto-Drivers (Hassan, Mecca)
T38 The Aviators (Tokio and Mezzin)
T42 Bird Series (Emblem, Mecca)
T43 Bird Series (Mecca)
T53 Cowboy Series (Hassan)
T56 Emblem Series (Hassan, Emblem)
T59 Flags of All Nations (Jack Rose, Sub Rosa Cigarros)
T73 Indian Life in the 60s (Hassan)
T77 Lighthouse Series (Hassan)
T79 Military Series (Fez)
T88 Mutt & Jeff Series (Silko, Sovereign)
T108 Theatres Old and New Series (Between the Acts)
T118 The World's Greatest Explorers (Hassan)

Factory 3 (T213 Coupon Type 1)
T82 Series of Movie Stars (Coupon)(also printed with Recruit and Athletic backs, which were packed at Factory 240, 1st District Pennsylvania)

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by jl9999

Is there any rhyme or reason to how players were selected for a particular back? I know that with the more common backs you can pretty much be assured that essentially every player would have one of those backs. I find it odd though how some of the best players of the day aren't found on some of the rarer backs. Obviously back then they didn't have the hindsight that we do in regards to this person and that person being in the hall of fame but it would still stand to reason that it would simply be good business to have the best players represented preferentially on ALL of the back variations not just a smattering here and there.
It makes no sense to me why some of the more mediocre players would be representing Drum, Uzit or some other rarer back while many of the best players of the era were not.

150 Series.....Essentially the major Stars (future HOFers) and veteran ballplayers were selected for this 1st series of T206's. The flagship brand of the American Tobacco Co.
circa 1909-1911 was the PIEDMONT brand. Therefore, approx. 50 % of the T206's were printed with this back. Followed by the SWEET CAPORAL and the SOVEREIGN brands.
And, to a lesser degree the HINDU brand.

350 Series.....As more Major League ballplayers (of lesser note) and the Minor Leaguers were added in this 2nd series, so were more T-brands added to the mix (AMERICAN
BEAUTY, BROAD LEAF, CAROLINA BRIGHTS, CYCLE, DRUM, EL PRINCIPE DE GALES, OLD MILL, POLAR BEAR, TOLSTOI)

460 Series.....In this last series many earlier ballplayers are featured, but with new teams. Rookies were also included. Plus 5 new backs were added to the mix (AMERICAN
BEAUTY 460, LENOX, red HINDU, PIEDMONT 460 Factory #42, UZIT)

My point is this....105 years ago, there was no way of knowing what we know now. American Lithographic produced pre-printed sheets of T206 fronts first. Then the tobacco
advertising backs were printed 2nd on these sheets, as the orders for T206 cards were received from the various tobacco factory's.

So, for example......the green portrait Cobb, printed in the 150 Series, will NOT be found with a DRUM or UZIT back. The red portrait Cobb, initially printed in the 350 Series,
will be found with a DRUM back. The red portrait Cobb was also printed in the 460 Series; but, will not be found with the UZIT back. The printing of T206's is a very complex
process which requires much study to fully understand it.


TED Z
.

[tedzan]

Great stuff......excellent research.

Thanks for posting this elaborate listing of Non-Sports sets issued within (and around) the timeline of the T206's.
It reinforces the point I was making in Post #11 in this thread.


TED Z
.

[tedzan]

Double post.

[tedzan]

The T215 cards were printed at American Lithographic in NYC. And shipped to the Lorillard plant (Factory #10) in Jersey City (NJ), and inserted in the Red Cross tobacco products.

A large find of Red Cross cards occurred some years back in the Louisiana area.


I'm not suggesting here that the T215-1 set should be classified as part of the T206 set (although the 96 cards in this set are virtually identical to their T206 "cousins"). Since the
timeline on these T215's spans 1910 - 1912, there are some team changes from their T206 counterparts. But, the majority of the T215's are the same as the T206's.

So guys, don't get into a tizzy over this inclusion on this thread.




TED Z
.

[ZachS]

Interesting research as usual, Ted. I was looking at my T53 set (I have 49 of 50 cards). Of my 49 cards only 1 is a Factory 30 and the remaining 48 are Factory 649. Do you know if the Factory 30 cards are actually that much more scarce than the 649s?

[tedzan]

The T53 Cowboys cards were printed with HASSAN backs. The majority of their HASSAN backs are Factory #649.

Furthermore, the majority HASSAN backs printed on T202's and T205's are also Factory #649.









TED Z
.

[trdcrdkid]

Originally Posted by ZachS

Interesting research as usual, Ted. I was looking at my T53 set (I have 49 of 50 cards). Of my 49 cards only 1 is a Factory 30 and the remaining 48 are Factory 649. Do you know if the Factory 30 cards are actually that much more scarce than the 649s?

I also have 49 T53s, though I think one is a duplicate. Six of mine are Factory 30, 43 are Factory 649.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by tedzan

The T215 cards were printed at American Lithographic in NYC. And shipped to the Lorillard plant (Factory #10) in Jersey City (NJ), and inserted in the Red Cross tobacco products.

A large find of Red Cross cards occurred some years back in the Louisiana area.

I'm not suggesting here that the T215-1 set should be classified as part of the T206 set (although the 96 cards in this set are virtually identical to their T206 "cousins"). Since the
timeline on these T215's spans 1910 - 1912, there are some team changes from their T206 counterparts. But, the majority of the T215's are the same as the T206's.

So guys, don't get into a tizzy over this inclusion on this thread.


TED Z
.

Get in in a tizzy? It's baseball cards.. We can always agree to disagree and discuss things Ted.

[canjond]

Not entirely on point, but here is some associated T206 packaging...

[wonkaticket]

That's very impressive Jon!

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by canjond

Not entirely on point, but here is some associated T206 packaging...

Nice display Jon.....