Ty Cobb 1907 rare rookie postcards - Their origin stories told

[Kris19]

I am very happy to be able to post again in one of my favorite threads! I just acquired the H.M. Taylor "Tyrus Cobb at Bat" postcard shown below. As Kevin stated above, his outstanding research has turned up the earliest postmark on any H.M. Taylor to be October 10, 1907. As you can see, my Cobb is postmarked October 12, 1907 at 7:30 pm in Detroit. Earlier that afternoon, the Tigers lost to the Cubs in Game 5 of the World Series by the score of 2-0, giving the Cubs the "sweep" by winning four games and tying one. Game 5 was only the second game played in Detroit in the series.

It has been generally accepted that the H.M. Taylor series was issued/sold from 1907 - 1909. The postmark clearly dates this one to 1907. But also look at the different font of "Post Card" and the H.M. Taylor notation on the bottom, which does not include the words "Rights reserved by" as most I have seen do. In fact, the only other Cobb I can find with the same back is on the tremendous vintageball.com site (it is not postally used).

There are a few different backs known for H.M. Taylor PCs, but this leads me to wonder about the correlation between the years of issue and the printing on the back. My hypothesis is that the back shown below, postmarked October 1907 here, was the first style used in the early printing of the H.M. Taylor postcards. Could it be that only ones with this back should be considered one of Cobb's "rookie" postcards? Are postcard collectors now going to collect backs like T206 collectors?

I would love to read your thoughts, comments, and further research!

[calvindog]

Kris, great card. Do you have scans of any other backs of the HM Taylor Cobb? Mine is sitting at the bank and I don't think I can get there before Friday to check.

[Kris19]

Thanks Jeff. Here are the Cobb backs I have found by Googling.

[Baseball Rarities]

Kris, I do not think that the font of the wording "Post Card" on the reverse is going to help us date these cards. Here are three distinct fonts, all used in October of 1907.

[insidethewrapper]

Here's another variation back of the Taylor Postcards from 1907-09 ? Can a PC expert tell the year of this type ? The team photo was used on several postcards, in newspapers on the 1907 WS Program ( see photo) etc. The dog sometimes is looking straight and other times looking to the left)

[Bicem]

Not sure where the 07-09 date range originates from, I believe they were ALL produced in 1907.

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by Kris19

I am very happy to be able to post again in one of my favorite threads! I just acquired the H.M. Taylor "Tyrus Cobb at Bat" postcard shown below. As Kevin stated above, his outstanding research has turned up the earliest postmark on any H.M. Taylor to be October 10, 1907. As you can see, my Cobb is postmarked October 12, 1907 at 7:30 pm in Detroit. Earlier that afternoon, the Tigers lost to the Cubs in Game 5 of the World Series by the score of 2-0, giving the Cubs the "sweep" by winning four games and tying one. Game 5 was only the second game played in Detroit in the series.

It has been generally accepted that the H.M. Taylor series was issued/sold from 1907 - 1909. The postmark clearly dates this one to 1907. But also look at the different font of "Post Card" and the H.M. Taylor notation on the bottom, which does not include the words "Rights reserved by" as most I have seen do. In fact, the only other Cobb I can find with the same back is on the tremendous vintageball.com site (it is not postally used).

There are a few different backs known for H.M. Taylor PCs, but this leads me to wonder about the correlation between the years of issue and the printing on the back. My hypothesis is that the back shown below, postmarked October 1907 here, was the first style used in the early printing of the H.M. Taylor postcards. Could it be that only ones with this back should be considered one of Cobb's "rookie" postcards? Are postcard collectors now going to collect backs like T206 collectors?

I would love to read your thoughts, comments, and further research!

Terrific pickup, Kris--a hearty CONGRATS!

Sincerely,

Larry

[Kris19]

Thank you, Larry!

Jeff P., I admittedly know absolutely nothing about the printing process of the time (or anytime for that matter), but it just seems odd to me that the publisher would use different backs on the same card fronts if they were all printed at the same time. Especially during a likely very short time period during the 1907 World Series, which it seems all H.M. Taylors appeared/were used for the first time. I would think that type of change would happen in a separate production run. Which I would also guess might not happen until the next season. Why keep printing them during the off-season following the Tigers’ quick demise in the ‘07 Series?

All pure speculation!

[ullmandds]

I agree with your rationale that it is unusual if they were all printed at the same time that they would have different backs that does not make sense. I suppose it’s possible the photos were sold and then whoever bought them printed the back on there but if this were the case you might think there would be blank backs out there. Are there?? Otherwise it seems plausible they were printed a few different times possibly different years.

[Bicem]

Originally Posted by Kris19

Thank you, Larry!

Jeff P., I admittedly know absolutely nothing about the printing process of the time (or anytime for that matter), but it just seems odd to me that the publisher would use different backs on the same card fronts if they were all printed at the same time.

HM Taylor may have printed at different times during 07 but I've never seen any evidence suggesting that these were printed post 1907. The team card also has a variety of back variations, would think it would be unlikely HM Taylor was printing postcards celebrating the 07 team in 09.

Kevin's post clearly shows different backs printed in 07. You see PC back variations a lot in postcard issues.

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by Bicem

HM Taylor may have printed at different times during 07 but I've never seen any evidence suggesting that these were printed post 1907. The team card also has a variety of back variations, would think it would be unlikely HM Taylor was printing postcards celebrating the 07 team in 09.

Kevin's post clearly shows different backs printed in 07. You see PC back variations a lot in postcard issues.

All three of the different backs that I have pictured above were postmarked within a 7 day period in October of 1907. It seems to me that they were all made and distributed at the same time.

[yanksfan09]

Never thought I'd be able to join this club, but I have... Still pinching myself. Let some of my excess/non core focus stuff go and some modern stuff go and been busy chipping away at these early Cobbs...

I think the Seamless is by far one of the coolest cards in the whole hobby and still believe I was able to get one. After getting my D381 Cobb years ago I never thought I'd be able to land another Cobb nearly as cool.

[calvindog]

Congrats, Erick, that’s a great addition to your Cobb PC collection.

[VintageBen]

Originally Posted by yanksfan09

Never thought I'd be able to join this club, but I have... Still pinching myself. Let some of my excess/non core focus stuff go and some modern stuff go and been busy chipping away at these early Cobbs...

I think the Seamless is by far one of the coolest cards in the whole hobby and still believe I was able to get one. After getting my D381 Cobb years ago I never thought I'd be able to land another Cobb nearly as cool.

Erick,

All i can say is, "Wowsers!"