C46 Imperial Tobacco

[matthew]

Great question! I guess the only choices are Imperial Tobacco or the ATC. Here is an article with some theories

https://prewarcards.com/2018/02/19/c...-minor-league/

The numbers on the back are the best indicator IMO. All the hockey & lacrosse series also have numbers on the front or back.

[Vintagecatcher]

Thanks for the link Matt!

Maybe one of our Canadian board members can find a paper trail that confirms that Imperial Tobacco produced the set of 90 cards!

Patrick

[Cozumeleno]

Unfortunately my page there won't show any definitive proof. Burdick's ACC calls it an Imperial issue, though, which has generally been enough to document it as such. Still, I'd love to see any other actual proof in pictures/documentation if others have it.

[Vintagecatcher]

As Matt mentioned earlier in the thread, the fact that the cards are numbered is significant since all of the other period Imperial Tobacco cards also display this characteristic. Some like the C46 set are numbered on the back, while others have the numbers on the front.

When I was researching some of the other sets, I was also surprised to learn that hockey sets like C55 and C56 are also believed to be released by Imperial Tobacco, but like the C46 set they are considered an "unattributed" Canadian tobacco issue.

Also of note is the back of these three type cards is they list the particular sport series: BASEBALL SERIES, HOCKEY SERIES, and LACROSSE SERIES, respectively.





Patrick

[Leon]

Interesting topic (to me.) One thing is most likely, Burdick had some sort of proof that these cards were produced/distributed from Imperial Tobacco or he wouldn't have printed it (not that he didn't make some apparent mistakes with new information found) in the American Card Catalog.

.

[Cozumeleno]

Yeah, I tend to agree Leon. He definitely did have some mistakes but he was on the mark with 99% of the stuff he listed. My guess is that, while we haven't seen it, he had some evidence pointing him in that direction.

[tedzan]

Patrick

I found these Game Birds cards (issued by Imperial Tobacco, circa 1910-1920) in my archives of miscellaneous stuff, perhaps they can provide some insight to your
question. These cards are numbered 1 - 30. A number which is consistent with the printing format of the C46 cards. That being, my theory is that there were 3 print
runs (30 cards each) in the production of the C46 set.

Anyhow, something to ponder over.








TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Classic_Auctions]

We sold the original limestone used to print the lithography for both the C56 hockey and C60 lacrosse sets in 2011. While it doesn't in any way confirm attribution of the C46 baseball set, the presence of Toronto advertisers does suggest Canadian production for both the C56 and C60 issues, as many believed previously that the cards were printed in England, akin to the 1910-11 Sweet Caporal postcard set.

Hopefully this info might help.


https://www.classicauctions.net/mobi...ntoryid=112606

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Patrick

I found these Game Birds cards (issued by Imperial Tobacco, circa 1910-1920) in my archives of miscellaneous stuff, perhaps they can provide some insight to your
question. These cards are numbered 1 - 30. A number which is consistent with the printing format of the C46 cards. That being, my theory is that there were 3 print
runs (30 cards each) in the production of the C46 set.

Anyhow, something to ponder over.








TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Hi Patrick

Further research into these Imperial Tobacco Canadian (ITC) bird cards indicates that they were possibly printed at American Lithographic. Their fronts and their back descriptions
are identical to ALC's T43 Gold-Bordered Bird cards issued in 1911. I have an example of the T43 Oriole for comparison with this ITC Oriole card. And, when I get it back from PSA
I will post it here.

So, one might ask what do these Birds have to do with the C46 Baseball cards ?

ITC was a subsidiary of British American Tobacco (an ATC affiliate). The ITC factory which produced the cigarettes which the C46 cards were packaged with was based in Montreal.
However, it gets somewhat tricky from there. Although, the back descriptions are identical to the aforementioned T43 cards, the printed format is similar to other non-sport issues
produced in Great Britain.
Therefore, I am not sure if the C46 cards were printed by American Litho in NYC, or in Great Britain (and then shipped to the Montreal factory).

I will continue this research, as I (too) have wondered where the C46's originated from.






TED Z
.