Why I think Cobb wasn't printed with a Brown Hindu back

[Pat R]

Originally Posted by steve B

Well, that's the rabbit hole of T206....

To me there's some evidence they did it with some brands, especially in the 350's where there are shared groupings of prints/no prints.
The big brands, Piedmont, SC and maybe a couple others were probably produced almost continually, while others like the SL groups were probably on-offs at first.

That's why a ton more study of the tiny details is needed.
For example, on a simple one.
The Hindu and original OM Sl players were probably printed from a common set of fronts. If we examine a lot of fronts closely, we will either see no difference making a point for a single front press run getting two different backs. If we can tell the difference, that would almost certainly prove each brand got its own front plates.

There being probable different presses and locations makes it all the more complicated. But the place to start is with the more finite groups.

But I think there's to much jumping around with the backs when you start comparing them. there are some subjects when compared to another was printed with all the same backs except 1 or 2 if they were done with pre-printed fronts what happened to the one or two backs one of the subjects wasn't printed on?

On the other hand if you're saying that they printed up a bunch of fronts one day and then used those sheets to print 3 or 4 different backs the next day and then the process started again a couple of days later I do agree with that.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Pat R

On the other hand if you're saying that they printed up a bunch of fronts one day and then used those sheets to print 3 or 4 different backs the next day and then the process started again a couple of days later I do agree with that.

I'm not sure how long the time would have been, but yes. Smaller orders like Drum would have been done on whatever current front sheet was being run.

The cutoff for a brand getting their own plates or ordering too small of a quantity is probably right around Polar Bear who had their own fronts for at least one sheet.

I believe some of the more difficult groups and at least one of the very rare combinations are from leftover fronts being used up.