REA reveals a 24 year mystery....the PIEDMONT Plank

[E93]

Ted,
Not that one exception disproves anything, but how do you know that Sen. Russell smoked when he was 13?
JimB

[tedzan]

I have Senator Russell's biography. His early smoking habits are covered in the chapter on his formative years.
He was an avid baseball fan and acquired his vast collection directly from Piedmont cigarette packs and Old Mill
packs in 1910-11.

In recent years I bought quite a few of his duplicates that his great-grand daughter was selling.

TED Z

[tedzan]

Scot Reader and I were discussing this Piedmont Plank earlier today. Scot noticed that the top border has
a proof mark. We went back and looked at the other two (full-color) PIEDMONT Plank's. Sure enough they,
too, have hints of a proof mark on their top border.....typical of T206's printed by American Litho. in 1909.

So, with this limited sampling of 3 cards, we have concluded that the PIEDMONT Plank's were most likely
never issued.
Furthermore, these proof marks contradict any myth that these PIEDMONT Plank's (or Wagner's) were re-
printed in the 1950's (or otherwise).

We welcome any thoughts you have regarding this observation ?


SCOT READER and TED Z

[E93]

Thanks Ted. I did not know he had a biography.
Best,
JimB

[yomass]

Isn't there a five card "strip" with a Wagner and a Plank among the subjects?
Do the cards on this strip have Piedmont backs?

Perhaps the famous Wagner and Plank were cut from such a strip, which may have been produced to advertise or promote the set prior to its introduction.
Even the book "The Card" did not accurately describe the "sheet" from which the Wagner was originally cut.

[benjulmag]

Ted,

While what you say about the cards being proofs seems plausible, can you blow up the images to show the proof lines?

[justmike]

Originally Posted by benjulmag

Ted,

While what you say about the cards being proofs seems plausible, can you blow up the images to show the proof lines?

Proofs would be the only logical explanation.Had they been reprinted in the 50's wouldn't there be more 50-75 total copies of each.If they were reprinted with the original plates than they should be way more plentiful.The reprint issue just doesn't make sense at all to me.
Mike

[Brian Weisner]

Hi Ted,
I don't think anyone thinks that Wagner and Plank were inserted into Piedmont packs... But I doubt they were proofs either.... My guess is that they were printed on several sheets with Piedmont backs before they were told not to include them, but that's only a guess.
Hope you are well. Brian

[tedzan]

One card is on page 4 and the other is on page 5 of this thread. Click onto the REA auction....lot #890 for the Piedmont Plank.
The proof mark is most noticeable in the REA picture. The other two require the use of a magnifier.


TED Z

[E93]

Richard,
There is no Plank on the five card strip. It has Wagner, Young, M. Brown, and a couple of commons.
JimB

[tedzan]

How many Wagner's exist with Piedmont backs ?

Best regards,

TED Z